Senior Payroll Officer (Legislation & Compliance)

New Zealand Government; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Christchurch is seeking a detail-focused Senior Payroll Officer (Legislation & Compliance) to join the People & Capability team on a fixed-term contract until 30 July 2027. The full-time role (40 hours per week, Monday to Friday) ensures payroll processes meet legislative and organisational requirements for accurate, timely payments.

You will collaborate with payroll colleagues, HR Shared Services, and external partners such as ACC and WellNZ to manage ACC

Qualifications

• Graduate or postgraduate qualification is essential.
• Experience applying Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles in practice.
• Solid payroll processing experience and knowledge of payroll legislation.

Responsibilities

• Calculate and process payroll ensuring compliance with Holidays Act and MECA.
• Coordinate multiple payroll runs for timely and accurate payments.
• Maintain payroll data and perform month-end/year-end activities.

Skills

Payroll processing

Legislation knowledge

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Excel

Data entry

Confidentiality

Customer service

Communication

Attention to detail

Education

Graduate qualification

Tools

Excel

Job description

Christchurch - Corporate Office / Oxford Terrace - People & Capability team. Fixed term until 30 / 07 / 2027. Full-time position working 40 hours per week Monday to Friday.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

We are seeking a detail-focused and knowledgeable Senior Payroll Officer (Legislation & Compliance) to join our People & Capability team. In this role you will play a key part in ensuring payroll processes are compliant with legislation and organisational requirements while delivering accurate and timely payments to employees. You will work closely with payroll colleagues, HR Shared Services teams, and external partners such as ACC and WellNZ, supporting complex payroll calculations and legislative compliance including ACC payments, Holidays Act requirements, and MECA provisions. This role requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple payroll processes while maintaining a high level of confidentiality and customer service. As part of the Administration and Clerical Pay Equity Claim settlement this role has been mapped to National Band 6 / Profile 6 For further information about the administration and clerical pay equity settlement please follow the link below : PSA National Health Administration Collective Agreement - FINAL (tewhatuora.govt.nz).

Key Responsibilities

• Calculate work-related and non-work-related ACC payments and provide accurate information to external partners including Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and Wellnz.
• Support and coordinate multiple payroll runs to ensure timely and accurate payments.
• Load and maintain payroll data within the payroll system.
• Liaise with HR Shared Services teams to ensure smooth and accurate pay processing.
• Complete month-end and year-end payroll processes, including leave liability, general ledger reconciliation, unpaid days, and IR filing.
• Calculate and verify complex payroll transactions including final pays, back payments, overpayments, parental leave payments and leave cash-ups in accordance with the Holidays Act and relevant MECA agreements.
• Monitor payroll reports and undertake audit checks to ensure compliance and accuracy.
• Investigate and resolve payroll payment issues and discrepancies.
• Provide advice and respond to employee payroll queries with professionalism, empathy and confidentiality.
• Maintain effective working relationships with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Assist with training, coordination and support of payroll team members.
• Ensure accurate data entry and adherence to deadlines.
• Support continuous improvement of payroll processes and compliance practices.

About You

Essential

• Relevant graduate or postgraduate qualification.
• Experience implementing Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles in practice.
• Strong payroll processing experience and understanding of payroll legislation.
• Sound knowledge of ACC payment legislation and the Holidays Act.
• Excellent attention to detail and high level of accuracy.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel and Word.
• Fast and accurate typing and data entry skills.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Strong customer service skills and the ability to communicate clearly.
• Ability to remain calm and effective under pressure.

Desirable

• Experience working within the health sector or a related environment.
• Strong organisational, planning, and time management skills.

Working at Health New Zealand Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.