Payroll Operations Lead

Ongoing, full-time | Bendigo, Tatura or Wangaratta

Lead Payroll Transformation Across Catholic Education Sandhurst

Are you an experienced payroll leader ready to shape the future of payroll services in a large and complex organisation?

Catholic Education Sandhurst Limited (CESL) is embarking on one of the most significant organisational transformations in its history. With almost 3,000 employees across nearly 60 schools and early childhood services, we are centralising payroll operations and implementing a modern enterprise ERP and payroll platform to create a more consistent, efficient and scalable service model.

The opportunity

As our Payroll Operations Lead, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for payroll services across CESL, ensuring the delivery of accurate, compliant and customer-focused payroll outcomes. Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, you will play a critical role in shaping the future payroll operating model while maintaining exceptional service delivery during a period of significant change.

This is far more than a traditional payroll management role.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to:

• Lead the operational implementation of CESL's centralised payroll model across schools.
• Influence the design and implementation of a new enterprise ERP and payroll platform.
• Build and lead a high-performing payroll team through a period of transformation.
• Strengthen governance, controls and payroll compliance across a large and complex organisation.
• Drive continuous improvement, process automation and service excellence.
• Contribute to an organisation whose mission is to support Catholic school communities and help young people achieve "life to the full"

About you

You are a contemporary payroll leader who thrives in complex environments and enjoys building capability, leading change and improving systems and processes.

You will bring:

• Significant payroll leadership experience in a large, complex and preferably multi-site organisation.
• Experience leading payroll transformation, centralisation or shared service initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of Australian payroll legislation, taxation, superannuation and industrial instruments.
• Experience supporting payroll or ERP implementations, including requirements gathering, testing, data preparation and operational readiness.
• Highly developed stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills.
• A continuous improvement mindset, with the ability to translate payroll insights into practical solutions and better outcomes.
• A collaborative and values-driven leadership approach aligned with the CESL Cultural Covenant.

Why join CESL?

At CESL, we are committed to creating environments where people can flourish. Guided by our Cultural Covenant, we work together to build capable, engaged and high-performing teams that support outstanding learner growth across our communities.

This is an opportunity to:

• Lead meaningful organisational change.
• Influence the future direction of payroll services.
• Work with a highly engaged executive team.
• Be part of a values-led organisation serving communities across regional Victoria.
• Leave a lasting legacy through the successful delivery of a transformational payroll and ERP program.

If you are excited by the opportunity to lead payroll transformation, build a contemporary payroll service and shape the future of people systems at CESL, we would love to hear from you.

Position details

• Employment status: Ongoing
• Time fraction: 1.0 FTE
• Location: Bendigo, Tatura or Wangaratta
• Reports to: Chief People Officer
• Remuneration: Competitive Salary as per the CEO Senior Remuneration Framework

The position requires the majority of duties to be undertaken at a CESL workplace, with flexibility and remote work supported where operationally appropriate.

Ready to make a difference?

If you are an inspiring educational leader who can bring together Catholic mission, evidence-informed practice and courageous system leadership, we invite you to apply.

Applications close: 4 November 2026

To apply: Please include a cover letter and resume with your application