Payroll & Commissions Manager – BOTSWANA LIFE INSURANCE Ltd

Botswana Life Insurance Limited (Botswana Life) is Botswana’s longest servicing and only home-grown life insurer. Established in 1975, Botswana Life has a proud 50-year history and is a subsidiary of the renowned Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited (BIHL) Group listed Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE). As an icon in Botswana, Botswana Life has become synonymous with life insurance in the country and as a trusted partner to Batswana. At Botswana Life, we provide financial solutions that make a positive difference in the lives of our clients and employees. We are committed to creating a world where everyone is financially secure and can walk tall in confidence that we have them covered.

Role Summary

Botswana Life is looking for suitably qualified candidates to fill in the role of Payroll & Commissions Manager. The purpose of the role is to implement, maintain, and review payroll processing systems to ensure timely and accurate processing of payroll transactions including salaries, benefits, commissions, annuitants’ payroll, taxes, and other deductions.   The role also ensures accurate and timely processing of payroll updates including new hires, terminations, and changes to pay rates as well as related financial reporting.

Role Responsibilities

• Implements and drives commission and payroll related strategic initiatives aimed at achieving Company strategic objectives.
• Contributes to development and implementation of Finance department score cards (Annual Performance Plan)

• Contributes to  the preparation of management accounts and commentary by providing monthly commission and payroll related inputs.
• Oversees the reconciliation and review of Commission and payroll related GL accounts ensuring compliant accounting treatment as well as timely resolution of reconciling items.
• Ensures that timely changes in the commission transactions are communicate and incorporated into actuarial numbers and in the management accounts.
• Close monitor commission, staff and annuitants expenses, receivables and liabilities, analyzing and investigating variation outside the budgets.
• Implements and maintains robust internal control procedures in my area and ensure timely rectification of control gaps.
• Reviews and approves all journals prepared by subordinates.
• Oversees the flow of commission financial data from the policy administration system to the GL.
• Analyses monthly commission and payroll, monitoring against budgets and forecasts.
• Responsible for both internal and external audits in my area and timely closure of audit queries raised.

• Ensures accurate and timely debt recoveries from Brokers, Agents, Annuitants and Staff debtors.
• Ensures timely updating and reconciliation of debtors accounts.
• Reviews and approves agents and broker loan applications and conditional advances.
• Monitors and assesses adequacy of impairment loss allowance levels on quarterly and ensure adequate levels are kept monthly and quarterly investment commentary for both MANCOM and Board packs.
• Ensures timely resolution of debtors queries and maintains debtors relationships.

• Ensures accurate and timely processing of payroll updates including new hires, terminations, and changes to pay rates.

• Contributes to preparation of annual financial statements (in line with International Financial Reporting Standards) through provision of input to the notes and accounting policies on areas related to payroll and commissions.

• Compiles and provides staff costs budget input within agreed deadlines.

• Responsible for accurate and timely submission of  PAYE, WHT on Commissions returns and payments.

• Responsible for Commissions & Payroll systems implementations, and institution of  change processes.

• Ensures the Commission & Payroll manuals, polices and procedure are documented and updated as and when any changes take place in policies and procedures.
• Champions risk and fraud awareness in my span of control reporting any  fraud and other illegal acts as well as providing information during investigations.
• Performs any other duties assigned by the Finance Manager, which forms a reasonable request within the context of this job description.

• Manages and implements knowledge sharing initiatives e.g. Short Term assignments and secondments within and across operations, in support of individual development plans, operational requirements and return on investment.
• Coaches, mentors, manages and monitors performance of my direct reports and appraise on a bi-annual basis.

Qualifications, Experience and Role-Specific Knowledge

• Minimum of 5 years working experience, of which 3 years should have been at Supervisory level.
• A professional qualification such as Chartered Accountant (ACCA/CIMA/BICA) is a requirement.
• Practical experience in a computerized payroll environment i.e. VIP payroll system, would be an added advantage.
• Business Degree/AAT
• Experience in a financial services environment would be advantageous.
• Management Development Program would be advantageous.

Competencies

• Knowledge of accounting and reporting  principles and standards.
• Results driven: Ability to deliver results within stipulated targets and budgets and other company constraints. Sets high internal work standards, sets ambitious yet attainable goals, and wants to do thing better, to improve, and to be more effective and efficient; measures progress against targets.
• Knowledge of appropriate payroll/application controls and procedures plus good computer literacy.
• Business understanding: Shows fair understanding of business operations basics.
• Commercial and economics knowledge
• Decision making: Ability to make confident and informed decisions that save the company money, time and effort.
• Knowledge of applicable laws, codes and regulations
• Initiative: Consistently studies business trends and needs and create appropriate solutions; self-driven and requires minimal supervision

Closing Date: 14 November 2025

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