Payroll Manager

Howatson+Company is an advertising agency that's committed to expressing creativity in all its forms to positively influence people and culture.

Put simply, we care fiercely. For the people who work here. For the brands we work on. And for the community we live in. That's why we overinvest in training, generosity and pausing to recognise excellence and effort in our people.

It's also why we're 100% carbon neutral.

What's my job?

You're the Payroll Manager and you report to the Finance Manager and Chief Financial Officer.

You'll collaborate with various agency teams, managing payroll end-to-end, ensuring accurate, compliant and timely processing for both permanent staff and production talent.

A Day in the Life
:

• Manage end-to-end payroll for both contracted and permanent employees.
• Collaborate with production teams to collect and validate timesheets, call sheets, and contracts.
• Process monthly payroll for all salaried employees across our agencies.
• Verify ABNs, GST registration, and contractor compliance for freelance payments.
• Reconcile payroll accounts and prepare reports for month-end and year-end.
• Maintain accurate employee payroll records with absolute discretion and confidentiality.
• Stay current with changes to legislation, awards, and tax rules.
• Process invoices and purchase orders into the finance system.
• Identify opportunities to streamline payroll administration and improve processes.

How will we know that you are the one?

• You're a meticulous payroll professional who understands the unique challenges of managing payments in a creative environment.
• Your attention to detail is second to none, ensuring everyone gets paid correctly and on time, whether they're casual/contract production staff and talent, or full-time employees.
• You maintain absolute discretion when handling sensitive payroll information and have a knack for explaining payroll matters clearly to non-finance colleagues.
• You're proactive in identifying risks, suggesting process improvements, and you enjoy the satisfaction of running a smooth, accurate payroll operation that supports both production schedules and employee satisfaction.

Other things that will make you excel in this role:

• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Strong knowledge of employment and industry regulations.
• The ability to work at pace with multiple stakeholders under tight deadlines.
• Proven ability to maintain confidentiality with sensitive information.

Who are Howatson+Company?

Howatson+Company are a fully integrated creative agency that believes in the power of influence. We believe that the magic comes from the '+'. The intersection of diverse people, culture, and capabilities, that create solutions that drive business outcomes for our clients and leave the world a better place.

How do we do it?

We care fiercely about the people we work with, the brands we work on, and the world we live in.

We have five key values:

Be a customer

Act without judgment or preconceptions to find the truth.

Diversity creates breakthrough

Magic lives at the intersection of people, culture, and capability.

We can only afford to be distinctive

No 'house style', we express creativity in all its forms.

Never walk alone

It's everyone's job to think, to craft, to support.

Values cost something

Talk is cheap, we act with valour regardless of the cost.

Some of our most recent accolades

• Contagious Pioneers - Best and Bravest 2024
• Adnews Creative, Independent, Employer and Agency of the Year 2024
• Cannes Global Independent Agency of the Year - Good 2023, #1 Independent Agency Australia 2024
• Mumbrella Creative, Independent and Emerging Agency of the Year 2023, Full Service Agency of the Year 2024
• B&T Independent Agency of the Year 2023
• Andy's Global Independent Agency of the Year 2023
• Spikes Grand Prix, Independent Agency of the Year 2023
• LBB APAC Creative Agency of the Year 2022
• D&AD Global Independent Agency of the Year 2022
• LIA Grand Prix 2022, Independent Agency of The Year AU/NZ 2022
• Campaign AU/NZ Independent AOTY, AU/NZ Marketing AOTY, AU/NZ B2B AOTY 2022

Equal Employment Opportunity

Howatson+Company is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, colour, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We invite anyone to apply. Please send your details and CV to

If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process or the role, please let the recruitment consultant know.

To be eligible to apply, you must have Australian working rights.