Hybrid Compensation/Reward Manager – Maternity Cover

at KingMakers

• Job title: Compensation/Reward Manager – Maternity Cover
• Job type: Contract
• Experience level: Mid level, Senior
• Salary: Not specified
• Degree requirement: No Education Requirement
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Cape Town, South Africa

About the role

• Compensation/Reward Manager overseeing key reward processes during key financial cycles for digital entertainment group in Cape Town. Responsible for compensation operations, analytics, and team collaboration.

Responsibilities

• **Purpose of this role**:
• This role provides hands-on compensation leadership during a critical period in our annual people and financial cycles. The Compensation / Reward Manager will oversee key reward processes, support the implementation of our new compensation strategy, ensure accurate staff cost management, and partner closely with Finance, People Partners, and business leaders.
• The role includes responsibility for compensation operations, analytics, benchmarking, and annual cycle delivery. It will also manage a Senior Systems & Data Analyst; however, this is a highly independent role. This is an **8-month fixed term** role, based in Cape Town.
• **Key responsibilities / accountabilities:**
• __Annual Compensation Cycles__
• Lead the execution of the annual Pay Review and Bonus cycles. *(Prep will begin pre-contract)*
• Partner with Finance and People Partners to ensure cycle readiness, communication, and timely execution.
• Oversee multi-sheet workbooks, ensuring accurate analysis, scenario modelling and data reconciliation across spreadsheets.
• __Compensation Strategy Implementation__
• Support execution of the new compensation strategy, including refining frameworks, reviewing & building salary ranges, and aligning tools and processes.
• Translate strategy into clear operational practices that integrate into day-to-day People and Finance workflows.
• Provide guidance to People Partners and managers on compensation principles and application.
• __Benchmarking & Market Insights__
• Manage participation in salary survey submissions and maintain market data libraries.
• Conduct benchmarking analyses and provide compensation recommendations grounded in data and market trends.
• __Staff Cost Management & Budgeting__
• Review and validate compensation-related approvals for hires, promotions, and adjustments, ensuring alignment with budget requirements.
• Partner closely with Finance to monitor staff costs and headcount plans.
• Oversee the preparation & build of templates and files for the 2027 staff budgeting cycle, including detailed Total Cost to Company (TCTC) calculations across multiple regions and employment structures. *(2027 budgeting process will extend beyond contract)*
• __Additional Responsibilities__
• Assist the Senior Systems & Data Analyst to leverage our HRIS to enable accurate compensation data, reporting, and workflows.
• Provide support for ad-hoc HR data reporting and insights, if needed.

Requirements

• **Qualifications and experience:**
• Demonstrated experience working on hands-on compensation projects, including designing or revamping compensation structures or strategies.
• Experience partnering with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, and cost management.
• Strong Excel skills and the ability to manage complex data sets while ensuring high accuracy.
• Exposure to multi-location compensation structures or global reward operations.
• Experience participating in or managing salary survey submissions.
• Experience working with an HRIS, ideal but not required.
• **Skills, knowledge and abilities:**
• Highly organised and able to manage multiple deadlines during peak annual cycles.
• Comfortable operating independently with sound judgment.
• Clear communicator able to translate data and strategy into practical guidance for stakeholders.
• Pragmatic problem-solver with a continuous improvement mindset.