Payroll Officer

A Payroll Officer processes, calculates, and administers employee remuneration and statutory entitlements in Australian organisations. They maintain accurate payroll records, ensure compliance with the Fair Work Act 2009, ATO superannuation and tax withholding requirements, and reconcile payroll accounts with general ledger systems. The role involves managing fortnightly or monthly pay cycles, processing leave entitlements, and liaising with employees on pay-related queries.

Calculate gross and net pay, deductions, tax withholding, and superannuation contributions in accordance with the Fair Work Act 2009 and the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992. Process payroll data using specialist payroll software such as Xero Payroll, SAP SuccessFactors, or ADP, ensuring data entry accuracy and timeliness. Prepare and lodge Single Touch Payroll (STP) transactions with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on a pay-as-you-go basis. Reconcile payroll expense accounts to the general ledger and bank statements to verify fund transfers and identify discrepancies. Manage employee leave entitlements including annual leave, long service leave, personal leave, and unpaid leave in accordance with award conditions or enterprise agreements. Administer superannuation contributions and member accounts, ensuring compliance with ASIC and ATO superannuation regulations. Prepare and distribute payslips to employees, responding to pay enquiries and resolving discrepancies or dispute claims. Maintain confidential payroll records and implement data security protocols to protect employee personal and financial information.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The work is repetitive and detail-obsessive with real consequences for errors. A single miscalculation on tax withholding or superannuation can trigger ATO penalties or employee complaints. The role also faces high automation risk as payroll software improves, meaning job security isn't guaranteed long-term.

In practice, most jobs are in capital cities where large employers and professional services firms concentrate. Some regional roles exist in manufacturing, mining, and local government. Remote work is becoming more common but still requires you to be based near an employer's headquarters for compliance and onboarding.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 5513, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

See full salary breakdown by state

• Attention to Detailcore
• Award Interpretationcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
• Data Entry and Accuracycore
• End-of-Year Reconciliationcore
• Leave Managementcore
• Microsoft Excel Data Managementcore
• MYOB Business Softwarecore
• Payroll Processingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Single Touch Payroll (STP) Reportingcore
• Superannuation Administrationcore
• Tax Withholding Calculationscore
• Written Communicationcore
• Email Management
• Onboarding Support
• Payroll Query Resolution
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Report Writing
• Salary Packaging
• Time Management and Prioritisation
• Verbal Communication
• WorkCover Administration

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Payroll Officer workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026