WORKFORCE COMPLIANCE AND PAYROLL MANAGER
Join a purpose-driven aged care organisation and lead a high-performing payroll team driving compliance, innovation, and digital transformation. Shape workforce strategy, strengthen governance, and make a real impact on employee experience and organisational success.
* Permanent Full Time Position
* Malvern Location / Hybrid Working Role
* Not-for-Profit Salary Packaging Options - Increase your take home Pay
About the role:
As the Workforce Compliance and Payroll Manager, you will lead a high-performing payroll team and ensure accurate, timely, and compliant payroll delivery across a large multi-site aged care workforce. This role is central to maintaining strong workforce governance, interpreting complex industrial instruments, and ensuring adherence to all legislative, regulatory, and organisational requirements. You will drive digital transformation, optimise HRIS and payroll systems, and strengthen internal controls and risk management. Partnering with People Culture & Safety, Finance, Operations, and executive leaders, you will provide strategic workforce insights that support business planning, enhance employee experience, and contribute to a culture of service excellence and continuous improvement.
Key responsibilities:
* Lead end-to-end payroll operations ensuring accuracy, compliance, confidentiality, and exceptional service delivery.
* Interpret and apply Awards, Enterprise Agreements, contracts, and industrial legislation across a complex, multi-award workforce.
* Optimise HRIS/payroll systems, oversee configuration, testing, integrations, and maintain data integrity.
* Drive digital transformation, automation, and continuous improvement in payroll processes.
* Lead internal/external audits, ensure internal controls, and implement risk management frameworks.
* Provide strategic payroll analytics, reporting, and insights to support executive decision-making and workforce planning.
* Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including regulators, system vendors, and executive leaders.
* Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing payroll team, fostering capability, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
What you bring:
* Tertiary qualifications in Business, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources or equivalent experience.
* 5–8+ years' experience managing payroll for 1,000+ employees in a complex, multi-award environment (aged care/health/community preferred).
* Proven expertise interpreting Awards, Enterprise Agreements, and industrial legislation, with a strong compliance track record.
* Demonstrated experience leading payroll system implementations, upgrades, or major integration projects.
* Advanced HRIS/payroll systems capability (HR21, Chris21, 2Cloud9, Maica or similar) and strong Excel/data analytics skills.
* High-level analytical, numerical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prepare Executive-level reports and insights.
* Strong stakeholder engagement, communication, and customer service skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across the organisation.
* Demonstrated people leadership capability, with experience coaching, developing, and supporting high-performing teams.
Desirable:
* Professional membership or certification (APA, TAPS, CPA/CA, or similar).
* Experience working within not-for-profit or aged-care funding environments.
* Exposure to salary packaging, novated leasing, and complex remuneration structures.
* Experience leading payroll-related change initiatives or major transformation projects.
What we offer:
* Generous Not-for-profit Salary Packaging
* Employee benefits: wellness programs and lifestyle discounts
* Employee Assistance Program
* A supportive and welcoming environment where you can make a real difference
About us:
mecwacare is a leading not-for-profit organization that has been supporting Victorians for more than. 65+ years. We are a values-based, care-driven organization that provides residential, community and in-home nursing, care and support services for the elderly and people living with a disability. mecwacare supports more than 20,000 people each week across greater Melbourne and regional Victoria. We are a rapidly growing organization with a diverse workforce of more than 3,500 employees and 500 volunteers, representing 89 nationalities and speaking 100 languages. We strongly encourage applications from individuals of all ages, genders, abilities, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
To apply:
Click apply and submit your CV and Cover letter addressing the "what you bring section". Successful candidate will have to have sufficient work rights in Australia and provide/undergo a satisfactory Police Check