Payroll Specialist

OVERVIEW

The Payroll Specialist, Australia is responsible for leading payroll operations across Australia and New Zealand within a global aggregate payroll model. This role will ensure accurate and compliant payroll processing, and partner closely with global payroll leadership, HR, Finance, and third-party providers. The Payroll Specialist will serve as the local point of accountability, balancing compliance with local statutory requirements and the consistency of global payroll governance.

RESPONSIBILITIES  

• Own end-to-end payroll delivery for all Australia and New Zealand locations, ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and compliance with local labor and tax laws.
• Manage payroll through the local payroll service providers as well as global aggregator (e.g., ADP Celergo/Strada/other providers), escalating and resolving payroll issues quickly.
• Oversee payroll funding requests, GL reconciliations, and statutory payments across the region.
• Implement strong pre- and post-payroll controls in alignment with global standards.
• Coordinate with HR and Finance for data validation, accruals, and reporting requirements.
• Establish SLAs and KPIs for Australia and New Zealand payroll performance, driving accountability and service excellence.
• Act as escalation point for payroll queries in the region, supporting employees and managers with professionalism.
• Ensure payroll compliance with all Australia and New Zealand location-specific labor regulations, tax rules, and data privacy requirements (e.g., GDPR, etc.).
• Monitor legislative changes in the region and implement necessary payroll updates.
• Serve as the regional payroll responsible person within the global payroll operating model, reporting directly to the Director, International.
• Collaborate with global payroll leadership to drive process harmonization, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide subject matter expertise to support new country launches, acquisitions, or payroll transitions in Australia and New Zealand.
• Represent Australia and New Zealand payroll in global governance forums, projects, and system enhancements.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, HR, or related field (preferred).
• 5+ years of payroll experience, with experience in retail or luxury industry as a plus
• Experience managing both Australia and New Zealand payroll in a global aggregate model (e.g., ADP, Celergo, Safeguard, Cloudpay, UKG, etc.).
• Strong understanding of statutory payroll and tax requirements across Australia and New Zealand.
• Proven experience working with global stakeholders across HR, Finance, and IT.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced global retail environment.
• Advanced excel skills.