Payroll Specialist

Location: Cape Town, South Africa Date Posted: Jul 21, 2026 Category: Payroll What You\'ll Do: Ensure our employees are paid accurately and on time, while staying fully compliant with local regulations and internal policies. Manage the full payroll cycle for the multiple EMEA countries, including calculating wages, bonuses, statutory deductions, and final payments. Process all payroll transactions across the employee lifecycle from onboarding to offboarding including changes, absences, and adjustments. Review and audit timesheets and payroll data, proactively resolving any discrepancies. Generate and share regular reports for HR, Finance, and external stakeholders, ensuring data accuracy at every step. Maintain up-to-date employee payroll records, including compensation, benefits, and statutory information. Support internal and external audits, and contribute to payroll projects such as M&A integrations and system upgrades. Collaborate with our Finance team on reconciliations and payroll-related accounting queries. Be the go-to contact for employee payroll questions, providing timely, clear, and professional support. Uphold the highest standards of confidentiality and compliance across all payroll activities. Continuously seek out ways to improve processes, enhance accuracy, and ensure operational efficiency. Take on additional tasks and support the People team as needed, we\'re a team-first environment. What You\'ll Bring: At least 5 years of hands-on payroll experience, with strong expertise in UK payroll and processed payroll in multiple countries across the EMEA region. A solid understanding of payroll best practices, tax regulations, and statutory requirements. Experience working with payroll and HRIS platforms, especially Workday. Neeyamo is a strong advantage. Strong Excel skills (pivot tables, formulas, data manipulation) and comfortable working with large data sets in Microsoft Office. Strong analytical and organisational skills Able to work independently, prioritise effectively, and thrive under tight deadlines. A collaborative mindset, excellent communication, approachable, and a strong team player. Energy, positivity, and professionalism, allowing you to take ownership and bring a proactive spirit to your work. A natural problem-solver who stays calm under pressure and always looks for smarter ways of working. Someone who values trust and integrity so you can handle sensitive data with care and discretion. A thoughtful team player and active listener who can build strong working relationships across teams and time zones. What We Offer: Enjoy flexible paid time off options for enhanced work-life balance Meltwater demonstrates a commitment to your well-being by contributing towards Discovery Health , ensuring robust healthcare coverage Complimentary CalmApp subscription for you and your loved ones, because mental wellness matters. Energetic work environment with a hybrid work style, providing the balance you need. Benefit from our family leave program , which grows with your tenure at Meltwater. Thrive within our inclusive community and seize ongoing professional development opportunities to elevate your career. Where You\'ll Work: V & A Waterfront, 3 Dock Rd., 8001 Cape Town Our Story At Meltwater , we believe that when you have the right people in the right environment, great things happen. Our best-in-class technology empowers our 27,000 customers around the world to make better business decisions through data. But we can\'t do that without our global team of developers, innovators, problem-solvers, and high-performers who embrace challenges and find new solutions for our customers. Our award-winning global culture drives everything we do and creates an environment where our employees can make an impact, learn every day, feel a sense of belonging, and celebrate each other\'s successes along the way. We are innovators at the core who see the potential in people, ideas and technologies. Together, we challenge ourselves to go big, be bold, and build best-in-class solutions for our customers. We\'re proud of our diverse team of 2,200+ employees in 50 locations across 25 countries around the world. No matter where you are, you\'ll work with people who care about your success and get the support you need to unlock new heights in your career. We are Meltwater. Inspired by innovation, powered by people. . Equal Employment Opportunity Statement Meltwater is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind: At Meltwater, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered. We are committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity and strive to provide a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Meltwater are made based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by the applicable laws and regulations. Meltwater does not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind, and we actively promote a culture of respect, fairness, and inclusivity. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities to apply and join us in our mission to drive innovation and make a positive impact in the world. We may use AI to assist in aspects of our hiring process, such as reviewing candidate information, capturing interview notes, and supporting interview activities. These tools are used only to assist our team through increased efficiencies. Every output continues to be reviewed by humans, and all hiring decisions are made by humans. We remain committed to evaluating candidates fairly, consistently, and in compliance with all applicable laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr