Team Leader Payroll

Role overview

Townsville City Council is seeking a Team Leader Payroll for a fixed-term full-time appointment from June 2026 to June 2027. This is a 9-day fortnight position with 36.25 hours each week, based in Townsville, Queensland.

About the opportunity

In this senior payroll leadership role, you will oversee payroll operations and make sure processes stay aligned with legislation, industrial instruments, and the organisation’s broader priorities. You will be a key advisor to senior leaders, support workforce planning and remuneration decisions, and help drive important initiatives such as enterprise agreement rollouts, system enhancements, and organisational change.

You will work across People & Culture, Finance, and IT to strengthen data accuracy, improve system integration, and lift the efficiency and consistency of payroll services. A major part of the role is leading and developing a capable payroll team, building resilience, encouraging accountability, and maintaining a strong service culture. You will also use reporting and analysis to deliver insights that assist decision-making and keep payroll responsive, compliant, and effective.

Key accountabilities

• Provide senior-level oversight of payroll delivery and ensure compliance with relevant legislation and industrial instruments.
• Advise leadership on payroll matters, workforce planning, and remuneration-related decisions.
• Support the implementation of enterprise agreements, payroll system improvements, and organisational change initiatives.
• Partner with People & Culture, Finance, and IT to improve payroll data integrity and system integration.
• Lead and develop the payroll team, including workflow coordination, capability growth, and performance support.
• Use reporting and analysis to inform decisions and improve payroll service outcomes.
• Maintain an agile, accurate, and responsive payroll function that supports the organisation and its employees.

What you will bring

The ideal candidate will have advanced capability in enterprise payroll systems such as Chris21, HR21, or UKG, along with experience optimising payroll systems and processes. You should have a strong working knowledge of awards, enterprise agreements, and employment legislation, plus the analytical ability to solve complex payroll issues. The role also requires proven leadership in team development and workflow management, experience delivering cross-functional projects or transformation programs, and strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills at senior levels. Resilience, emotional intelligence, and the confidence to lead through change are important, as is a current Queensland C Class driver’s licence.

Position details

Division/Section: Business Services / Commercial & Financial Services
Position type: Fixed Term Full Time, June 2026 – June 2027
Work pattern: 9-day fortnight, 36.25 hours per week
Classification and pay: LGO8, with a salary range of $119,326 to $134,802 per annum plus superannuation, depending on skills, qualifications, and experience
Location: Townsville
Application close: 11:45pm, Wednesday 1 July 2026

Benefits

Townsville City Council offers a range of employment benefits designed to support wellbeing, growth, and work-life balance.

• 5 weeks of annual leave, plus 17.5% leave loading
• 3 weeks of personal/carer’s leave
• 14 weeks of paid parental leave
• Domestic and family violence leave
• Natural disaster leave
• Annual wage progression
• Employer superannuation contribution of up to 13.5% for contributing members
• Salary sacrifice options
• Learning and development opportunities, including on-the-job learning and formal training
• Fitness Passport discounted access to selected health and wellbeing facilities
• Employee Loyalty Program with discounts at selected local businesses
• Employee Assistance Program

Application requirements

To apply, submit your application through the Apply button and include:

• A cover letter of no more than 2 pages explaining how your skills, qualifications, and experience will help you succeed in the role
• A resume that confirms any licences and qualifications you hold

For more details, refer to the position description attachment.

Other information

Townsville City Council values diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with diverse gender identities and sexualities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability, and veterans.

All successful candidates must complete drug and alcohol testing as part of the recruitment process. The council maintains a zero-tolerance approach to drugs and alcohol in the workplace.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment process or wish to discuss accessibility needs, you can contact the recruitment team for a confidential conversation.

Attachments

• Team Leader Payroll - Position Description.pdf