Payroll & IRS Support Officer – CIMMYT at Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)

The job holder will ensure accurate and compliant payroll administration for CIMMYT Kenya-based employees while providing effective administrative support for internationally recruited staff processes, relocation, and related protocol requirements.

Duties and responsibilities

Payroll Management & Statutory Compliance

• Manage end-to-end monthly payroll processing for all categories of Kenya-based employees, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, completeness, and timely delivery.
• Validate and process payroll inputs including; overtime, leave, deductions, new hires, salary changes, benefits, allowances, and final dues.
• Process and reconcile payroll elements including salaries, benefits, deductions, taxes, pension contributions, loans, and other applicable payments or recoveries.
• Ensure compliance with Kenyan statutory and regulatory requirements, including PAYE, NSSF, SHIF, Housing Levy, pension administration, and other applicable employer obligations.
• Coordinate timely preparation, filing, and remittance of statutory deductions and payroll-related returns to relevant authorities.
• Prepare payroll reconciliations and coordinate with Finance to ensure payroll outputs, statutory payments, and related reports are accurately accounted for.
• Review payroll variances, investigate discrepancies, and resolve payroll exceptions or escalated issues in a timely manner.
• Support internal and external payroll audits by maintaining accurate, complete, and audit-ready payroll records and supporting documentation.
• Monitor changes in payroll-related legislation and support timely updates to payroll processes, controls, and statutory compliance requirements.

Payroll Administration & Reporting

• Prepare payroll-related documentation and annual employee tax records, including P9 forms and other statutory payroll support documents.
• Maintain the accuracy and integrity of payroll master data and employee payroll records within the payroll system.
• Communicate payroll procedures, timelines, and documentation requirements with relevant stakeholders to support timely and accurate payroll processing.
• Maintain payroll procedures, process documentation, and internal controls to strengthen operational efficiency, consistency, and compliance.
• Support continuous improvement of payroll administration processes, records management practices, and related operational controls.

International Recruited Staff (IRS) Global Mobility Support

• Provide Support with onboarding, relocation, and administrative support for internationally recruited staff (IRS) and their dependents during assignment in Kenya.
• Provide guidance to IRS staff on administrative, logistical, and country settlement matters in line with organizational policies and procedures.
• Support cross-cultural orientation and related onboarding initiatives for internationally recruited staff.
• Coordinate security-related support services for IRS staff in accordance with organizational policies and applicable procedures.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date IRS records within the Human Resources Information System, ensuring high levels of accuracy and confidentiality.
• Prepare and review documentation relating to tax exemptions, immigration, protocol requirements, and other compliance-related processes for international staff in accordance with Kenyan regulations.
• Liaise with relevant government authorities, service providers, and internal stakeholders on IRS administrative and protocol-related matters.
• Provide administrative and coordination support to the Global Mobility and IRS HR function.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Commerce, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in payroll administration, statutory compliance, and HR support within Kenya.
• Knowledge of Kenyan labour laws and statutory requirements, including PAYE, NSSF, SHIF, Housing Levy, pension administration, and other relevant employer obligations.
• Proven experience in end-to-end payroll processing, payroll reconciliations, statutory remittances, and management of payroll-related records.