Payroll Specialist

• Salary $105k to $117k per annum + 12% Superannuation
• Full Time
• New Position

At Whitehorse City Council, community is at the heart of everything we do.  To stay ahead of and best respond to the evolving changes and needs of the community, the organisation is undertaking an exciting journey that will transform ways of working and will empower employees to be innovative and constantly striving towards providing excellent customer experience at all times. The five pillars of our transformation focus on:

• Excellent Customer Experience and Service Delivery
• Great Organisational Culture
• Innovation and Continuous Improvement
• Good Governance and Integrity
• Long Term Financial Sustainability

The role:

This position is responsible for leading Council's payroll function to ensure the delivery of accurate, timely, and compliant payroll services. The role provides strategic oversight of payroll policies, procedures, and systems, driving continuous improvement and strong governance. It includes high-level administration and technical support of the HR/Payroll system, training and capability building for system users, and the development and maintenance of payroll systems and frameworks to support operational excellence and a positive employee experience.

About you:

To be considered for this position you will have:

• Tertiary qualifications in Payroll, Finance, Human Resources, or a related discipline (desirable).
• Extensive experience managing and administering payroll in a medium to large organisation, with a strong focus on compliance, governance, and audit requirements.
• Strong customer service, communication, and negotiation skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across all levels of the organisation.
• Demonstrated experience in HR/Payroll system administration and reporting, with strong technical skills in Microsoft Office and payroll systems.
• Proven leadership skills, including the ability to guide, mentor, and support team members to achieve high performance and continuous improvement.

In return, we will offer:

The ability to make a difference - Working at Whitehorse City Council you contribute to making a real difference in the lives of the community and those that live, learn, work or visit Whitehorse.  Every day you really will see how the work you're involved in benefits the diverse community.

Great working conditions – a professional environment, friendly and supportive teams and a flexibility program that promotes employee work life balance.

An extensive Health and Wellbeing offering – Employee assistance program, private health insurance benefits, health checks (skin, hearing and vaccinations), discounted gym membership and facilities (e.g. Theatre, Arts, Leisure) and an active health and wellness program (e.g. stretching, healthy eating demonstrations and health challenges.

Career opportunities – engaging work and the opportunity to apply your skills and experience.

Transformation  - We are in a time of transformation to stay ahead of the evolving changes and needs of our community. Together, we are on an exciting journey to empower all of our employees to be innovative, and constantly strive towards continuous improvement.

Reward & Recognition - extensive reward and recognition program, corporate learning offerings, study assistance and comprehensive leadership development programs.

Further Information:

Further information is available from Suzy Ellingsen on To apply, please submit a copy of your resume (max 5 pages) and one page statement addressing the selection criteria and what you would bring to the role by Sunday 21 September 2025.

Come and join the transformation

Download the Position Description:

Payroll Specialist

City of Whitehorse is a culturally and linguistically diverse community. We are proud of the diversity of our workforce and recognise the strength this provides in meeting the needs of our community. We are committed to upholding a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace that values the contribution of all.

Whitehorse City Council is committed to being a child safe organisation.  We recognise our responsibilities to keep children and young people safe from harm and have established policies, procedures and training to achieve these commitments.

ABOUT US

The City of Whitehorse, located 15 kilometres east of the Melbourne CBD, is a culturally diverse community of almost 177,000 people. Whitehorse includes the suburbs of Box Hill, Burwood, Nunawading, Blackburn, Mitcham, Forest Hill and Vermont and is characterised by quiet tree-lined residential streets, an abundance of parks, gardens and natural bushland reserves, bustling shopping centres and a diverse range of arts, cultural, sports and leisure facilities.

Whitehorse City Council provides more than 100 services and facilities across a range of areas within our community services, city development, infrastructure, corporate services and transformation directorates. Whitehorse is one of Melbourne's largest metropolitan councils with a workforce of approximately 1300 employees and aspires to foster an inclusive, vibrant, prosperous and sustainable community. Our employees help us achieve these goals

At Whitehorse, employee health, wellbeing and development are paramount, and we aim for everyone to become the best they can be in the workplace. Benefits of working with us include:

• A welcoming and supportive working environment 
• Great opportunities for training and to build a long-term career within Whitehorse or the local government sector.
• Extensive employee health and wellbeing programs including flexible working arrangements
• Salary sacrifice options for gym / swim memberships, childcare and superannuation; and access to novated vehicle leases.
• Competitive terms and conditions of employment 
• Ample onsite parking at most facilities with ready access to public transport 
• Active Social Club with a calendar of events through the year