Payroll Manager

The Payroll Agency; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Growth opportunities

Supportive team culture

Job summary

The Payroll Agency in Sydney is seeking a Payroll Manager to own end-to-end payroll for ~600 staff and to lead a small team. You’ll influence HR processes that feed into payroll and drive improvements across the employee lifecycle.

Ideal candidates will have strong Australia-wide payroll experience, a passion for HR, and a proven ability to implement and optimise payroll systems within a collaborative, BUSINESS-focused culture.

Qualifications

• Solid experience managing a full-function Australian payroll, ideally with some team leadership.
• Interest in HR and people operations, especially how employee lifecycle processes affect payroll.
• Continuous improvement mindset and the confidence to make change happen.
• Strong knowledge of awards, legislation and payroll compliance.
• Friendly, approachable personality and strong team culture fit.
• Willingness to wear multiple hats and adapt to variety.
• Experience with payroll system implementations or upgrades; vendor tender exposure is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Managing end-to-end payroll for approx. 600 employees, ensuring pays are accurate, compliant and on time
• Leading, coaching and developing direct reports
• Getting involved in people operations across the employee lifecycle and ensuring HR processes that touch payroll work well
• Spotting improvement opportunities and driving changes to streamline processes and systems
• Handling compliance across awards, EBAs, STP, superannuation and payroll tax
• Collaborating with HR, Finance and the wider business as the go-to payroll expert
• Leading a payroll system implementation from tender to go-live

Skills

End-to-end payroll

Team leadership

HR processes

Payroll compliance

Change management

Awards & legislation

Systems implementation

Tools

Payroll software

Job description

Love payroll and want to get more involved in the people side? Directly impact how payroll is done!

We’re partnering with a fantastic organisation to find a Payroll Manager who wants more than just running the pays. This role sits at the point where payroll meets HR. You’ll own payroll for around 600 employees, lead a team of two, and help shape the people processes that feed into payroll. The team is small, supportive and has a real family feel. Everyone pitches in, and no two days look the same. Grow the team and the business grows as they have huge plans for 2027!

What you’ll be doing

• Managing end-to-end payroll for approx. 600 employees, ensuring pays are accurate, compliant and on time
• Leading, coaching and developing direct reports
• Getting involved in people operations across the employee lifecycle (onboarding, changes, terminations) and making sure the HR processes that touch payroll work well
• Spotting what could work better and driving change, whether that’s tightening processes, improving systems or making life easier for employees
• Handling compliance across awards, EBAs, STP, superannuation and payroll tax
• Working closely with HR, Finance and the wider business as the go-to payroll expert
• Leading a new payroll system implementation from start to finish: running the tender process, evaluating vendors, selecting the right system and taking it through to go-live

What you’ll bring

• Solid experience managing a full-function Australian payroll, ideally with some team leadership
• A genuine interest in HR and people operations, especially how employee lifecycle processes affect payroll
• A continuous improvement mindset and the confidence to make change happen
• Strong knowledge of awards, legislation and payroll compliance
• A friendly, approachable personality, because you’ll be a big part of the team culture
• Flexibility and a “happy to help” attitude. You enjoy variety and don’t mind wearing a few hats.
• Experience with payroll system implementations or upgrades. Exposure to vendor selection or tender processes is a big plus.

What’s in it for you

• A small, tight-knit team where you’ll be known and valued
• Hybrid working: 3 days a week in the Sydney CBD office, with genuine flexibility
• Real scope to grow your HR skills alongside your payroll expertise
• The chance to make your mark and see the impact of the changes you drive