Global Payroll Specialist - 6 month FTC

Global Payroll Specialist - 6 month FTC

Application Deadline: 30 September 2025

Department: Finance

Employment Type: Contract / Temp

Location: Cape Town

Reporting To: Leon Bond

Description

This role is a 6 month fixed term contract - maternity cover

About Napier: Imagine catching criminals before they strike - that’s exactly what Napier’s AI-powered platform does! By analysing transactions and customers in real time, Napier AI’s technology empowers financial institutions to spot suspicious activity, like money laundering, and stops it in its tracks.

Napier AI’s technology works like a digital detective, combining AI with smart analytics to outthink criminals and protect people’s money from becoming criminal proceeds. It’s not just about stopping crime - it’s about making the financial world safer and more trustworthy for everyone.

Collaboration, innovation and wonderful people are just some of the reasons to bring your career to Napier. Our culture is shaped by our core values that promote equality, creativity, and opportunity in everything we do.

Overview of the role:

The Global Payroll Specialist will play a critical role in managing and executing payroll operations across multiple international jurisdictions (EMEA, APAC, USA). This is a fantastic opportunity for a detail-oriented payroll professional to join a high-growth technology business and help scale global processes while ensuring compliance and accuracy.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and manage end-to-end payroll processing across multiple countries, ensuring timely and accurate payments.
• Collaborate with external payroll providers and internal stakeholders to ensure compliance with local tax, labor, and social security regulations.
• Maintain payroll data integrity across HRIS and finance systems, ensuring alignment with employment contracts and benefits.
• Support the implementation and optimization of global payroll systems and processes.
• Partner with Finance and HR teams to reconcile payroll data, support audits, and ensure accurate reporting.
• Manage employee queries related to payroll, benefits, and statutory deductions with professionalism and discretion.
• Monitor changes in global payroll legislation and ensure proactive compliance.
• Assist in the onboarding of new entities or markets from a payroll perspective.
• Prepare and submit statutory filings and reports as required by local authorities.
• Support ad-hoc payroll projects, including process automation, vendor transitions, and policy updates.
• Input monthly payroll journals and reconcile actual costs against forecasts, identifying and investigating any discrepancies
• Prepare monthly reports reconciling leaver costs, bonus accruals and other payroll-related adjustments

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• A Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• 4+ years of experience in global payroll operations, preferably within a tech, SaaS, or fintech environment.
• Strong understanding of international payroll regulations and statutory requirements.
• Experience working with global payroll vendors and platforms (e.g., ADP, Deel, Remote, Papaya Global).
• Proficiency in Excel and familiarity with HRIS and finance systems (e.g., Workday, BambooHR, NetSuite).
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to manage sensitive data with confidentiality.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across cultures and time zones.
• Ability to work independently and thrive in a fast-paced, scaling environment.