Payroll Manager

Payroll Manager

St Leonards Full-Time 36000 - 60000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead payroll operations, ensuring accuracy and compliance while driving system enhancements.
  • Company: Only About Children, a leader in early learning and child care.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work, childcare discounts, and wellbeing support.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on payroll processes in a collaborative environment.
  • Qualifications: 5+ years in payroll leadership with strong compliance knowledge.
  • Other info: Join a dynamic team focused on continuous improvement and service excellence.

The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.

Overview

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About This Role

At Only About Children, we are more than an early learning provider – we are shaping the future of every child in our care through innovation, quality, and commitment to excellence. Payroll plays a critical role in this, ensuring there is accuracy, timeliness, and efficiency across the organisation. We are seeking a Payroll Manager to join our Corporate Services team. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone to lead and continuously improve payroll operations to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and efficiency across the organisation, while ensuring compliance with payroll-related legislation, industrial instruments, and internal policies, and maintaining high standards of governance and audit readiness.

About The Role

Reporting to the Head of Financial Control, you will collaborate closely with P&C, Finance, Operations, and IT to drive system enhancements, support integrated workforce planning and reporting, and manage change across HRIS, WFM, and Workday platforms.

Key Responsibilities

  • Ensure timely and accurate processing of salaries, wages, and entitlements in line with contracts, Awards, and legislation.
  • Interpret and apply Industrial Instruments including Awards, Certified and Enterprise Agreements.
  • Oversee Payroll Tax, PAYG, Superannuation, and end-of-year reporting, supporting Finance as needed.
  • Maintain accurate records of leave, overtime, and entitlements, ensuring compliance and data integrity.
  • Build strong relationships with internal teams (P&C, Finance, IT, Operations) and external partners (auditors, vendors, agencies).
  • Manage OAC\’s ticketing system to resolve payroll queries within 24–48 hours.
  • Lead a high-performing payroll team focused on service excellence, accountability, and support.
  • Ensure confidentiality and data security across all payroll operations.
  • Prepare payroll reports and analytics to support decision-making and SOX compliance.
  • Ensure accurate statutory reporting, including STP and other regulatory requirements whilst maintaining knowledge of legislative changes.
  • Deliver payroll training and support staff understanding of systems and compliance.
  • Review and align payroll practices with strategic goals and compliance needs.

About You

You are someone who thrives in a highly collaborative role and enjoys continuously improving payroll operations. You take pride in solving problems, building trust with users, offering expert guidance on complex matters such as taxation, superannuation, leave entitlements, and award interpretation.

We Are Looking For

  • Minimum 5 years\\\’ experience in a payroll leadership role, ideally in a multi-site or complex organisation.
  • Strong commercial acumen with knowledge of financial controls and audit processes.
  • Advanced skills in payroll systems (iChris required) and Time & Attendance platforms (e.g. Ento, Human force, UKG).
  • Proven ability to interpret Awards and Agreements, manage multi-location payroll, and ensure compliance with PAYG, FBT, payroll tax, superannuation, and EEO.
  • Experience supporting audits and SOX reporting in collaboration with Finance and Financial Control.

What We Offer

  • Competitive salary package including travel allowance
  • Laptop, mobile, and travel support provided.
  • 50% discount on childcare fees
  • Flexible working arrangements.
  • Vouchers and recognition programs to celebrate your contribution
  • Two additional Wellbeing Days per year + option to purchase up to two extra weeks\\\’ leave
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for ongoing wellbeing support
  • Retail discount program with cashback offers across hundreds of brands

Role Details

  • Seniority level: Mid-Senior level
  • Employment type: Full-time
  • Job function: Human Resources
  • Industries: Education Administration Programs

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Location notes: Millers Point, Sydney, Mascot, Redfern, Castle Hill, and other NSW locations are listed with recent postings.

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Payroll Manager employer: Only About Children

At Only About Children, we pride ourselves on being a leading early learning provider that values innovation and excellence. As a Payroll Manager, you will benefit from a supportive work culture that prioritises employee wellbeing, offering flexible working arrangements, competitive salaries, and generous leave options, including additional Wellbeing Days. With a focus on professional growth and collaboration across teams, this role provides a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact while enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of our locations in Sydney and beyond.
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Contact Detail:

Only About Children Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Payroll Manager

Network Like a Pro

Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend events, join online forums, or even reach out to current employees at Only About Children. Building relationships can open doors and give you insider info on the role.

Show Off Your Skills

When you get the chance to chat with hiring managers or during interviews, make sure to highlight your experience with payroll systems and compliance. Share specific examples of how you've improved processes or solved complex issues in previous roles.

Be Ready for Questions

Prepare for common interview questions related to payroll management, like handling audits or interpreting awards. Practise your answers so you can respond confidently and show that you're the right fit for the Payroll Manager role.

Apply Through Our Website

Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining Only About Children and being part of our mission.

We think you need these skills to ace Payroll Manager

Payroll Management
Compliance with Payroll Legislation
Industrial Instrument Interpretation
Payroll Tax Management
Superannuation Knowledge
End-of-Year Reporting
Data Integrity Maintenance
Relationship Building
Problem-Solving Skills
Advanced Payroll Systems Skills (iChris)
Time & Attendance Platforms Knowledge
Audit Support Experience
SOX Reporting
Training and Development

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Payroll Manager role. Highlight your experience in payroll leadership, compliance, and any specific systems you've worked with, like iChris. We want to see how your skills match what we're looking for!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about payroll and how you can contribute to our mission at Only About Children. Keep it engaging and relevant to the role.

Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; showcase your achievements! Whether it's improving payroll processes or leading a team, we want to know how you've made a difference in your previous roles.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s straightforward and ensures your application goes directly to us. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step!

How to prepare for a job interview at Only About Children

Know Your Payroll Legislation

Make sure you brush up on the latest payroll-related legislation and industrial instruments. Being able to discuss how you interpret and apply these in your previous roles will show that you're not just knowledgeable but also proactive about compliance.

Showcase Your Leadership Skills

As a Payroll Manager, you'll be leading a team. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed teams in the past, focusing on service excellence and accountability. Highlight any specific challenges you faced and how you overcame them.

Familiarise Yourself with Relevant Systems

Since the role involves working with payroll systems like iChris and Time & Attendance platforms, make sure you can speak confidently about your experience with these or similar systems. If you’ve led system enhancements before, share those experiences!

Build Relationships

The job requires collaboration with various internal teams and external partners. Think of examples where you've built strong relationships in your previous roles. This will demonstrate your ability to work effectively across departments and manage stakeholder expectations.

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