AM (Payroll Lead) - Australia Payroll Operations

EY; Chennai District; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

EY in India seeks a Payroll Lead to oversee end-to-end Australia payroll operations within a Shared Services Centre. You will liaise with Global Finance, HR, and external vendors to ensure timely, accurate payroll delivery across entities.

You will drive compliance with Australian payroll laws, governance standards, and tax requirements, build robust controls, and mentor the payroll team to achieve excellence.

Qualifications

• 8-12 years of end-to-end payroll experience in SSC or multinational environment.
• Experience managing payroll activities across multiple entities/business units.
• Strong understanding of global payroll controls, compliance frameworks, and governance requirements.
• In-depth knowledge of regional payroll regulations, taxation, statutory reporting, and compliance obligations.
• Demonstrated experience working with cross-functional and global stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee end-to-end Australia payroll processing within an SSC to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
• Review and approve payroll runs, reconciliations, and exception reports prior to sign-off.
• Ensure accurate processing of payments, deductions, superannuation contributions, and payroll adjustments.
• Monitor payroll activities and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Support internal and external audits with payroll documentation and compliance reports.

Skills

End-to-end payroll

SSC experience

Stakeholder management

Compliance

Process improvement

Job description

Role Summary

The Payroll Lead will be responsible for overseeing end-to-end Australia payroll operations within a Shared Services Centre (SSC) environment, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing while maintaining compliance with statutory, tax, and governance requirements. The role serves as a key liaison between the India SSC, Global Finance teams, HR, and external payroll vendors, ensuring seamless payroll delivery across multiple entities.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Operations

• Lead and oversee end-to-end Australia payroll processing, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to payroll calendars.


• Review and approve payroll runs, reconciliations, and exception reports prior to final sign-off.


• Ensure accurate processing of employee payments, statutory deductions, superannuation contributions, and payroll adjustments.


• Monitor payroll activities and resolve payroll discrepancies in a timely manner.


• Drive payroll accuracy through robust validation and quality control processes.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with Australian payroll legislation, taxation requirements, employment laws, and statutory obligations.


• Maintain strong payroll controls in line with global payroll governance standards and internal control frameworks.


• Ensure adherence to financial regulations, tax laws, company policies, and audit requirements.


• Support internal and external audits by providing payroll documentation, reconciliations, and compliance reports.


• Identify payroll risks and implement corrective and preventive actions.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Act as the primary liaison between the India SSC, Global Finance teams, HR, and external payroll vendors.


• Collaborate with HR teams to ensure timely and accurate employee data management and payroll inputs.


• Partner with Finance teams on payroll accounting, reconciliations, accruals, and reporting requirements.


• Coordinate with payroll service providers (SD Worx, ADP, or other vendors) to ensure seamless payroll delivery and SLA adherence.


• Manage payroll escalations and stakeholder communications effectively.

Reporting & Controls

• Review payroll reports and analytics to ensure data accuracy and compliance.


• Support monthly, quarterly, and annual payroll reporting requirements.


• Perform payroll reconciliations and variance analyses to identify and resolve discrepancies.


• Ensure payroll-related financial reporting aligns with organizational and regulatory requirements.


• Maintain payroll documentation, SOPs, and process controls.

Team Leadership

• Provide leadership, guidance, and support to payroll team members.


• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and customer service excellence.


• Mentor and develop team members to strengthen payroll capability and succession readiness.


• Drive operational excellence through process improvements, automation, and best practices.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 8-12 years of end-to-end payroll experience, including experience leading payroll teams.


• Proven experience supporting payroll operations within a Shared Services Centre (SSC) or multinational organization.


• Experience managing payroll activities across multiple entities and business units.


• Strong understanding of global payroll controls, compliance frameworks, and governance requirements.


• In-depth knowledge of regional payroll regulations, taxation, statutory reporting, and compliance obligations.


• Demonstrated experience working with cross-functional and global stakeholders.