Payroll Manager at IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Duties

• Supervise payroll and benefits administration for Headquarters and all Stations.
• Review payroll and benefits for Internationally Recruited Staff (IRS).
• Manage all IRS benefits, including car loans, Foreign Travel Allowance (FTA), dependent education allowance, monetization of benefits, and ensure proper review and timely payment.
• Administer loans for Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) in Nigeria.
• Prepare IITA UK Ltd payroll and manage consultants’ payroll.
• Review payroll and benefits prepared by Payroll Unit staff, including: all Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS), Consultants, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) allowances, Student Attachée stipends, Research Fellows and Casual Labour wages
• Monitor statutory deductions to ensure prompt remittance to relevant authorities, including PAYE, pension contributions, NSITF, etc.
• Ensure timely and accurate reconciliation of all payroll sub-ledgers at Headquarters and across Stations.
• Coordinate filing of annual tax returns with relevant government tax authorities in Nigeria.
• Prepare benefit schedules for submission to AIARC (USA) for the Institute’s U.S. citizens/taxpayers.
• Liaise with the IITA-HR team on payroll and staff benefits matters.
• Engage with statutory bodies (e.g., tax authorities, pension fund administrators) on payroll-related issues.
• Interface with AIARC on IRS payroll and insurance matters.
• Monitor employees’ personal account balances and review their financial status.
• Review payroll transactions for accurate posting into the General Ledger.
• Manage severance and terminal benefits for IRS and NRS staff.
• Review journals, payment/receipt vouchers, cheque requests, and fund transfer requests prepared by Payroll staff.
• Reconcile the Institute’s imprest account balance with AIARC.
• Monitor payroll processes to ensure compliance with the Institute’s policies.
• Supervise and coordinate activities of subordinates within the Payroll Unit.
• Perform any other job-related duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications

• MSc / MBA in Accounting, Finance, Economics or any other related course.
• The ideal candidate must have minimum of 15 years of experience performing similar role in a well-structured environment.
• Professional certifications in ACA, ACCA is required.

Competencies
The ideal candidate must:

• Demonstrate excellent communication skills—written, verbal, and interpersonal.
• Possess strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Have a working knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics.
• Be proficient in computer applications, with expertise in Oracle.
• Exhibit reliability, teamwork, and high standards of integrity.
• Be self-motivated, goal-oriented, and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Maintain a pleasant, approachable, and professional demeanor.