Senior Payroll Systems Specialist

Xero; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Xero is seeking a Payroll Systems Engineer to own the platforms, integrations, and reports that keep payroll running reliably across Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada and the UK. You’ll translate Pay team needs into actionable requirements, manage configuration and access, and drive changes from testing through launch.

You will redesign workflows with automation and AI to cut manual reconciliation, while ensuring payroll operations stay accountable to policy.

Qualifications

• Experience with payroll systems configuration & administration.
• Ability to map data flows across end-to-end payroll processes.
• A focus on automation and AI to reduce manual work while maintaining accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Own payroll platforms, integrations and reports across Australia, NZ, US, Canada and the UK.
• Define requirements from the Pay team and deliver through testing to launch.
• Reduce manual reconciliation and errors via automation and AI workflows.
• Collaborate with Pay, Finance, Technology and vendors to align on changes and rollout.

Skills

Payroll systems

Data flow mapping

Automation & AI

Cross-functional communication

Tools

ADP

Infinet Cloud

Ramco

Tray

Workday

Claude

Glean

Rovo

Jira Service Management

Job description

The role & impact

Payroll only feels simple when the systems behind it work well. In this role, you'll own the platforms, integrations and reports that keep payroll running reliably for Xeros across Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada and the UK. You'll look after configuration and access, turn what the Pay team needs into clear requirements, and see each change through from testing to launch.

You'll also help us rethink how payroll work gets done. By tracing recurring errors back to their cause and redesigning whole workflows with automation and AI (with people still checking the results), you'll cut manual reconciliation and give the Pay team time back. The Pay team stays accountable for payroll operations and policy, while you own the systems and technical delivery that support them.

The team & how they connect

You'll join the PX Systems team in Employee Lifecycle and Experience, a new team that's shaping how it works as it grows. You'll be the team's payroll specialist, alongside colleagues who look after our other people systems. Day to day, you'll work closely with Pay, Finance, Technology and our vendors, sharing context openly and making technical topics easy for everyone to follow.

Initially, the role will focus on

• Mapping our payroll systems, integrations, access and controls across ADP, Infinet Cloud, Ramco, Tray and Workday, so everyone shares one clear picture of what's working and what isn't.


• Agreeing a ranked backlog with Pay, Finance, Technology and vendors, including existing Workday items.


• Fixing a recurring issue or high-friction workflow early, then showing what improved and how it will be supported.


• Reducing manual reconciliation and journal errors using automation and AI tools such as Claude, Glean, Rovo and Jira Service Management automation.

Where and how you can work

This role is hybrid and based in Melbourne, Sydney or Wellington. There are no set office days, so you and your team will agree a rhythm that suits you and the work. As a new team, you'll have a real say in how we collaborate, both in person and online.

Here are some of the things we are looking for

• You bring hands-on payroll systems experience, from configuration and administration to technical support, plus a good grasp of how payroll processes, controls and system dependencies fit together.


• Tracing a data flow from end to end comes naturally to you, whether that's mapping integrations, troubleshooting errors or finding the root cause so problems stay fixed.


• You'll Go Bold by rethinking whole workflows rather than patching single steps, using automation and AI where they help and keeping people in the loop for checks.


• Explaining technical changes in plain language and keeping Pay, Finance, Technology and vendors on the same page is how you Go Together.


• To Go Further, you take system changes from requirements through testing, documentation and launch, and build reports that people can trust.


• Understanding payroll in more than one of our regions (Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada or the UK) helps, and familiarity with ADP, Infinet Cloud, Ramco, Tray or Workday is a bonus.

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.