Senior Payroll Specialist

Req ID: 7550

Date: 1 Jul 2026

Site: VCCC (Parkville)

Location:

MELBOURNE, VIC, AU, 3000

Company: Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Unit: Payroll Services

Division: People And Culture

Department: People And Culture

Enterprise Agreement: Health and Allied Services, Managers and Administr

Payroll Services

Ongoing, full-time position
76-hours per fortnight with fortnightly RDO
$110,000 - $120,000 base + salary packaging + super + 5 weeks annual leave

The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Peter Mac) is a Victorian public health service and a world-leading comprehensive cancer centre seeking to excel across all spheres of clinical care, research and education. We are home to the largest cancer research enterprise in Australia and provide treatment to around 40,000 people with cancer each year. Welcoming people from a wide variety of different backgrounds and experiences is critical to fostering innovation, compassion and excellence, and providing the best possible cancer care for our patients.

YOUR ROLE IN OUR FUTURE

Senior Payroll Specialist - Payroll Services

About the team

Our Payroll team is a dedicated group of payroll professionals who work collaboratively in a high volume, fast-paced and customer-focused environment, paying more than 4,200 Peter Mac employees each fortnight, while also providing expert support and advice for payroll-related enquiries. Committed to accuracy, service excellence and continuous improvement, the team plays a vital role in ensuring our people are paid correctly and on time.

About the role

As a senior member of the Payroll team, you will provide technical payroll expertise, resolve complex payroll matters, ensure compliance with legislative and industrial obligations, support continuous improvement initiatives and contribute to the effective day-to-day operation of Payroll. You will also provide guidance to the Payroll team and work collaboratively across People & Culture, Finance and People Systems to deliver high-quality payroll services.

This position is responsible for but not limited to:

Delivering accurate, timely and compliant payroll processing.
Validating end of employment payments, off-cycle payments and payroll adjustments.
Investigating and resolving complex payroll queries and escalated matters.
Identifying opportunities for improvement in payroll processes and system functionality.
Providing technical guidance and coaching to payroll specialists.

About you

You will have strong analytical and problem-solving skills with excellent written and verbal communication. You will also have demonstrated experience (ideally 7+ years) delivering high-volume payroll services within a complex organisation.

You'll bring with you:

Advanced knowledge of payroll legislation, taxation, superannuation and industrial instruments.
Demonstrated experience interpreting Enterprise Agreements and Awards.
Demonstrated experience using SAP Employee Central Payroll or an equivalent enterprise payroll system.
Demonstrated ability to investigate and resolve complex payroll matters.
Highly developed customer service and stakeholder management skills.
Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement.

Our benefits

We offer a range of benefits which support our people both personally and professionally, including:

Up to $11,660 in salary packaging to increase your take home pay
Discounted health insurance and eye care
A comprehensive health and wellbeing program
Public transport options at our doorstep and end of trip facilities for cyclists
Onsite eateries and coffee shops and inviting rooftop garden spaces
Pathways for professional development and new career opportunities
Five weeks annual leave, 17.5% leave loading, purchased leave options & fortnightly RDOs

Inclusion and belonging

Peter Mac celebrates, values and supports a diverse and inclusive environment which reflects our vibrant community. We encourage applications from anyone identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. We also welcome anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+, linguistically, culturally and/or gender diverse, people with disability, and people of any age to apply for our roles.

Join us!

If you feel this role is right for you we warmly invite you to apply, and encourage your early application. All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory police check and may include vaccination requirements. Should you need assistance or require any adjustments or accommodations to fully participate in the application or interview process, you are welcome to reach out to the contact person listed. We acknowledge that not all applicants will meet the full list of selection criteria outlined, and wherever possible we will consider applications where relevant experience can apply.

Applicants to this role should provide a covering letter outlining relative key skills and experience to assist us with our assessment.

For further information about this opportunity, click Apply to be redirected to the Peter Mac Careers page where you can review the position summary. Alternatively, please contact us using the information below for a confidential discussion.

Hiring Manager: Payroll Operations Manager, Tania Cachia

Email: Tania.Cachia@petermac.org

Applications Close: 16 July 2026
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Position Summary

The Senior Payroll Specialist is responsible for delivering accurate, timely and compliant payroll services that support Peter Mac's workforce. As a senior member of the Payroll team, the role provides technical payroll expertise, resolves complex payroll matters, ensures compliance with legislative and industrial obligations, supports continuous improvement initiatives and contributes to the effective day-to-day operation of Payroll. The role provides guidance to the Payroll team and works collaboratively across People & Culture, Finance and People Systems to deliver high-quality payroll services.

Enterprise Agreement

Health and Allied Services, Managers and Administrative Workers

Classification or Salary Range

HS4

Immunisation Risk Category

Immunisation Category C

Key Relationships

Internal	Payroll Team People Systems People & Culture Finance Managers Employees Executive and Senior Leaders
External	Australian Taxation Office Superannuation Funds Salary Packaging Provider Services Australia / Centrelink Victorian Hospitals' Industrial Association (VHIA) Victorian Public Sector Commission External auditors and regulatory agencies

Education

Skills

Essential Requirement

Demonstrated experience (7+ years) delivering high-volume payroll services within a complex organisation.
Advanced knowledge of payroll legislation, taxation, superannuation and industrial instruments.
Demonstrated experience interpreting Enterprise Agreements and Awards.
Demonstrated experience using SAP Employee Central Payroll or an equivalent enterprise payroll system.
Demonstrated ability to investigate and resolve complex payroll matters.
Highly developed customer service and stakeholder management skills.
Strong analytical, problem-solving and organisational skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement.

Desirable Requirement

Experience within Victorian Public Health.
Experience supporting payroll system implementations, upgrades or payroll projects.
Experience participating in payroll audits and compliance reviews.

Certifications, Licenses & Registrations

Key Accountabilities

Key Accountabilities	Demonstrated by / Key Performance Indicators
1. Payroll Operations	Deliver accurate, timely and compliant payroll processing. Validate end of employment payments, off-cycle payments and payroll adjustments. Maintain payroll master data and payroll controls. Monitor payroll processing and escalate risks appropriately. Support timely completion of payroll cycles.
2. Technical Payroll Expertise	Investigate and resolve complex payroll enquiries and escalated matters. Interpret Enterprise Agreements, Awards and payroll legislation. Provide specialist payroll advice across the organisation. Support payroll compliance and audit activities.
3. Stakeholder Service and Collaboration	Provide responsive, professional payroll support. Build productive relationships with People & Culture, Finance and People Systems. Liaise with external agencies and vendors. Identify recurring issues and recommend improvements.

Key Accountabilities (Contd..)

4. Continuous Improvement & Systems	Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes and system functionality. Support payroll projects, upgrades and testing. Maintain payroll procedures and documentation. Partner with People Systems to improve integration and data quality.
5. Team Support & Capability	Provide technical guidance and coaching to Payroll Specialists. Support onboarding and capability development. Assist the Payroll Operations Manager with workload coordination. Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing.
6. Governance & Compliance	Maintain compliance with legislative, taxation and industrial obligations. Support internal and external audits. Maintain confidentiality and integrity of payroll information. Promote strong payroll governance and internal controls.

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For further information about this opportunity, click Apply to be redirected to the Peter Mac Careers page where you can review the position profile. Alternatively, please contact us for a confidential discussion.

Peter Mac is a child safe organisation and has a commitment to child safety and wellbeing.

WHY WORK FOR PETER MAC

Peter Mac offer a range of benefits which support our people both personally and professionally.
Our staff benefits include award winning facilities, professional development and events, a health and wellbeing program, flexible work practices and policies and financial benefits such as salary packaging.
We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with a disability.