Payroll Consultant

Ambition Recruitment; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Ambition Recruitment in Sydney is seeking an experienced Payroll Project & Transformation Specialist to stabilise, improve, and optimise payroll during a major transformation. The role combines payroll expertise with systems optimisation, process improvement, and project delivery.

You will work across payroll structures, ensure data integrity, compliance, and enhance employee experience, with hybrid work options and a 6-month FTC in Mascot.

Qualifications

• 8+ years' payroll experience in high-volume environments.
• Strong understanding of payroll legislation and Awards/EBAs.
• Experience with payroll transformation and remediation projects.
• Ability to work autonomously in a changing environment.

Responsibilities

• Review payroll processes, controls, and workflows.
• Stabilise and optimise a recently implemented payroll system.
• Investigate discrepancies and ensure data integrity.
• Work with complex payroll structures with multiple Awards/EBAs.
• Assist compliance, payroll tax, audits, remediation activities.
• Identify inefficiencies and implement smarter solutions.
• Improve long service leave management and reduce spreadsheets.
• Liaise with payroll, HR, systems teams, and external bodies.

Skills

Payroll

Transformation

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

Data integrity

Analytical thinking

Tools

Payroll system

Job description

• 6 month FTC - Project Role | Mascot, 2020 close to the train | Flexibility Working from Home
• Support payroll transformation initiatives focused on systems optimisation & PI
• Play a key role in improving payroll processes, workflows, and overall operation

We’re partnering with a business currently going through significant payroll transformation and they are looking for an experienced Payroll Project & Transformation Specialist to play a key role in stabilising, improving, and optimising their payroll function during a critical period of change.

This position combines deep payroll expertise with systems optimisation, process improvement, and transformation project work. While there will be some involvement in day-to-day payroll operations, the real focus is on driving improvements across systems, processes, compliance, and employee experience.

What you'll be doing:

• Reviewing and improving payroll processes, controls, and workflows
• Supporting the stabilisation and optimisation of a recently implemented payroll system
• Investigating payroll discrepancies, identifying system gaps, and ensuring data integrity
• Working across complex payroll structures with multiple Awards and EBAs
• Supporting compliance, payroll tax, audit, and remediation-related activities
• Assessing current manual processes and implementing smarter, scalable solutions
• Improving long service leave management and reducing reliance on spreadsheets/manual tracking
• Acting as a key stakeholder liaison across payroll, HR, systems teams, and external bodies where required

What we're looking for:

• 8+ years' payroll experience within complex, high-volume environments
• Strong understanding of payroll legislation, compliance, payroll tax, and Awards/EBAs
• Experience within payroll transformation, implementation, optimisation, or remediation projects
• Ability to work autonomously and confidently within an evolving environment
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Experience identifying process inefficiencies and implementing improvements
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Exposure to Australian and New Zealand payroll is essential

Why this role?

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys transformation-style work and wants to have genuine impact. You'll be joining a business at a pivotal stage where your expertise, ideas, and ability to drive change will be highly valued.

If you're someone who loves untangling payroll complexities, improving systems and processes, and creating long-term solutions rather than simply processing payroll - we'd love to hear from you.