People Experience Systems Manager

Xero; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Xero is seeking a PX Systems Manager to own the roadmap for around 38 People and Payroll systems, with Workday at the core. You will shape how these systems grow to be simple to use, well governed and ready for future needs.

You will guide a specialist team and collaborate with PX, Payroll, PXIS and Enterprise Technology to ensure payroll accuracy, data quality and compliance. You will lead prioritised roadmaps, clarify responsibilities across teams, and drive improvements through self-service,

Qualifications

• Experience with HRIS platforms, especially Workday, and payroll systems.
• Ability to understand and translate business needs to technical teams.
• Experience rolling out systems to varied user groups with focus on adoption.

Responsibilities

• Own the Workday-centric portfolio and roadmaps for People and Payroll systems.
• Collaborate with PX, Payroll, PXIS and Enterprise Technology to govern and improve platforms.
• Define clear ownership splits between PX, PXIS and Enterprise Technology to enable day-to-day operations.
• Lead improvements using self-service, automation or AI to reduce manual effort and improve user experience.

Skills

HRIS platforms

Workday

Payroll systems

Vendor management

Roadmap development

Automation

AI capabilities

Data privacy

Job description

The role and its impact

Every Xero relies on the systems behind their working life, from their first day to their last. As PX Systems Manager, you will own the roadmap for around 38 People and Payroll systems, with Workday at the core, and shape how they grow so they are simple to use, well governed and ready for what comes next. You will choose what gets built, improved or retired, and make the trade-offs clear along the way.

This is a chance to move beyond a single platform and shape a broad portfolio. You will guide a specialist team, work closely with PX, Payroll, PXIS and Enterprise Technology, and protect payroll accuracy, data quality and compliance, while making everyday work easier for employees, people leaders and PX teams through self-service, automation and AI.

The team and how they connect

You will join the PX Systems team within Employee Lifecycle and Experience, a newly formed group reporting to the GM Employee Experience. The team brings together a Workday functional expert, PX and Payroll systems specialists and associate analysts who look after day-to-day systems and improvements. They work in step with Payroll, PXIS and Enterprise Technology, who own the technical platform, and they value curiosity, clear ownership and respectful debate.

Initially, you will focus on

• Getting to know the portfolio, with Workday at its core alongside payroll platforms and tools for hiring, onboarding, learning, engagement and wellbeing.

• Agreeing a prioritised PX and Payroll roadmap with partners across PX, Payroll, PXIS and Enterprise Technology.

• Making the split of responsibilities between PX, PXIS and Enterprise Technology clear and workable day to day.

• Starting an improvement shaped by user feedback, using self-service, automation or AI to reduce manual effort.

Where and how you can work

This role can be based in Melbourne, Sydney or Wellington. Xero works in a hybrid way with no company-wide mandated office days, so the team will agree a purposeful in-person rhythm that suits the work, and you will be able to contribute fully when working remotely. We value contribution and impact, not office visibility, and we welcome conversations about the flexibility or adjustments you need.

Here are some of the things we are looking for

• You will Go Bold by turning strategy into a clear roadmap and being open about what will and will not be prioritised.

• Your knowledge of HRIS platforms, payroll systems and the wider HR technology landscape gives you a strong base to build on.

• Experience working alongside technical or IT teams in a business owner or product owner role means you can translate needs clearly for technical and non-technical audiences.

• You have rolled out systems and processes to varied user groups, with a focus on adoption and a great user experience.

• You will Go Further by managing vendors, building business cases for technology investment and keeping People data private, secure and compliant.

• A Go Together approach comes naturally to you, whether you are coaching a team, staying close to the detail or exploring how AI and automation can improve the way we work.

Xero uses AI to help screen applications based on job-related qualifications. These tools assist our recruiters but do not make automated hiring decisions. A real human recruiter reviews all candidates before any hiring action is taken.