Payroll Transformation Lead — Canberra (NV1)

Client 1; Canberra; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Cleared Recruitment is supporting the search for an experienced Payroll Project Lead to join a complex and highly regulated organisation in Canberra. This role focuses on payroll system upgrades, HRIS/payroll integration, governance and data integrity, working across Finance, People & Culture, IT, Cyber Security and external partners.

You will lead delivery of payroll projects, ensuring compliant, secure and efficient systems, with strong emphasis on governance, testing and data validation.

Qualifications

• Current NV1 security clearance
• Demonstrated experience leading payroll system implementation or upgrade projects
• Strong understanding of payroll operations, legislation, compliance and governance
• Experience across HRIS/payroll systems analysis, business process improvement and project delivery
• Strong business analysis capability, including gathering and translating requirements into practical system and process solutions
• Experience coordinating system testing, data validation and implementation activities
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and organisational skills
• Highly developed stakeholder engagement, communication and influencing skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities within a complex operational environment
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and reporting skills
• Australian Citizenship and hold a Defence security clearance

Responsibilities

• Lead payroll system upgrade and transformation projects from planning through to implementation and stabilisation.
• Manage project plans, timelines, risks, issues, reporting and key deliverables.
• Coordinate stakeholders across Payroll, Finance, HR, IT, Cyber Security and external vendors.
• Gather and translate business requirements into practical system and process solutions.
• Analyse and improve payroll processes, workflows, controls and system functionality.
• Coordinate system configuration, integrations, testing, data migration, validation and go-live activities.
• Ensure payroll systems and processes support relevant compliance, governance, security and reporting requirements.
• Lead payroll testing activities, including parallel pay runs, reconciliations and data validation.
• Develop process documentation, standard operating procedures and governance frameworks.
• Provide project reporting and data analysis to support senior leadership, decision‑making and continuous improvement.

Skills

Payroll systems

HRIS/payroll

Business analysis

Project delivery

Stakeholder engagement

Excel

Security clearance

Australian citizenship

Governance

Data validation

Job description

Cleared Recruitment is supporting the search for an experienced Payroll Project Lead to join a complex and highly regulated organisation in Canberra. This role focuses on payroll system upgrades, HRIS/payroll integration, governance and data integrity, working across Finance, People & Culture, IT, Cyber Security and external partners.

You will lead delivery of payroll projects, ensuring compliant, secure and efficient systems, with strong emphasis on governance, testing and data validation.