Senior Payroll Officer

Australian Public Service Commission; Australia; Hybrid; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) is seeking a payroll professional to deliver the fortnightly payroll using TechnologyOne, ensuring accuracy across the employee lifecycle and compliance with tax, superannuation and reporting requirements.

You will work with the payroll team, provide guidance, resolve anomalies, manage end-to-end pay runs, and support audits while upholding security clearances and citizenship requirements.

Qualifications

• Australian Citizenship is required.
• Security clearance at the required level is required or able to obtain.
• Employment screening will be conducted.

Responsibilities

• Process, check and reconcile day-to-day and complex payroll transactions across the employee lifecycle, including terminations, leave, superannuation and tax.
• Manage fortnightly pay runs within required timeframes, with variance and STP reporting.
• Provide technical guidance to payroll staff and support internal/external audits.

Job description

APSJobs experienced an unexpected outage between 5:50pm on 16 September and 1:30am on 17 September 2026. Services have now been restored. If you are concerned the outage affected an application that closed on 16 September, please contact the relevant agency. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Employees are required to work in the office a minimum of 2 days per week

Learn how a merit list or pool may be used

Applicants suitable for the role but not offered the position for the current vacancy, may be placed in a merit list or pool. If the applicant agrees, the results may be shared with other Australian Public Service (APS) agencies for filling similar roles. Applicants may be offered a future role, without the need to reapply. A merit list or pool may be used for up to 18 months.

This merit list or pool may be used to fill other vacancies anywhere in Australia.

For more information about Merit Lists or Merit Pools please go to APSC's website - The APS Merit Principle

The AER has procured TechnologyOne for its Enterprise Resource Planning system, including payroll and other Human Resources modules. In this role you will play a key role in delivering the fortnightly payroll for the AER.

The key duties of the position include:

• Process, check and reconcile day-to-day and complex payroll transactions across the employee lifecycle. This includes terminations, redundancies, leave liabilities, long service leave, tax, back pay, workers compensation, superannuation, overpayments and other adjustments.
• Process and check pay termination certificates, prior service recognition and leave liability transfers for employees transferring to or from the AER.
• Manage and complete the fortnightly pay run within required timeframes, ensuring pay variance, reconciliations and STP reporting, super reporting and other required compliance.
• Support the payroll team by overseeing payroll processing, providing technical guidance and advice, and monitoring areas of risk.
• Assess, investigate and resolve payroll anomalies arising from system issues, incorrect data, complex employee circumstances or interpretation of employment conditions.
• Develop and implement payroll data integrity checks and internal reporting to proactively identify discrepancies, anomalies, control gaps and potential payroll risks.
• Apply technical and subject matter expertise to provide clear and accurate advice to employees, managers and stakeholders on payroll matters.
• Model and manage remuneration packages for Public Office Holders in accordance with Remuneration Tribunal determinations.
• Develop and maintain payroll documentation, checklists, calculators, templates and standard operating procedures to support consistent and efficient payroll processing.
• Monitor payroll processes and system controls to ensure compliance with legislation, policies, procedures and audit requirements, and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies where risks or control gaps are identified.
• Work collaboratively with relevant stakeholders to assess policy and system changes, review configuration and design documents, and participate in user acceptance testing.
• Support internal and external audits by providing payroll information, evidence and responses as required.
• Provide technical guidance, mentoring and quality assurance to payroll staff and contribute to team capability through knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.
• Identify and implement opportunities to streamline payroll processes, improve efficiency, strengthen controls and improve payroll data integrity.
• Support the Assistant Director in embedding consistent, compliant, and sustainable payroll practices.
• Australian Citizenship – our successful candidate must be an Australian Citizen
• Security clearance – our successful candidate is required to hold, or have the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance at the required level
• Employment check – your suitability for employment will be assessed through a screening process.

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information visit: https://www.apsc.gov.au/recruitability . This initiative/program is only applicable where the successful applicant will be employed under the Public Service Act 1999. Similar conditions may apply when employed under other Acts. For clarification please contact the advertising agency.

Getting to know the Australian Energy Regulator

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) works to make energy consumers better off, now and in the future. We focus on ensuring a secure, reliable and affordable energy future for Australia as it transitions to net zero emissions.We regulate electricity networks and covered gas pipelines, in all jurisdictions except Western Australia. We set the amount of revenue that network businesses can recover from customers for using these networks.From 1 July 2026, the AER structurally separated from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and transitioned into a standalone non-corporate Commonwealth entity with its own accountable authority, staff and budgetary control.The separation of the AER from the ACCC is a significant regulatory reform aimed at improving the governance and operational autonomy of the AER.