test manager (payroll)

Randstad Digital New Zealand; Wellington; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Randstad Digital New Zealand is seeking an experienced Test Manager to lead the end-to-end testing strategy for a major enterprise payroll implementation. The role starts in October 2026 for a 12-month engagement, with ownership of early-phase test planning and compliance validation.

You will help build and lead a testing team as activity ramps up in 2027. Based in Wellington, the successful candidate will manage complex payroll testing across large transformations, collaborating with vendors,

Qualifications

• 5 years of testing leadership experience in payroll projects.
• Experience with enterprise HRIS or payroll platforms.
• Knowledge of core payroll processing, tax/compliance rules.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end testing strategy for the payroll implementation.
• Plan early-phase test strategy and integration.
• Lay groundwork to build and lead the wider testing team.

Skills

Payroll testing leadership

Enterprise payroll platforms

Dayforce or Ceridian

Stakeholder management

Test strategy

Leadership of testing teams

Education

Bachelor Degree

Tools

Dayforce

Ceridian

Job description

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Test Manager to lead the end-to-end testing strategy for a major enterprise payroll implementation. Starting in October 2026 for a 12-month engagement, you will take ownership of early-phase test planning, integration strategy, and compliance validation. You will also lay the groundwork to build and lead the wider testing team as project activity ramps up in early 2027.

Skills & Experience

• Proven experience Leading testing for New Payroll System Implementations
• Experience with Enterprise HRIS or Payroll platforms
• Dayforce or Ceridian experience highly desirable
• Wellington based, 12 months contract, able to start 1st Oct 2026
• Strong experience in managing complex payroll system testing within large enterprise transformations.
• Deep domain knowledge of core payroll processing, tax/compliance rules, and downstream data feeds.
• Proven experience planning and executing test strategies independently ahead of team assembly.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence vendors, technical teams, and business leads.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills across technical execution and executive reporting.
• Experience with modern enterprise payroll/HRIS platforms (Dayforce or Ceridian experience highly desirable).

5 years

Bachelor Degree

We actively encourage applications from any background.

• Please note, we can only consider applicants that are legally entitled to work in New Zealand at the time of application.