Payroll Manager

Join a highly collaborative and commercially minded People & Culture team
- Lead a small team of Payroll experts
- Permanent role based in Melbourne

We're REA
With bold and ambitious goals,

REA Group

is changing the way the world experiences property. No matter where you're at on your property journey, we're here to help with every step - whether that's finding or financing your next home.

Our people are the key to our success. At the heart of everything we do, is a thriving culture centred around high performance and care. We are purpose driven and collaborative, which drives innovation and our ability to make a real impact. As such, we’re proud to have been named in

Australia’s “Top 5” Best Workplaces

two years in a row, as well as being recognised as a Best Workplace for Women.

Where the team fits in

The Payroll Manager sits within the People & Culture team, reporting to the GM Reward and Workplace relations. From building management capability and the next generation of leaders, to creating a diversity and inclusion strategy which is mainstreamed and embedded into everything we do - the People & Culture team is all about making REA Group a great place to work. Supporting our multi-national business with HR processes, policies and systems to meet the needs of our people around the world, the team works to build high engagement with our impressive offering of programs and benefits.

What the role is all about

The Payroll Manager will manage REA Group’s end-to-end payroll function for Australia, including optimising outcomes for the business and ensuring compliance in all facets of employment taxes and regulatory requirements. In addition, this person will oversee the payroll of our international operations as required.

Key responsibilities
- Responsible for the day-to-day management and governance of the end-to-end payroll operations and compliance, including management third party relationships
- Leadership and people management of the Payroll SME resources (2 direct reports)
- Lead role in the management of our SaaS vendor Ramco
- Responsible for governance on system changes that affect payroll calculations and outputs, including new wage code creations, system configuration to meet IR pay conditions and consider other systems changes which occur based on SME input
- Identifying system improvements in consultation with the SME, preparation of test scripts for systems testing and implementation, including liaisons with other system/module owners to ensure structured approach to integrated testing and delivery
- Lead strategic and change management initiatives to improve the payroll function on an ongoing basis, including developing streamlined processes, procedures and forms; improvements to configuration; lead integration projects; lead audit and risk management projects; reviewing payroll procedures in line with best practices
- Ensuring that payroll data is sampled and checked in line with agreed processes and that actions resulting from inconsistencies are progressed, managed, or delegated as required
- Managing business ad-hoc reporting requirements to ensure that data integrity is maintained, regular reports are reviewed for accuracy and confirmation of meeting business needs as well as produced on time and within the required expectations
- Providing effective leadership to ensure the payroll team are cross trained and aware of accountabilities and contributions to organisational outcomes
- Creating a climate for the development of the payroll team and a culture of continuous improvement to further enhance payroll processes and system effectiveness
- Working and engaging with the key stakeholders across the business to help improve and further develop the payroll systems functionality and capability
- Overseeing year-end payroll reporting requirements and audits, including liaison with auditors
- Keeping abreast of changes to legislative, award, ATO, and EBA provisions and managing the implementation of these changes to ensure compliance

Who we’re looking for
- Relevant degree associated with employment taxes and payroll is preferred but not essential
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal and the sensitivity to understand audience needs and adapt style accordingly
- Detailed understanding of payroll best practices and compliance
- Effective vendor relationship management to ensure a win-win outcome
- Proactive approach to both project management and influencing change
- Significant Payroll experience, approximately 8-10 years
- Previous experience in a people leadership role
- Payroll compliance knowledge, including sound employment tax and industrial relation knowledge
- Experience in managing offshore payroll, whether in-house or via third party providers
- Exceptional stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
- Experience gathering requirements and translating these into specific improvements
- Experience in the design and improvement of business pro