Team Leader Payroll Services

Team Leader, Payroll Services

Lead a high-performing payroll team and make a meaningful impact on the employee experience every day.

$169,821 - $192,025 plus superannuation (additional 2.5% above super guarantee) + additional annual leave.

For more than 150 years, Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) has supported schools and communities across the state. Today, we are Western Australia's second-largest education provider, supporting more than 84,500 students through a network of schools and nearly 14,000 staff.

We're seeking an experienced payroll professional to lead our Payroll Services team. This is an exciting short term opportunity to lead, develop and manage the performance, activities and service delivery of the Payroll Services Team.

This is a 1.0FTE 6 month fixed term opportunity (possibility for extension dependent on project needs) based at our Newman Siena Centre, Doubleview.

Why Join CEWA?

• Salary of $169,821 - $192,025 plus superannuation (additional 2.5% above super guarantee


• Additional paid leave during Christmas and Easter office closures


• Flexible working arrangements where operationally appropriate


• Professional development and career growth opportunities


• Access to wellbeing initiatives including Fitness Passport, Employee Assistance Program and corporate health discounts


• Meaningful work supporting schools and communities across Western Australia

About the Role

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead and inspire the Payroll Services team, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, continuous improvement, and professional development.


• Oversee the end-to-end payroll function, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing in accordance with legislative and industrial requirements.


• Drive payroll transformation initiatives, partnering with DT and key stakeholders to modernise payroll systems, processes, and service delivery.


• Provide strategic leadership and expert advice on payroll operations, legislation, taxation, superannuation, systems, and complex payroll matters.


• Manage payroll systems, reporting, reconciliations, and system enhancements, ensuring data integrity, operational efficiency, and continuous optimisation.


• Build strong stakeholder partnerships across the CEWA community to deliver exceptional customer service, effective change management, and sustainable business outcomes.

About You

You are a collaborative and customer-focused payroll leader with proven experience leading payroll operations within a large, complex organisation. You bring a strong track record of developing and implementing payroll strategies, driving system and process improvements, and leading teams through change while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and service excellence.

With extensive knowledge of payroll legislation, including taxation and superannuation requirements, you have the analytical and problem-solving skills to navigate complex payroll matters and deliver effective solutions. You are an engaging people leader who can motivate and develop high-performing teams, build strong stakeholder relationships, and communicate confidently across all levels of an organisation.

Experience with payroll systems is essential, and experience with Ascender will be highly regarded.

Information for Applicants

To access a copy of the Position Description please click here.

Interested applicants should submit:

• A cover letter briefly addressing the selection criteria.


• A curriculum vitae outlining their employment history, qualifications and certifications and be able to provide a minimum of two professional references.

The successful applicant will need to provide:

• National criminal history check as issued by the Department of Education WA.


• 100 points of identification

Applications for this role close no later than 5pm Thursday 16 July 2026. We reserve the right to close the advertisement early if a suitable candidate is identified. If you're interested in this role, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to ensure consideration.

If you require support with submitting your application, please contact our Talent Advisors at [email protected]. Applications can be submitted by clicking apply and uploading your application to our website. Please note that applications will not be accepted via email.

All employees of Catholic Education Western Australia are required to support the Catholic ethos in the performance of their duties. Catholic Education Western Australia also encourages applications from people of all cultural backgrounds, First Nations people, and individuals with disabilities or medical conditions who meet the requirements of the position. To be eligible to apply, you must be legally permitted to work in Australia.