Payroll Specialist

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• Brisbane based with flexible working options
• Join our high performing Payroll Team
• 12 month Full Time Opportunity

Suncorp Group firmly believes in contributing to a more resilient Australia. This means striving to enhance the skills of our people, building stronger relationships with customers, and leveraging the power of innovation and technology.

We are looking for an experienced Payroll Specialist to join our team and support complex payroll operations at Suncorp – both now and into the future. In collaboration with an experienced Payroll team and our external partner/ Payroll Managed Services Provider (MSA), you will be responsible for ensuring the accurate, timely, and compliant delivery of payroll services across Australia and New Zealand.

• Act as a key liaison between internal and external stakeholders, to ensure payroll integrity and continuous improvement in a highly regulated environment.
• Provide support and technical payroll expertise for initiatives, audits and complex projects as required.
• Utilise your extensive experience, by coaching and mentoring other members of the Payroll team, to reduce single points of sensitivity, embed a solid understanding of Payroll principles, correct award and legislative interpretation, and drive process improvement.
• Manage end-to-end payroll operations in partnership with a third-party MSA, ensuring key milestones are met, and all tasks and deliverables required for a successful payroll are completed.
• Support strong governance and compliance with relevant legislation including the Fair Work Act, ATO regulations, superannuation legislation, and the Suncorp Enterprise Agreement.
• Drive and maintain oversight of payroll outputs to ensure accuracy and compliance, by both our MSA and Suncorp Payroll team.
• Coordinate and manage Single Touch Payroll (STP) submissions and other statutory reporting requirements, including payroll tax, PAYG, and superannuation obligations.
• Undertake and contribute to control testing, internal and external audits and compliance monitoring activities, proactively identifying high-risk scenarios and contributing to risk planning and controls.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the changing pay, super and tax landscape internally and externally, providing early insight into changes in legislation, compliance and obligations.
• Research, analyse and recommend on current and potential payroll compliance, opportunities and issues, including evaluating business impacts.
• Manage sensitive payroll-related escalations and high-care matters, identifying risks and reporting or escalating to the Payroll Operations Manager where needed.
• Collaborate with HR, Finance and our technology teams, to ensure payroll data accuracy and system alignment.

• 8+ years of payroll experience, with at least 2 years in a senior Payroll position within a medium-large organisation.
• Demonstrated operational experience and technical skills across the full payroll ambit (including STP, taxation, payroll tax, workers compensation/ income protection, LSL, redundancy).
• Prior experience with a payroll system transition (e.g. data migration, testing, system implementation and process changes) would be fabulous.
• Experience working with, or managing relationships with, a payroll MSA or offshore partner.
• A strong understanding of Australian payroll legislation, taxation, superannuation, and industrial relations is non-negotiable, and a demonstrated ability to translate complex payroll legislative and regulatory requirements into recommendations is important.
• Experience interpreting complex EBAs and modern awards, ideally within the insurance or financial services sector, would be great.
• Proficiency in enterprise payroll systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle PeopleSoft, ADP, Chris21) and HRIS platforms, and hands-on experience with time & attendance systems will ensure you hit the ground running.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with payroll reporting and reconciliation is non-negotiable.
• High attention to detail, analytical thinking, and problem-solving ability.
• Advanced data analytical skills, including being able to identify trends, provide data driven insights and recommend improvements.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex payroll concepts in a way that is easily understood by non-payroll professionals.
• Prior experience leading people would be advantageous, and a desire to help 'grow' and develop others is important.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Exceptional learning agility, a sense of humour, openness to asking questions and a desire to be part of a fast moving and high performing team – also non-negotiable

• A range of flexible working and leave options, including 20 weeks paid parental leave, 4 weeks paid secondary carer parental leave and unlimited paid emergency response leave
• Discounts and offers on a range of retail favourite stores as well as insurance products
• Give back to our communities with payroll giving, donation matching and paid volunteer leave
• Invest in your brighter future with ongoing study support and career development programs; and
• Prioritise your work/life balance with our robust employee assistance program and dedicated employee council

At Suncorp we build inclusion by providing an environment where everyone is able to be themselves and feel valued, involved and respected for their perspectives and contribution. For further details on accessibility please email Melanie.young@suncorp.com.au