Payroll Process Analyst

About Global Shared Services (GSS)

Global Shared Services (GSS) is a critical asset for Anglo American and De Beers enabling the delivery of functional service work for Finance & People Services to all Business Unit and Group Functions.

The vision for Global Shared Services (GSS) is to be an exceptional Shared Services organisation, with inspired people, delivering flawless processes, enabled by great technology.

There are three key strategic pillars that GSS is currently aligned to and delivering towards, namely, customers, colleagues and communities.

Proactive and meaningful stakeholder engagement, which includes employees, communication and effective change management, are key success factors in the GSS journey.

Job Description

This role is responsible for supporting and enabling the planning, execution, and optimisation of payroll processes across GSS. The Payroll Process Analyst will be an expert in the end‑to‑end payroll cycle — from data capture, review, and validation, including payroll calculation and statutory compliance, payroll accounting, reporting, and analytics.

The role will also be accountable for performing and implementing control checks to safeguard compliance, accuracy, and integrity across payroll operations. In addition to executing ongoing payroll processes, the role will support new payroll take‑on’s across multiple countries, ensuring smooth onboarding, data integrity, and alignment with statutory requirements.

The focus will be on analysing payroll operations, identifying improvement opportunities, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, and introducing digitisation to enhance efficiency and accuracy.

KEY TASKS

• Document the entire payroll process, from employee data capture and input validation to payroll calculation, accounting, and reporting, with documented control points at each stage.
• Ensure seamless integration between HR data, payroll processing, and finance systems, supported by system integration controls to validate data accuracy.
• Provide payroll analytics to identify trends, anomalies, and opportunities for efficiency, incorporating exception reporting controls.
• Act as subject matter expert for payroll operations, statutory deductions, and compliance, ensuring control frameworks are embedded in daily operations.

Payroll Process Design & Optimisation

• Lead and participate in payroll process redesign and optimisation workshops, embedding new control measures into redesigned processes.
• Perform root cause analysis on payroll errors and propose preventative measures, including enhanced control checks.
• Collaborate with HR, Finance, and operational teams to drive continuous payroll improvement strategies, with control monitoring mechanisms.
• Conduct “As Is / To Be” analysis to optimise payroll processes in line with GSS digital strategy, ensuring controls are mapped and validated.

Payroll Governance & Compliance

• Monitor compliance against statutory payroll standards (PAYE, NIC, SMP, SSP, GDPR, POPIA, etc.), supported by compliance control checks.
• Strengthen payroll controls and provide input into payroll audits.
• Ensure payroll processes are aligned with the requirements of relevant tax authorities and statutory bodies across all operating countries, with country‑specific control validations.
• Ensure payroll process changes follow change management and governance principles, including approval and control checkpoints.

Payroll Reporting & Analytics

• Deliver payroll accounting outputs accurately and on time, with reconciliation controls in place.
• Produce payroll analytics dashboards and reports for stakeholders, ensuring data integrity controls are applied.
• Perform trend analysis to identify recurring payroll failures and propose solutions, supported by control tracking metrics.
• Provide payroll performance feedback and reporting to stakeholders.

Training & Knowledge Transfer

• Work with the Functional Learning team to ensure payroll staff complete relevant training, including training on control procedures.
• Support line managers in educating business users responsible for payroll processes, emphasising control awareness.
• Maintain payroll training documentation and ensure delivery of updated training sessions, with control…