Assistant Payroll Manager

Driven to create unique home-grown food concepts that bring people together, the Independent Food Company is a UAE-based hospitality company with multiple concepts under its umbrella – SALT, Shalwa, Parker’s, Kumo, Somewhere, and Public.

Job Purpose:
The Assistant Payroll Manager is responsible for managing and overseeing the end-to-end payroll function for the company across the UAE. This role ensures accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing in line with UAE Labor Law, MOHRE regulations, and Wages Protection System (WPS) requirements, while supporting a high-volume, multi-location workforce environment.

Key Responsibilities:
Payroll Operations:

- Manage the full monthly payroll cycle for head office and operational staff (restaurants, outlets,
kitchens, warehouses).
- Ensure accurate processing of salaries, overtime, public holiday work, deductions, penalties.
- Enhance the payroll cycle m automate all the manual inputs and apply clear check list review.
- Ensure payroll cut-off timelines are strictly followed.

Compliance & Legal Alignment:

•-Ensure payroll practices comply with UAE labor law, Executive Regulations, and MOHRE
guidelines.
-Manage payroll submission through WPS, ensuring timely salary disbursement within legal
deadlines.
-Ensure correct application of overtime, days off, public holiday, Ramadan working hours, and
leave entitlements.
-Support labour inspections and respond to MOHRE queries related to payroll.
End of Service (EOS) & Final Settlements
-Oversee EOS calculations, ensuring gratuity is computed accurately and within the timeline
based on the UAE labor law .
-Review and validate lawful deductions from EOS .
Attendance, Time & Overtime Management
-Oversee integration between time & attendance systems (biometric/roster systems) and
payroll.
-Ensure accurate overtime approvals aligned with shift rosters and operational requirements.
-Investigate attendance discrepancies and payroll variances.

Payroll Controls & Reporting:
-Establish and maintain payroll SOPs, approval matrices, and internal controls.
-Prepare payroll summaries, variance analysis, and cost reports for management.
-Coordinate with Finance for payroll reconciliation, accruals, and GL postings.
Stakeholder Management
-Act as the main point of contact for payroll-related queries from employees, managers, HR, and
Finance.
-Work closely with Operations Managers to ensure payroll reflects actual working hours and
shifts.

Confidentiality & Data Protection:

-Ensure strict confidentiality of payroll data and employee personal information.
- Maintain compliance with UAE data protection and internal company policies.
- Implement proper documentations system and E-archiving.

Qualifications & Experience:
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field.
• 5–7 years of payroll experience in the UAE.
• Minimum 3–5 years in a managerial or supervisory payroll role.
• Strong experience in F&B, hospitality, retail, or high-volume operational environments.
• Hands-on experience with WPS and UAE labour compliance.