Payroll Manager

APM; Australia; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

No weekend work

Extra annual leave

Novated car leasing

Paid parental leave

Recognition program

Career growth

Learning & development

Inclusive culture

Job summary

APM is seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead end-to-end payroll operations across Australia and New Zealand, ensuring accurate, on-time payments and compliance with legislative requirements. You will guide a payroll team, drive governance and partner with stakeholders to deliver efficient, scalable payroll services.

The role emphasises continuous improvement, complex problem solving and strong vendor governance, with a 12-month fixed-term contract and potential for extension.

Qualifications

• This role requires leading payroll operations in a medium to large organisation with complex structures.
• Strong knowledge of Australian payroll legislation, taxation and superannuation; New Zealand exposure is a plus.
• Proven leadership of high-volume payroll teams with strict deadlines.
• Experience with governance, audits and controls in payroll.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end payroll delivery across Australia and New Zealand for multiple entities and pay groups.
• Oversee complex payroll matters, escalations and off-cycle payments.
• Coach and direction to payroll team, supporting capability development and succession planning.
• Maintain payroll governance, controls and audit readiness across jurisdictions.
• Collaborate with People & Culture, Finance, Technology and external providers.
• Manage payroll vendors to meet service levels and expectations.
• Drive process improvements, automation and system enhancements.

Skills

Payroll leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Education

Diploma of Payroll Services

Business/Accounting/HR qualification

Tools

Payroll systems

HRIS platforms

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Lead a high-performing payroll function and make a real impact across Australia and New Zealand.

We are seeking an experienced Payroll Manager to lead the delivery of accurate, compliant and efficient payroll services across multiple entities and pay groups throughout Australia and New Zealand. This is an exciting opportunity for a payroll leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys solving complex payroll challenges, and is passionate about continuous improvement and service excellence.

This is a 12-month Fixed Term Contract with the potential for extension.

You will provide operational leadership to the payroll team while ensuring strong governance, compliance and control frameworks are maintained across all payroll activities.

About the Role

As Payroll Manager, you will be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of payroll operations across Australia and New Zealand, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time while maintaining compliance with all relevant legislative, taxation and employment requirements.

You will oversee payroll governance, manage escalations and complex payroll matters, lead a team of payroll professionals, and partner closely with stakeholders across People & Culture, Finance, Technology and external providers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end payroll delivery across Australia and New Zealand, multiple entities and pay groups, ensuring accurate, compliant and timely payroll processing.
• Oversee complex payroll matters including escalations, off-cycle payments, corrections, reconciliations and remediation activities.
• Provide leadership, coaching and operational direction to the payroll team, supporting capability development, workforce planning and succession planning.
• Maintain strong payroll governance through effective controls, compliance monitoring, risk management, audit readiness and legislative compliance across Australian and New Zealand payroll operations.
• Partner with stakeholders across People & Culture, Finance, Technology and external providers to support payroll delivery and organisational change.
• Manage payroll vendors and service providers, ensuring service levels and business expectations are met.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including process optimisation, automation, system enhancements, testing and implementation of payroll changes.
• Analyse payroll data, trends and employee feedback to improve service delivery, employee experience and operational performance.

About You

You are an experienced payroll leader with strong technical expertise and a passion for delivering exceptional payroll services.

To be successful, you will have:

• Significant experience leading payroll operations within a medium to large, complex organisation.
• Strong knowledge of Australian payroll legislation, taxation, superannuation, awards and enterprise agreements. Exposure to New Zealand payroll legislation, taxation and employment obligations will be highly regarded.
• Proven experience leading payroll teams and managing high-volume payrolls with critical deadlines.
• Demonstrated experience with payroll controls, reconciliations, governance reporting and audit processes.
• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to investigate and resolve complex payroll matters.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to influence outcomes across multiple functions.
• Experience managing payroll vendors and service providers.
• Advanced proficiency in payroll systems, HRIS platforms, Microsoft Excel and reporting tools.
• Experience driving process improvement, system enhancements and payroll transformation initiatives.
• Highly desirable: Experience using Employment Hero and iChris payroll systems.
• Experience managing payroll operations across both Australia and New Zealand is highly desirable.
• Diploma of Payroll Services, or tertiary qualifications in Business, Accounting, Human Resources or a related field (highly regarded).

Why Join APM?

At APM, you'll have the opportunity to build a rewarding career while making a genuine difference in people's lives.

Our Benefits

• Work-life balance with no weekend work.
• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave.
• Discounted health insurance.
• Novated car leasing options.
• Paid parental leave.
• Service recognition programs.
• Career growth opportunities across APM's diverse health and human services brands.
• Ongoing learning and professional development.
• Access to a supportive, collaborative and inclusive workplace culture.

Our Commitment to Diversity

At APM, we are strengthened by diversity and committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels included, respected and valued. We welcome applications from people of all ages, nationalities, abilities and cultures, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and people living with disability.

If you're a confident payroll leader who combines technical expertise with strong people leadership and governance capability, and can successfully lead payroll operations across Australia and New Zealand, we'd love to hear from you.

Join us as we continue to enable better lives!