Payroll Officer

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About Us

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world, our work goes to the cutting-edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi-cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into. And that’s where you come in.

Job Description:

Position Title: Payroll Officer - ANZ

Role Summary

The Payroll Officer supports the accurate, timely and compliant delivery of payroll services across Australia and New Zealand. Reporting directly to the Director HR - Australia and New Zealand, the role works closely with the HR Operations Lead & Payroll Manager ANZ, HR colleagues, Finance, managers, employees and the external payroll provider. The external payroll provider is responsible for payroll processing, while the Payroll Officer manages the internal activities required to support that service, including payroll data preparation and validation, employee record maintenance, coordination of payroll inputs, statutory administration, payroll enquiries, reconciliations, reporting, issue resolution and continuous improvement. The role contributes to strong payroll controls, reliable workforce data and a positive employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Processing and Administration

• Coordinate and support weekly, monthly and other payroll cycles delivered by the external payroll provider in accordance with the approved payroll calendar and control framework.
• Collect, review and validate payroll inputs for submission to the external payroll provider, including new hires, terminations, remuneration changes, contract variations, allowances, deductions, leave, timesheets and roster information.
• Prepare and validate final payment, redundancy payment and other out-of-cycle payment instructions for review, approval and processing by the external payroll provider.
• Review payroll outputs and variance reports produced by the external payroll provider, investigate discrepancies and coordinate corrections before payroll approval.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and supporting documentation in the payroll system, HiNext and SAP.
• Maintain secure and confidential handling of employee and payroll information.

Employee and Stakeholder Support

• Respond to employee payroll enquiries accurately, professionally and within agreed service timeframes.
• Work with managers to resolve timesheet, roster, leave and payroll input issues, including support with roster administration in SAP.
• Support HR team members with payroll-related information for onboarding, employee changes and offboarding.
• Act as the primary operational contact for the external payroll provider, coordinate payroll inputs and outputs, monitor service delivery, resolve processing issues and maintain service continuity.
• Escalate material discrepancies, compliance risks and recurring issues promptly to the Director HR and the HR Operations Lead & Payroll Manager ANZ.

Compliance, Reconciliations and Controls

• Assist with the preparation, reconciliation and lodgement of PAYG withholding, payroll tax, superannuation and portable long service leave obligations.
• Complete payroll reconciliations and maintain evidence of checks and approvals in line with internal controls.
• Apply relevant enterprise agreements, awards, employment contracts, policies and legislative requirements when preparing and validating payroll instructions and reviewing payroll outcomes.
• Maintain payroll records in accordance with legal, audit and records-management requirements.
• Provide payroll data and supporting documentation for internal, external and customer audits.
• Identify control gaps or potential overpayments and underpayments, and assist with investigation and remediation.

Systems, Reporting and Continuous Improvement

• Monitor and maintain payroll data integrity across the payroll system, HiNext and SAP.
• Prepare routine payroll reports and support monthly and annual HR, payroll and statutory reporting activities.
• Assist with payroll data audits, system testing, parallel runs and the validation of system interfaces and configuration changes.
• Maintain payroll procedures, work instructions, calendars and process documentation.
• Contribute to external payroll provider service improvements, system enhancements and payroll process-improvement initiatives.
• Develop sufficient knowledge of critical payroll activities to support business continuity and effective team coverage.

Key Requirements

Qualifications

• A qualification in payroll, accounting, finance, business administration, human resources or a related discipline is desirable.
• Payroll industry certification or demonstrated equivalent practical experience is desirable.

Experience

• Demonstrated experience supporting end-to-end payroll processing in a complex organisation.
• Working knowledge of Australian payroll legislation and obligations, including PAYG withholding, payroll tax, superannuation and record-keeping requirements.
• Experience preparing, coordinating and validating payroll inputs for employee commencements, changes, terminations, final pays and payroll adjustments.
• Experience performing payroll validations, reconciliations and variance checks.
• Experience working with an outsourced payroll provider and New Zealand payroll requirements is desirable.

Technical Skills

• Strong payroll systems capability and confidence working across integrated HR, payroll and time-management systems.
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including data validation, reconciliations and analysis.
• Experience with SAP, HiNext or Workday, and outsourced payroll platforms is desirable.
• Sound understanding of payroll controls, data privacy, audit evidence and confidential records management.
• Ability to interpret employment conditions contained in enterprise agreements, awards, contracts and company policies.

Behavioural Capabilities

• High attention to detail, numerical accuracy and a strong commitment to quality.
• Discretion and sound judgement when handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Clear, respectful and service-focused communication.
• Ability to prioritise competing deadlines and remain effective during time-critical payroll cycles.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to investigating discrepancies.
• Collaborative working style, with the confidence to work independently and escalate issues appropriately.

Performance Measures

• Payroll inputs, validations and approvals are completed accurately and within agreed deadlines to support timely processing by the external payroll provider.
• Employee payroll enquiries are acknowledged and resolved promptly and professionally.
• Payroll records, reconciliations and supporting documentation are accurate, complete and audit-ready.
• Statutory and internal control activities are completed on time, with issues escalated promptly.
• Payroll data is reliable across relevant systems and discrepancies are investigated to resolution.
• The role contributes constructively to process improvements, system changes and effective payroll team coverage.

Thank you for your interest in Hitachi Rail. If your application is of interest, we will be in contact. Please do not hesitate to discover more about us and our latest jobs athttps://www.hitachirail.com/careers.

At Hitachi Rail, there is a place for everyone.We welcome and value differences in background, age, gender, sexuality, family status, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and world view.It is our commitment to create an inclusive environment - we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

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