Senior Payroll Officer

Ambition Recruitment; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Permanent role

Career progression

Job summary

Ambition Recruitment in Sydney is seeking an experienced Senior Payroll Specialist to manage end-to-end payroll processing, ensure compliance and interpret complex Awards and Enterprise Agreements. This hands-on role offers leadership exposure and mentorship of junior staff while contributing to process improvements.

This role involves SAP-supported payroll, STP/PAYG compliance, and collaboration with payroll leadership. A two-day hybrid work week is available in a growing payroll function.

Qualifications

• 8+ years end-to-end payroll experience within a complex environment.
• Strong experience interpreting Awards and Enterprise Agreements.
• Strong knowledge of payroll legislation and compliance requirements.
• Excel skills including Pivot Tables and VLOOKUPs.
• SAP experience preferred not essential.

Responsibilities

• End-to-end fortnightly payroll processing.
• Payroll reporting, reconciliations and month-end activities.
• Bank file creation, validation and payroll controls.
• Payroll tax administration and compliance management.
• Interpret and apply multiple Awards and Enterprise Agreements.
• Act as the escalation point for complex payroll queries.
• Troubleshoot payroll system and processing issues.
• Support ongoing compliance obligations including STP, PAYG, Superannuation and Workers Compensation.
• Train, mentor and support junior payroll team members.
• Assist with process improvements, documentation and automation initiatives.
• Support business growth and integration activities as required.

Skills

End-to-end payroll

Compliance

Process improvement

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs)

Tools

SAP

Job description

Manage your own pays end to end using SAP

• Support compliance, process improvement and team development initiatives

Move beyond pure BAU payroll into a role focused on compliance, process improvement and opportunity to step up into leadership.

THE CLIENT

Join a business that's investing in payroll excellence and looking for an experienced specialist to help strengthen compliance, improve processes and provide technical support across the payroll function.

This is an ideal opportunity for a senior payroll professional who enjoys solving complex payroll issues, mentoring colleagues and contributing to operational improvements while remaining hands-on.

BENEFITS

Genuine opportunity to step into leadership in the future, reporting directly to the Head of Payroll

Exposure to complex award and EA interpretation

• Opportunity to mentor and develop junior payroll team members
• Involvement in process improvement and automation initiatives

Potential future exposure to project work

• Stable permanent position within a growing organisation
• Direct influence on payroll operations, compliance and best practice

2 Days Hybrid working opportunity

THE ROLE

End-to-end fortnightly payroll processing

• Payroll reporting, reconciliations and month-end activities
• Bank file creation, validation and payroll controls
• Payroll tax administration and compliance management
• Interpret and apply multiple Awards and Enterprise Agreements
• Act as the escalation point for complex payroll queries
• Troubleshoot payroll system and processing issues
• Support ongoing compliance obligations including STP, PAYG, Superannuation and Workers Compensation
• Train, mentor and support junior payroll team members
• Assist with process improvements, documentation and automation initiatives
• Support business growth and integration activities as required
• Work closely with Payroll leadership and key internal stakeholders

THE PERSON

8+ years end-to-end payroll experience within a complex environment

• Strong experience interpreting Awards and Enterprise Agreements

Strong knowledge of payroll legislation and compliance requirements

Excel skills including Pivot Tables and VLOOKUPs

SAP experience preferred not essential

Ability to work autonomously and provide technical leadership

Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills

• Comfortable working within a changing and evolving environment
• Full working rights as this is a permanent position