Payroll Lead — End-to-End Processing & Systems Optimisation

Cirql; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Cirql is seeking a Payroll Lead in Melbourne to own end-to-end payroll across multiple entities, handling high-volume, EBAs and Modern Award conditions. This hands-on role requires deep payroll knowledge, system troubleshooting, and process improvements to scale with the business.

You will guide a small payroll team, partner with stakeholders and external specialists, resolve configuration issues in Dayforce, and ensure accurate, timely pay while maintaining compliance and employee trust.

Qualifications

• Solid experience managing or processing end-to-end payroll in a small to medium environment.
• Experience with a complex payroll platform, ideally Dayforce.
• Experience working with Modern Awards, EBAs, and complex pay conditions.
• Strong attention to detail and a sound understanding of payroll compliance, reconciliations, and accuracy of pay.
• A process‑improvement mindset and the confidence to untangle problems and make practical recommendations.
• Interpersonal skills to build relationships with employees, managers, and senior stakeholders.
• Flexible, adaptable attitude in evolving systems and processes.

Responsibilities

• Take end‑to‑end ownership of payroll across multiple operating entities, ensuring accurate and timely pay for a large, diverse workforce.
• Oversee payroll processing across a mix of EBAs and Modern Award conditions, ensuring compliance and consistency across different employee groups.
• Work through system configuration issues, troubleshoot payroll discrepancies, and improve workflows for reliability and efficiency.
• Partner with internal stakeholders and external specialists to optimise the payroll platform and improve interactions between payroll, timekeeping, and rostering.
• Maintain direct involvement in day-to-day payroll processing while guiding other team members across the business.
• Interpret complex pay conditions and support upcoming changes to employment arrangements and payroll processes.
• Review existing procedures, identify gaps, and implement practical improvements to payroll accuracy and efficiency.
• Be an approachable point of contact for payroll inquiries, communicating clearly and empathetically.
• Develop robust, scalable processes and strengthen team capability to support growth.

Skills

End-to-end payroll

Dayforce experience

EBAs & Modern Award

Attention to detail

Process improvement

Stakeholder comms

Hands-on

Tools

Dayforce

Job description

Cirql is seeking a Payroll Lead in Melbourne to own end-to-end payroll across multiple entities, handling high-volume, EBAs and Modern Award conditions. This hands-on role requires deep payroll knowledge, system troubleshooting, and process improvements to scale with the business.

You will guide a small payroll team, partner with stakeholders and external specialists, resolve configuration issues in Dayforce, and ensure accurate, timely pay while maintaining compliance and employee trust.