Payroll Specialist

JobsCloseBy Editorial Insights

Air New Zealand is hiring a Payroll Specialist to process end-to-end payroll for thousands of employees onsite in Auckland, leveraging PeopleSoft, ADP Streamline and Workday to ensure accurate, on-time payments and compliance across diverse collective agreements. The role emphasizes payroll finalisation, data integrity, and proactive process improvements, with leadership of the payroll team and strong stakeholder engagement. Ideally you will have 5+ years in payroll or HR, a relevant degree, and proven experience in complex, unionised environments. To apply, tailor your CV to illustrate end-to-end payroll delivery, cross-system coordination, and concrete improvements, quantify outcomes, and demonstrate clear communication. Applications close Monday 17 August.

Job Description

Kia ora! 

Ensure our people are paid accurately and on time, every time — your expertise will make a direct impact on Air New Zealand’s most valuable asset, our employees. 

As a Payroll Specialist, you’ll play a pivotal role in processing payroll that supports thousands of Air New Zealanders. This is a highly complex role, managing and interpreting numerous collective and individual employment agreements across a diverse workforce. You’ll be responsible for coordinating and maintaining pay-related data across the PeopleSoft, ADP Streamline Payroll, and Workday HR systems - ensuring all issues are resolved prior to each pay close and delivering a complete, compliant, and seamless payroll service to assigned business areas. 

How you’ll make an impact 

• Manage payroll finalisation and interface processes, ensuring timely, accurate payments, swift error rectification, and effective overpayment recovery 
• Interpret and apply multiple collective agreements, ensuring compliance with employment terms and conditions across varied employee groups 
• Develop and implement process improvements to streamline payroll procedures, enhancing efficiency and service delivery 
• Build strong relationships internally and externally, gathering feedback, ensuring regulatory compliance, and upholding our customer service standards 
• Provide expert payroll advice to managers and team members, supporting accurate information processing 
• Maintain payroll databases, ensuring data accuracy, efficient processes, and alignment with service targets 
• Lead and motivate the payroll team, fostering high performance and a collaborative culture. 

Ideally, you will have 

• At least 5 years’ experience in Payroll or HR functions 
• A relevant business degree (HR, ER, IT) or equivalent professional experience 
• Proven experience managing end-to-end payroll processes in complex, unionised environments 
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills 
• Demonstrated capability in leading teams and managing performance effectively 
• The ability to identify improvements and proactively implement solutions. 

We know great talent comes in many forms. If you bring strong experience and a fresh perspective, we’d love to hear from you. 

How we look after our whānau 

We want our people to live their best lives and access great benefits that support their lives outside work: 

• Generous staff travel discounts for you, your friends, and your whānau 
• FlexiLeave - option to purchase up to four extra weeks of leave per year 
• Exclusive access to Koruhealth medical cover and discounted Southern Cross medical insurance 
• Learning and development opportunities that support your career growth 
• Access to Work Perks, offering discounts across hotels, retail stores, gyms, banking, and more. 

Ready for take-off? 

If you’re driven by accuracy, process excellence, and the opportunity to shape a vital function at Air New Zealand, we invite you to apply and take your career to new heights. 

Applications close Monday, 17th August  

Additional Information

At Air New Zealand, we are proudly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and believe in creating a truly inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves and thrive. Our people are our greatest asset – because while everything else we do in our operation can be replicated by our competitors, it is our people that truly set us apart. We are firm believers in celebrating the differences and diversity of thought our people bring to their roles. We encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds, including those with a disability, additional health and mental health needs, and/or are neurodiverse to apply for our roles.

If you have encountered any accessibility barriers and require further information or reasonable accommodations to our recruitment process, please reach out to the recruiter listed on this job advert so they are able to support you to freely participate equitably in our recruitment and selection process.

Whāia te pae tawhiti kia tata. Ko te pae tata whakamaua, kia tina.

"Seek to bring distant horizons closer. Once near, seize them and make them your reality."