Payroll & Hr Officer

Prospero Teaching; Cairns Regional; On-site; AUD 50,000 - 70,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

12.75% Superannuation

17.5% Annual Leave Loading

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Professional and supportive team

Job summary

Prospero Teaching is partnering with a respected independent K-12 school in Far North Queensland to appoint a Payroll & HR Officer for a permanent part-time role. You will manage payroll for 100+ staff, interpret Awards/EA, and support HR functions, onboarding and contracts.

The role combines payroll excellence with HR administration in a supportive admin team, offering a stable, collaborative environment and scope to influence payroll processes and compliance.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years' payroll experience.
• Experience with complex payrolls, Awards or Enterprise Agreements.
• Strong numerical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage payroll calculations, back pays and entitlements.
• Experience in organisations with 40+ employees.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and payroll systems.
• Confident communication with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Willingness to perform payroll and HR admin tasks.
• Value confidentiality, accuracy and accountability.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for 100+ employees.
• Interpret Awards and Enterprise Agreements accurately.
• Process terminations, back pays, leave calculations and redundancies.
• Ensure payroll compliance with Australian legislation and reporting.
• Maintain employee records and payroll data.
• Support onboarding, inductions and contract preparation.
• Provide payroll and HR advice to managers and staff.
• Build relationships across the organisation and drive process improvements.

Skills

Payroll processing

Awards & EA interpretation

Microsoft Office skills

Stakeholder communication

Tools

Payroll software

Job description

Permanent Part-Time | 6-Day Fortnight
Commencing September 2026 (or ASAP)
Far North Queensland

Prospero Teaching is proud to be partnering with a highly regarded independent K-12 school to appoint an experienced and motivated Payroll & HR Officer for a permanent part-time position within a supportive and collaborative administration team.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced payroll professional who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and is looking for a varied role that combines both payroll and human resources responsibilities. The successful candidate will be a confident, solutions-focused professional with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage complex payroll processes while supporting a range of HR functions.

The Opportunity

Join a high-performing administration team where you will:

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for over 100 employees
• Interpret Awards and Enterprise Agreements accurately
• Process terminations, back pays, leave calculations, and redundancies
• Ensure payroll compliance with Australian legislation and reporting requirements
• Maintain and update employee records and payroll data
• Support onboarding, inductions, and employment contract preparation
• Provide payroll and HR advice to managers and staff
• Build positive relationships across all areas of the organisation
• Contribute to continuous improvement of payroll and HR processes

About You

You are a proactive and reliable payroll professional who:

• Has a minimum of 3 years' payroll experience
• Has experience working with complex payrolls, Awards, or Enterprise Agreements
• Demonstrates excellent problem-solving and numerical skills
• Can confidently navigate payroll calculations, back pays, and employee entitlements
• Has experience working in organisations with 40+ employees
• Is highly organised with exceptional attention to detail
• Possesses strong Microsoft Office and payroll system skills
• Communicates confidently and professionally with a wide range of stakeholders
• Is comfortable performing both payroll and HR administrative functions
• Values confidentiality, accuracy, and accountability

Highly Regarded

The following experience will be viewed favourably:

• Payroll experience within education, not-for-profit, or large organisations
• Experience as the sole payroll officer or primary payroll contact
• Knowledge of Australian employment legislation and compliance requirements
• HR administration experience including onboarding and contract preparation
• Current Blue Card (or willingness to obtain)

Why This Organisation?

• Respected and well-established educational community
• Supportive and collaborative leadership team
• Varied role combining Payroll and HR responsibilities
• Opportunity to work independently and make the role your own
• Strong organisational values and positive workplace culture
• Beautiful regional location with excellent lifestyle benefits

Incentives & Benefits

• Permanent part-time position (6-day fortnight)
• Competitive salary package
• 12.75% Superannuation
• 17.5% Annual Leave Loading
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Professional and supportive team environment
• Opportunity to play a vital role within the organisation

Please note: This position is being advertised by Prospero Teaching on behalf of our client. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.