People & Payroll Strategic Partner

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Purpose:

To partner with the HR Manager in translating business strategy into people practices by driving execution across the organisation.

The HR Business Partner is accountable for the end-to-end management of payroll, compensation, and benefits, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and alignment with organisational objectives. The role also ensures operational excellence by guiding and developing the HR Generalist and supporting line managers in all people-related matters.

Compensation, Benefits & Payroll Management

Payroll Ownership

• Take full accountability for end-to-end payroll processing including input, validation, calculation, reconciliation, and final submission.
• Manage payroll execution across regions ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and zero errors.
• Validate all payroll inputs including new hires, terminations, salary changes, deductions, bonuses, and leave.
• Perform month-end payroll reconciliations and ensure approval readiness.
• Maintain payroll systems and ensure integrity of employee data.

Compensation Management

• Support the design and implementation of salary structures, benchmarking, and forecasting aligned to market trends.
• Coordinate annual salary reviews, incentive schemes, and bonus cycles.
• Analyse internal pay equity and recommend corrective actions.
• Advise managers on remuneration decisions and resolve pay-related issues.

Benefits Administration

• Manage full benefits lifecycle including medical aid, pension funds, and risk benefits
• Reconcile benefits billing with payroll and ensure accurate deductions
• Handle complex employee queries and improve employee understanding of benefits
• Liaise with service providers to ensure effective service delivery and cost management.

Data Analysis & Continuous Improvement

• Analyse payroll, compensation, and benefits data to identify trends, risks, and cost drivers.
• Prepare reports and insights to support decision-making by the HR Manager.
• Identify inefficiencies and implement process improvements and automation.
• Maintain and update payroll and benefits SOPs and controls.

Compliance & Statutory Reporting

• Ensure compliance with PAYE, UIF, SDL, and COIDA requirements.
• Manage statutory submissions and reporting deadlines. [
• Maintain audit-ready payroll and benefits documentation.
• Stay updated on legislative changes and ensure compliance.

Transformation & Equity

• Support Employment Equity reporting and compliance.
• Spear head B-BBEE initiatives and track progress.
• Monitor pay equity and support transformation objectives.
• Support HR Manager in driving transformation initiatives.

• Ensure compliance with labour legislation and internal governance requirements.

• Implement process improvements and HR projects.

Process Improvement & Governance

• Strengthen payroll controls to minimise risk and errors.
• Improve and standardise payroll and benefits processes.
• Maintain SOPs and ensure consistent application across HR operations.

Fleet management

• Oversee administration of company fleet (maintenance, insurance, licensing, claims).
• Track fuel, tolls, and related costs, ensuring control and accuracy.
• Ensure compliance with internal policies and legal requirements.

Company Culture

• Promote and embed organisational values and desired behaviours across the business.
• Support the HR Manager in driving a high-performance and inclusive culture aligned with business strategy.
• Facilitate employee engagement initiatives, including events, feedback sessions, and culture-building activities.
• Partner with leadership to address cultural challenges and reinforce positive workplace behaviours.

Budgets and reporting

• Support management of HR budgets (payroll, benefits, and operational costs).
• Monitor spend against budget and highlight variances.
• Provide accurate and timely HR reporting and insights (headcount, costs, trends).

Global Projects

• Participate in and support the implementation of global HR initiatives and projects.
• Ensure alignment between global standards and local HR practices.
• Act as a local point of contact for global HR programmes, ensuring effective communication and execution.
• Provide feedback and insights to global teams based on local business needs and challenges.

Policies and SOP’s

• Develop, review, and implement HR policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Ensure policies align with legislation, organisational standards, and best practice.
• Drive communication, understanding, and consistent application across the business.
• Continuously improve policies and processes based on business needs and regulatory changes

Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement process improvements across HR and payroll functions.
• Support HR transformation initiatives led by the HR Manager.
• Ensure alignment between HR strategy and operational delivery.
• and mentoring

 Employee Relations

• Provide guidance on disciplinary and grievance matters.
• Ensure fair and consistent application of HR policies.
• Support conflict resolution and escalate complex issues.

 Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with business leaders and employees.
• Act as key HR contact for operational and advisory matters.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.

Qualifications Minimum:

• BCom HR Degree / Industrial Psychology / Related

Ideal:

• Postgraduate HR qualification
• SABPP registration

Experience Minimum:

• 5+ years with strong payroll, compensation, and HR partnering experience

Competencies & Core Skills

• Strong payroll and financial acumen
• Business and strategic thinking
• Analytical and data interpretation skills
• Employee relations expertise
• Coaching and capability building
• Strong attention to detail (critical for payroll)
• Communication and influencing skills
• Planning and organisational skills
• High integrity and confidentiality

What we offer you:

We offer a competitive, market-aligned salary package, complemented by a comprehensive range of benefits including medical aid contributions and a pension fund. Our commitment to recognising excellence is reflected in our annual compensation reviews, ensuring that outstanding performance is rewarded.

In addition to your base salary, you’ll have access to a performance-driven annual bonus, reinforcing our culture of achievement and impact.

Beyond financial rewards, we provide meaningful non-monetary benefits that reflect our values and foster a positive, inclusive workplace culture. We are deeply committed to our employees’ growth, with a strong focus on continuous learning and development to help you build a rewarding and future-ready career.

Whatever your area of expertise, your work within the Servier Group helps advance therapeutic progress for the benefit of patients. You will be part of teams recognized for their scientific excellence and reach your full potential in a professional environment that encourages you to develop yourself. Tailor-made onboarding journeys, mobility opportunities, quality trainings, responsible management, team spirit... All this and more in a workplace focused on your well-being.

At Servier, we are committed to therapeutic progress to serve patient needs. We put the diversity of our employees as a source of richness for the fulfillment of this vocation.