Senior Manager Wage Compliance

Civitas Talent; Sydney; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Civitas Talent is recruiting a Senior Wage Compliance Lead for a major ASX-listed organisation in Australia. You will own the wage compliance program, lead investigations and design remediation across payroll.

Reporting to the General Manager, Workplace Relations, you will partner with Payroll, Finance, IT and Legal to implement preventative controls and ensure audit readiness across a national workforce.

Qualifications

• Experience in wage compliance, payroll governance, or workplace relations.
• Strong command of Australian employment legislation, Modern Awards, and enterprise agreements.
• Experience leading investigations and remediation programs.
• Ability to interpret industrial instruments and apply them operationally.
• Analytical, discreet, and governance-focused with hands-on delivery.
• Experience with large payroll environments preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end wage compliance investigations, including root-cause analysis of payroll discrepancies
• Design and execute remediation programs for current and former employees, with back payments calculated and validated to legal standard
• Provide expert advice on Modern Awards, enterprise agreements and employment legislation
• Manage impacted-employee communications with transparency and care
• Partner with Payroll, Finance, IT, Legal and P&C on systemic fixes and preventative controls
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and Fair Work Ombudsman readiness
• Contribute to a rolling review cycle across six enterprise agreements

Skills

Wage compliance

Payroll governance

Industrial relations

Australian employment law

Audit & governance

Stakeholder management

Job description

Lead the wage compliance program for a major ASX-listed organisation. Wage underpayment is one of the biggest regulatory risks facing large Australian employers. This organisation is investing properly in getting it right, and this role leads that work. Reporting to the General Manager, Workplace Relations, you will lead the wage compliance function day to day.

Key responsibilities

Lead end-to-end wage compliance investigations, including root-cause analysis of payroll discrepancies

Design and execute remediation programs for current and former employees, with back payments calculated and validated to legal standard

Provide expert advice on Modern Awards, enterprise agreements and employment legislation

Manage impacted-employee communications with transparency and care

Partner with Payroll, Finance, IT, Legal and P&C on systemic fixes and preventative controls

Maintain audit-ready documentation and Fair Work Ombudsman readiness

Contribute to a rolling review cycle across six enterprise agreements

About you

Demonstrated experience in wage compliance, payroll governance, industrial relations or workplace relations

Strong command of Australian employment legislation, Modern Awards and enterprise agreements

Experience leading complex investigations and remediation programs

Ability to interpret industrial instruments and apply them operationally

Strong analytical skills, discretion and a structured approach to governance

A hands-on operating style; you own delivery rather than delegate it

Experience in large, complex payroll environments (nice to have)

Exposure to regulatory engagement or reporting, e.g. Fair Work Ombudsman (nice to have)

Experience implementing payroll or compliance system improvements (nice to have)

This is a high-impact opportunity to take ownership of a critical wage compliance program within a major ASX-listed organisation. You’ll have genuine executive backing, significant scope and the opportunity to drive lasting change across a complex national workforce.