Dayforce Implementation Lead

Cirql; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Cirql in Melbourne is seeking a Dayforce System Lead with a strong payroll background to own the platform through a major rollout and ongoing optimisation.

The role partners with leadership, IT and implementation vendors to govern configuration, validate complex award interpretations, and drive UAT, regression testing and data integrity for a dispersed workforce.

Qualifications

• Australian payroll knowledge with multi-site award interpretation.
• Hands-on Dayforce configuration, testing and optimisation.
• Experience in fast-paced FMCG/retail or similar environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead regression, UAT, and integration testing across Payroll, Core HR, and Time & Attendance.
• Own system configuration and ensure Dayforce reflects complex award interpretations and compliance.
• Coordinate with vendors and internal IT on data flows and defects.
• Align stakeholders and coach teams on post-go-live processes.

Skills

Payroll expertise

Tools

Dayforce

Job description

A prominent Australian FMCG group is currently executing a major enterprise technology transformation, upgrading its core systems across Payroll, Core HR, and Time & Attendance to support a dynamic, multi-site workforce nationwide.

Operating in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment, the business balances commercial focus with an agile, get-things-done culture. Joining the People & Culture team at the Melbourne support office, you will step into a pivotal, high-visibility role as the technical and operational anchor guiding the business through its final implementation stages and ongoing platform optimisation.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Dayforce System Lead with a strong, hands-on Payroll background for an immediate start to take complete functional ownership of the platform as the business advances through a major system rollout.

Reporting directly to leadership in Melbourne, this is a project-critical role designed for someone who speaks "payroll language" fluently. With system testing underway and end-user training approaching, you will step directly into leading system governance, resolving complex Award interpretation issues, overseeing system interfaces, and driving UAT/regression testing across a dispersed, shift-based workforce.

What You'll Do

This is an active, highly collaborative role where you will hit the ground running, working closely alongside internal teams and implementation partners to drive a seamless system launch. You will lead regression, UAT, and integration testing across Payroll, Core HR, and Time & Attendance. You will serve as the internal authority for system configuration, applying your practical payroll background to ensure system rules accurately reflect complex Modern Award interpretations, gross-to-net logic, tax/super obligations, and real-world operational workflows.

You are the operational anchor who bridge-builds between HRIS software capability and live payroll operations. You will spend your days investigating system logic, troubleshooting data flow exceptions, and maintaining sharp alignment across senior stakeholders. Your focus will be on cutting through noise, anticipating pay-run friction before it hits production, and establishing a calm, airtight control environment that the entire workforce can trust on pay day.

• Testing & Release Governance: Own regression and UAT testing frameworks, ensuring all calculations and system interfaces are fully validated prior to launch.
• System Ownership & Award Configuration: Serve as the subject matter expert for Dayforce configuration, aligning business rules with Modern Award interpretation and statutory compliance.
• Vendor & Integration Oversight: Partner with external implementation vendors and internal IT teams to manage data flows, system dependencies, and defect resolution.
• Stakeholder Alignment & Support: Act as a clear, professional voice across senior leadership while coaching internal teams on post-go-live operational processes.

What You'll Bring

We are looking for a pragmatic, highly competent, and curious specialist with deep functional payroll expertise who thrives under pressure, takes deep pride in pay accuracy, and delivers. Whether you are a Senior Payroll Manager looking to step into a pure systems leadership role, or an established HRIS/Payroll Systems Specialist, your core strength is knowing how pay runs actually operate.

Above all, you bring a natural inclination to dig into the details and figure things out. You aren't someone who waits for an instruction manual when something breaks; you bring a genuine curiosity for how payroll engines run, a passion for clean data, and a true team-first attitude. You combine commercial sharp-mindedness with a grounded, highly professional delivery style, someone who loves solving hard operational problems, and getting the job done right the first time.

• Functional Payroll Depth: Proven background in Australian payroll operations, including multi-site Award interpretation, complex retro-calculations, tax, superannuation, and gross-to-net reconciliations.
• Hands-On Dayforce Mastery: Practical expertise configuring, testing, and optimising Dayforce across Payroll, Core HR, and Time & Attendance (WFM).
• Multi-Site / Shift-Based Experience: Experience in fast-paced, award-complex environments, ideally within FMCG, Retail, Hospitality, Consumer Services, Logistics or adjacent industries.
• Pragmatic & Professional Mindset: High emotional intelligence, a quiet confidence, and the ability to build immediate credibility with demanding stakeholders by bringing practical answers, not just questions.

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