Payroll Analyst | Wellington City

Job Description

Job title: Payroll Analyst

Role type: Full time, 12-month fixed term

Location: Wellington

Salary band & range: GSR F $76,463 to $89,215 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

This role strengthens our payroll function by resolving complex leave and pay queries while supporting historical reconciliations linked to Holidays Act remediation work. You'll analyse payroll data, complete corrective calculations, and help ensure accuracy as we work with an external provider to progress our Holidays Act remediation. With a strong focus on SQL, database capability, and payroll analysis, you'll play a key part in supporting our Payroll Technical Lead. There may also be further opportunity as we transition toward a new payroll system and improving our long-term compliance.

You'll join a fabulous, collaborative People & Capability team that values flexibility, inclusiveness, and supporting people's lives inside and outside work. MPI is a great place to be, with a positive working environment, meaningful organisational goals, and opportunities to contribute to a variety of projects in the pipeline. If you enjoy digging into data, improving processes, and helping build a strong payroll function for the future, this is a role where your expertise will make a genuine difference.

In this role, you will:

• Resolve leave and pay queries
• Analyse payroll data for discrepancies
• Complete historical leave reconciliations
• Prepare corrective calculations
• Support documentation and process improvements

About You - Mōu

You bring strong analytical skills, solid payroll knowledge, and confidence working with SQL and payroll databases. With at least three years' experience in a payroll environment, you're comfortable interpreting data, resolving issues, and clearly explaining methodologies, entitlements, and outcomes. You may come from either the public or private sector, but what matters most is the breadth of your experience and your ability to transfer knowledge effectively.

You enjoy solving problems, communicating complex information in plain language, and supporting others to lift capability. You work well independently and collaboratively, manage competing priorities with ease, and bring a calm, customer focused approach. Experience with payroll systems or system changes would be an advantage, especially as we continue to strengthen and modernise our payroll function.

Skills you will bring:

• Confident analysing payroll data
• Skilled at explaining outcomes in plain language
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Able to manage competing priorities
• Comfortable working independently and with others

You do not need to meet all of the role requirements to apply. We offer a breadth of development and learning opportunities and will welcome an application if you think you could make a great fit.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

You'll join the People & Capability group within Corporate Services, working closely with three Payroll Advisers, the Payroll Manager, the People Hub, and our business systems teams. You'll also work regularly with our Payroll Technical Lead. The team partners across People Operations as well as key stakeholders across People & Capability and our payroll provider (AMS), and others involved in delivering accurate and consistent payroll services across the Ministry.

The P&C group has a genuinely collaborative, supportive, and flexible culture, with a focus on creating an open, inclusive environment. MPI is a great place to work, with a positive organisational mission, a friendly team vibe, and opportunities to get involved in a variety of projects as we strengthen and modernise our payroll function. You'll be joining a team that shares knowledge freely, supports each other, and takes pride in contributing to meaningful work across the organisation.

About MPI - Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) partners with New Zealand's food and fibre sector to be the world's most trusted provider of high-value food and fibre products.

Benefits of working at MPI - Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua

• Additional MPI leave days
• Access to free professional confidential counselling
• Reduced premiums for Group Healthcare Schemes

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/about-mpi/careers/working-mpi/benefits/

Credit check - Tirotiro nama

Please note, given this position is identified as carrying financial risk, the preferred candidate(s) will be required to satisfactorily pass a credit check.

Are you ready to make a difference? - Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake?
We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whānau and hāpori.

We aspire to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and identities. As an organisation, we are committed to making Manatū Ahu Matua Ministry for Primary Industries a great place to work for all.

In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes, and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.

To view the position description and/or apply online, please click “APPLY FOR THIS JOB” or visit the MPI Careers Site. To apply, you must hold the right to work in New Zealand or be eligible to obtain it – click here to find out more about work visa eligibility and options.

Applications close at 11.59pm 16 March 2025  

If you have any questions about the role, please email Sophie.Hallett@mpi.govt.nz 

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