Senior Payroll Officer

Job Details

• Full-time permanent role (based on 38 hours per week)
• Monthly RDO
• Exciting change agenda and fantastic new team
• Ability to transfer or take LSL (Long Service Leave) within Local Government

About Merri-bek City Council

Merri-bek City Council is a progressive council of 175,000 residents: one community, proudly diverse. Our council area sits within the banks of the Merri Creek and the Moonee Ponds Creek, and includes Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner, Glenroy, Gowanbrae, Hadfield, Oak Park and Pascoe Vale. Our city is vibrant and energetic, known for its active community, cultural diversity, creative industries and the arts. Our long‑term vision has ambitious goals for environmental sustainability, social justice, community wellbeing, and creating great places. With the Civic Centre located in Coburg, 8 kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD, there are excellent public transport options and great food and cafés right at the doorstep.

Merri-bek Council strives to be a contemporary, innovative and collaborative organisation with a deep commitment to engaging and supporting the Merri-bek community. Our organisational vision is to be one team, brave and diverse, making a difference.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive and welcoming workplace. We offer flexible and hybrid work options and genuinely care about providing our staff work/life balance. With the Civic Centre located in Coburg, 8 kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD, there are excellent public transport options and great food, cafés, parks and a cinema right at the doorstep. Merri-bek is a great place to live, work and play.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and detail‑oriented Senior Payroll Officer to join a team where your work makes a genuine impact. This role offers the opportunity to build on your payroll expertise while guiding and contributing to a team culture that values equity, diversity, inclusion, and service to the community. You will gain exposure to complex payroll processing, enterprise agreement interpretation, and continuous improvement projects while working closely within a supportive team.

• Processing payroll for approximately 1,200 staff on a fortnightly cycle (using iChris & Humanforce)
• Provide timely and accurate payroll services to employees of Merri-bek City Council and external bodies in relation to all payroll queries.
• Provide guidance and day‑to‑day support to the Payroll Officers
• Prepare, distribute and reconcile payroll payments and electronic funds transfer fortnightly
• Sort payroll queries, paperwork and mail accordingly and attend action changes within relevant pay periods.
• Provide payroll updates to the Payroll Coordinator and other Finance/Human Resource staff as requested.
• Reconcile employee leave payments ensuring employee has adequate leave balances to cover time requested and ensure that payment is made on time.
• Abide by and maintain current protocols, procedures and guidelines to ensure data is input in a correct and consistent format.
• Maintain constructive and collaborative working relationships with members of the Human Resources team and other council departments.
• Administer & Review Masterfile changes i.e. rate changes, FTE, allowances and deductions.
• Process & Review new starters & employment terminations
• Investigate and resolve payroll queries in a timely manner.
• Contribute to the ongoing improvement of payroll systems and processes, supporting efficiency and accuracy across the team.

Skills and Experience Required

• Tertiary qualification in a relevant field and/or relevant experience in a payroll position with high volume (500+) payroll processing.
• Demonstrated experience with payroll system ‘Chris21/iChris’
• Demonstrated experience with Time & Attendance systems (Humanforce desirable)
• The ability to develop strong working relationships with internal stakeholders in respect to the provision of value‑adding payroll services.
• Strong skills in managing time, setting priorities, planning and organising one’s own work so as to achieve specific and set objectives in the most efficient way possible.
• Highly developed communication skills with the ability to provide a high level of customer service.
• A high level of attention to detail and accuracy with a focus on numeracy.
• The ability to interpret Enterprise Agreement and operate within a fast‑paced environment.
• Knowledge of Australian and Victorian employee taxation provisions.
• Knowledge of SG Legislation and Vision Super plans.
• A high level of computer literacy with the ability to use Microsoft Office applications, particularly Microsoft Excel and the ability to learn other corporate and financial systems with ease.

What the Role Can Offer

• Monthly RDO
• Extensive opportunities for training & career development
• Salary sacrifice options
• A real sense of work‑life balance & flexible work options
• Employer‑supported study assistance schemes
• Wellness programs

Further Support Offered for Our Staff

• Up to 20 weeks primary & up to 5 weeks secondary parental leave
• Purchase leave
• Ceremonial leave
• Gender affirmation leave
• Family violence leave

Contact

For further information about this position please contact Sarah Johnstone on .

Applications

Applications close: 11:30pm, Tuesday 17 March 2026.
*In the case that we receive a high volume of applications, we reserve the right to close this advertisement before the current closing date.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Merri-bek City Council is proudly diverse and an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, people with disability, and people from every culture, sexuality and gender identity, age and ethnic background. Merri-bek City Council is a Child Safe organisation.

Commitment

In May 2021, Merri-bek Council adopted a revised Statement of Commitment to Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of the municipality. The statement recognises the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people as the traditional owners of the lands and waterways of our municipality.

Merri-bek City Council is committed to being a Child Safe Organisation and has zero tolerance for child abuse. We believe children and young people have the right to be and feel safe and that their safety and wellbeing is the responsibility of everyone. You can read more about our Child Safety Commitment Statement on our website.