Payroll Specialist (Fixed Term Contract)

Kia ora!

Help ensure thousands of Air New Zealanders are paid accurately and on time, every time. Your payroll expertise will make a meaningful difference to our people, while helping shape smarter, more efficient payroll services across our business.

We're looking for an experienced Payroll Specialist to join Air New Zealand on a 12-month fixed-term contract , supporting the delivery of accurate, timely and compliant payroll services across our diverse workforce.

At Air New Zealand, our people are at the heart of everything we do. Behind every great customer experience is a dedicated team ensuring our people have the support they need to thrive.

You'll navigate multiple collective and individual employment agreements, work across PeopleSoft, ADP Streamline Payroll and Workday HR systems, and help resolve payroll challenges before each pay close. You'll also have the opportunity to influence process improvements, build trusted relationships and support a high-performing payroll team.

What you'll bring

You'll enjoy solving complex problems, working with detail and making a positive difference to people's everyday experience. You'll bring a collaborative approach, sound judgement and the confidence to navigate a fast-paced payroll environment.

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

Ready for take-off?

If you're passionate about payroll excellence, enjoy tackling complexity and want to make a genuine difference to the people behind New Zealand's national airline, we'd love to hear from you.

This 12-month opportunity is your chance to bring your expertise, fresh thinking and commitment to getting the details right, while contributing to a payroll experience our people can rely on.

Responsibilities

Deliver accurate and timely payroll finalisation, resolving errors before pay close and managing overpayment recovery effectively; Interpret and apply collective and individual employment agreements, ensuring payroll accuracy and compliance across diverse employee groups; Identify and implement process improvements that reduce errors, simplify workflows and strengthen payroll service delivery; Build trusted relationships with managers, employees and external partners, providing clear advice and resolving complex payroll queries; Maintain accurate payroll data across multiple systems, supporting reliable reporting and consistent achievement of service targets; Provide specialist payroll guidance to support informed decisions and compliance with employment obligations; Lead, coach and support payroll team members, fostering collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.

Requirements

At least five years' experience in payroll or HR, ideally within a large, complex organisation; Experience managing end-to-end payroll processes, including interpreting collective agreements in a unionised environment; A relevant qualification in business, HR, employment relations or IT, or equivalent professional experience; Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to explain complex payroll matters clearly; Experience supporting or leading teams, coaching others and contributing to high performance; A proactive approach to identifying opportunities, improving processes and delivering practical solutions.