Senior Payroll Officer

• 12-month maximum-term contract; hybrid working arrangement
• Central location, close to public transport - Pitt St, Sydney CBD
• Join a tight-knit, supportive team in a collaborative, values‑driven organisation

About Uniting Church

The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) is a uniquely Australian Christian organisation that began in 1977 with the union of the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian movements. It is one of the largest religious organisations in Australia with over 400 congregations and faith communities across NSW and ACT.

The Synod of NSW and ACT is guided by the values of Integrity, Respect, Collaboration, and Compassion, and supported by the Synod Mission Services team, which provides strategic, pastoral, and operational support to enable vibrant congregations, vital leadership, and transformative community engagement.

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Senior Payroll Officer to join our team on a 12-month maximum term contract and play a key role in delivering accurate, compliant and people‑centered payroll services. Reporting to the Acting Payroll Manager during our HRIS implementation (Project Horizon) and acting as the 2IC, you will help shape the future of our payroll function while supporting day‑to‑day operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver key payroll objectives and support the Finance team.
• Maintain a compliant payroll system aligned with awards, legislation and Synod by‑laws.
• Process fortnightly and monthly payroll for multiple employing bodies across the Synod.
• Prepare monthly reconciliations, including entitlements, PAYG, superannuation and fund payments.
• Manage accurate payroll records for audit, reporting and stakeholder queries.
• Maintain the General Ledger Interface and produce monthly payroll and HR reports.
• Complete EOFY reconciliations and reporting in line with Synod, audit and ATO requirements.
• Support the maintenance of award and remuneration data.
• Respond to payroll queries from employees, Ministers, Treasurers and Synod leadership.
• Document payroll processes and contribute to continuous improvement and project work, including UAT for Project Horizon.
• Lead, mentor and develop two Payroll Officers.
• Perform additional duties as required.

About You

You are an experienced payroll professional who thrives in a fast‑paced, multi‑entity environment and takes pride in delivering accurate, compliant and people‑focused payroll services. You bring strong technical capability, sound judgement and a collaborative mindset, with the confidence to navigate sensitive matters and support stakeholders at all levels.

• Experience with efficiently handling a high volume of tasks, including processing new hires, terminations, timesheets, leave forms and variation changes;
• Experience with Preceda or Dayforce is preferred, but not essential;
• Strong understanding of awards, legislation, salary packaging and payroll compliance;
• Experience working with multiple Tier 2 payroll systems;
• Excellent communication skills and confidence handling sensitive matters;
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving and decision‑making capability;
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work under pressure and meet deadlines;
• High level of attention to detail, confidentiality and professionalism;
• A preparedness to work within the polity and ethos of the Uniting Church in Australia; and
• Genuine willingness to embrace challenges as they arise and to work flexibly in support of the overall key objectives of Synod Mission Services.

Other Benefits

• Central Location: Pitt St, Sydney CBD, with convenient public transport access.
• Hybrid Flexibility: A balanced mix of office collaboration and remote work.
• Work–Life Balance: Option to Purchase Leave for extra time when you need it.
• Recognition: Quarterly reward and recognition program celebrating your contributions.
• Make an Impact: Your expertise will be put to good use in an environment where we are making positive changes for the Future Direction of Uniting Church.
• Ethos of Compassion: Our lived values are experienced daily through our relationships, through the kindness and openness of our teams and through our genuine passion to embrace diversity.