Payroll Lead

John Holland; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development opportunities

Diversity and inclusion

Job summary

John Holland is seeking an experienced Senior Payroll professional to deliver end-to-end payroll for approximately 200 employees on the Torrens to Darlington (T2D) project in Adelaide. You will manage weekly processing, ensure EBA compliance, and handle complex transactions from terminations to back pay while maintaining accurate records.

You will provide expert guidance, support audits, and drive continuous improvement within a major infrastructure environment in South Australia.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of end-to-end payroll experience, preferably in large infrastructure or construction contexts.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end weekly payroll processing for ~200 employees using Dayforce.
• Handle complex payroll transactions including terminations, redundancies, back pays and overpayments.
• Prepare redundancy estimates and final entitlements.
• Maintain overpayment registers and coordinate recovery.
• Perform monthly reconciliations and GL reporting for payroll.
• Support audits and assist with system upgrades and process improvements.

Skills

End-to-end payroll

Dayforce

Kronos

Excel

EBAs & payroll compliance

Australian payroll legislation

Stakeholder management

Tools

SAP

Workday

Preceda

iChris

Job description

The Project

The consortium of John Holland, Bouygues Construction, Arcadis Australia, Jacobs and Ventia has been selected to build South Australia's biggest-ever road infrastructure project. In partnership with the South Australian Government, this consortium forms the Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Alliance.

Job Description

The T2D Project involves constructing two separate tunnels – the Southern Tunnels and the Northern Tunnels connected by an open motorway, with a combined total distance of 10.5km, open to traffic in 2031. The T2D project comprises the tunnels, surface works including road and bridge construction in addition to services buildings and complex mechanical and electrical infrastructure. The T2D Alliance is committed to providing opportunities for local people, Aboriginal workers, apprentices, trainees and job seekers who are long-term unemployed and offers people an incredible opportunity to be a part of an iconic project.

The Role

Reporting to the Finance Manager, you will be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of payroll services for approximately 200 employees across the T2D Project.

Supporting a weekly payroll operating under an Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA), you will manage a complex workforce working Monday to Saturday arrangements as well as rotating 7/3 and 7/4 rosters with 12-hour shifts. You will ensure the accurate interpretation of EBA conditions, including overtime, shift penalties and allowances, while maintaining compliance with legislative and statutory requirements.

You will provide senior payroll expertise, oversee reconciliations and reporting, resolve complex payroll queries, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within a major infrastructure environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end processing of weekly payroll using Dayforce, ensuring accuracy and timely delivery.
• Process complex payroll transactions, including terminations, redundancies, back pays and overpayments.
• Prepare and calculate employee redundancy estimates and final entitlements.
• Maintain the payroll overpayment register, coordinating recovery arrangements and ensuring accurate records.
• Perform monthly payroll reconciliations, including superannuation, deductions, payroll balancing and general ledger reporting.
• Process and reconcile salary packaging transactions through Smart Salary.
• Prepare and submit superannuation reporting, including default fund compliance requirements.
• Ensure compliance with Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBAs), taxation, superannuation, Fair Work legislation and other statutory obligations.
• Maintain employee payroll records, including processing changes to employment details, timesheets and attendance data through Kronos or similar workforce management systems.
• Support internal and external audits by preparing payroll documentation and responding to compliance requests.
• Participate in User Acceptance Testing (UAT), payroll system upgrades and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide technical guidance and backup support to Payroll Advisors, contributing to a collaborative and high-performing payroll team.

About You

• Minimum 5 years' experience delivering end-to-end payroll, preferably within construction, infrastructure, engineering or other complex, medium to large organisations.
• Strong knowledge of Australian payroll legislation, including Fair Work, superannuation, PAYG, leave entitlements, termination payments and statutory compliance.
• Demonstrated experience interpreting and applying Enterprise Bargaining Agreements, Awards and employment legislation to ensure accurate payroll outcomes.
• Proven ability to manage high-volume, complex payrolls while maintaining exceptional accuracy, attention to detail and strict deadlines.
• Experience completing payroll reconciliations, reporting, month-end activities and supporting internal and external audit requirements.
• Ability to investigate and resolve complex payroll matters, providing expert advice and acting as an escalation point for payroll queries.
• Strong proficiency with payroll and workforce management systems, with Dayforce experience highly regarded. Experience with SAP, Chris21/iChris, ADP, Workday, Preceda, Kronos or similar systems is advantageous.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, with the ability to analyse payroll data, identify discrepancies and produce meaningful reports.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement, with experience enhancing payroll processes, controls and system efficiencies.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across Finance, HR, operational leaders and employees.

We Offer

Your success is our success, and as an Alliance, we are committed to being an employer of choice in Adelaide. We pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where different perspectives and ideas are valued as crucial to our long-term success.

We are invested in your future with us and prioritise providing rich career experiences and ongoing development opportunities to support your growth.