Payroll & Remuneration Advisor

The role

We’re looking for an experienced, stand-alone payroll professional to join our team to provide accurate, timely, and compliant payroll processing.

This exciting and dynamic opportunity is suited to a motivated payroll and remuneration specialist who has hands-on experience with payroll systems and a solid understanding of remuneration and payroll best practice. You will join our high performing HR team to undertake our payroll function and provide support to the organisation’s remuneration processes.

This is a permanent full-time position, based in Palmerston North.

Our People & Capability team prides itself on providing a high level of support and service to ensure the organisation achieves its objectives and maintains effective employment relationships and this role supports the team specifically with the payroll and remuneration portfolios.

You’ll be responsible for end-to-end payroll processing, ensuring employees are paid correctly and on time, while maintaining high levels of accuracy and confidentiality. You’ll also play a key role in responding to payroll queries and supporting managers and employees with remuneration-related advice. This is a great opportunity to take ownership of end-to-end payroll processing, in a role that combines payroll accuracy with support to our remuneration policies and process improvement.

Why join us?

When you join us, you can look forward to a rewarding career full of opportunities to develop a positive and supportive work environment. We do this through:

Positive focus on employee health, wellness and wellbeing initiatives across the organisation including your birthday off, wellness day, life insurance for all permanent staff and 5 weeks leave after 2 years of service.

Flexible family friendly work environment.

Ongoing development and opportunities across the organisation to grow, specialise or diversify your skills.

Working together for a better environment across our region.

A supportive and social work environment across the organisation.

About you

You will bring:

Proven experience managing payroll services within an organisation, DataPay experience would be beneficial.

Strong understanding of employment and payroll legislation.

Ideally holds (or is working towards) Certified Payroll Practitioner (CPP) certification through NZPPA.

Strong understanding of payroll legislation and remuneration principles.

High attention to detail and accuracy.

Confidence working with sensitive and confidential information.

Strong communication skills and a customer-focused approach.

Ability to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities.

Why this role

This is a great opportunity to join a supportive team where your payroll expertise will directly contribute to the smooth running of the organisation and positive employee experience.

We would encourage you to not delay applying promptly, as we will be looking at applications as they come in.

About us

The Horizons region extends over 22,200km2 – from Ruapehu in the north and Horowhenua in the south, to Whanganui in the west and Tararua in the east. We work with and for our community in the use and protection of our environment, managing our precious resources of land, air and water; as well as public transport and a key role in emergency management. At Horizons Regional Council we work to make our region a healthy environment where people are thriving, including our staff.

Horizons are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to ensuring we have a diverse and inclusive workplace, so our people reflect the diversity of our region.

Applications close at 5pm on Sunday 3 May 2026.

Apply now