Test Lead - Payroll

Payroll Test Lead

Wellington | Permanent | Competitive Salary + Benefits

Are you an experienced Payroll Test Lead who thrives in complex enterprise environments and enjoys working directly with clients to deliver meaningful outcomes?
We're partnering with a leading New Zealand technology consulting and quality engineering organisation that is building a specialist testing team to support a significant government payroll transformation programme. This is an opportunity to combine your payroll implementation expertise with strong stakeholder engagement and consulting capability.

The Opportunity:

As Payroll Test Lead, you'll take ownership of the testing strategy and delivery across a large-scale payroll system implementation. Working alongside programme teams, vendors, payroll specialists, and business stakeholders, you'll ensure the solution is thoroughly tested, compliant, and ready for go-live.
This role is ideal for someone who can confidently operate in a client-facing environment, navigate complex stakeholder groups, and provide trusted testing leadership with minimal supervision.

Your role:

• Leading end-to-end payroll testing activities across the programme
• Developing and executing test strategies, plans, schedules, and reporting
• Coordinating SIT, UAT, payroll validation, parallel runs, and defect management
• Managing testing risks, issues, and dependencies
• Working closely with payroll teams, vendors, and business stakeholders
• Providing testing leadership and practical advice throughout the implementation lifecycle
• Building strong relationships and influencing outcomes across multiple stakeholder groups
• Supporting successful delivery of a critical government transformation initiative

What you'll bring:

• Proven experience leading testing for payroll system implementations
• Strong understanding of payroll processes, compliance requirements, integrations, and downstream impacts
• Experience delivering testing within large enterprise transformation programmes
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and consulting skills
• Strong planning, coordination, and delivery capability
• Ability to operate independently and proactively in a client environment
• Exceptional communication skills with both technical and business audiences
• Experience managing vendors, project teams, and business stakeholders

You'll stand out if you have:

• Datapay and Workday Payroll experience
• Experience with enterprise HRIS or payroll platforms
• Previous consulting or professional services experience

The good bits:

• Permanent role with a respected technology consulting organisation
• Significant government programme with long-term visibility
• KiwiSaver + salary + Medical and Life insurance + Income protection cover
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Work alongside highly regarded testing and quality engineering professionals
• Genuine career development and leadership opportunities

If you're a payroll testing specialist who enjoys solving complex problems, building trusted client relationships, and delivering quality outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.


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