Job Description:
Job Title: Payroll Manager - ANZ
Business Unit: Mars Global Services (MGS) Finance
Location: Wodonga or Melbourne, Australia
Are you ready to lead a critical function for one of the world's most beloved companies?
Mars is a global leader, driven by our principles and a commitment to the world we want tomorrow. As part of Mars Global Services (MGS) Finance, you'll be at the heart of our operations, ensuring our business runs efficiently and effectively.
We are seeking a strategic and experienced Payroll Manager to lead our payroll function for Australia and New Zealand. In this role, you will do more than just manage payroll; you will set the strategic direction, drive operational excellence, and lead a talented team responsible for supporting over 2,000 Mars Associates. As a key member of the MGS Finance ANZ Leadership team, your impact will be felt across all our iconic business units.
What will be your key responsibilities?
Lead, Coach & Develop: Provide exceptional leadership to a team of 5 payroll associates. You will foster a collaborative and high-performing environment, managing workloads and championing individual development and career growth.
Drive Payroll Excellence: Oversee all operational activities for the ANZ payroll, ensuring timely and accurate processing for our diverse business units. You will manage our relationship with our payroll partner, KPMG, to guarantee operational excellence and best-in-class service.
Champion Compliance & Control: Act as our subject matter expert for all Australian and New Zealand payroll regulations. You will ensure unwavering compliance with tax laws, employment standards, and internal Mars policies, maintaining a robust control environment and managing all audit responses.
Shape Strategic Direction: Set the vision and strategy for the MGSF payroll organization. You will lead cross-functional projects, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and identify opportunities to optimize our processes, systems, and organizational design.
Oversee Payroll Accounting: Manage all payroll-related accounting operations, including salary and wage transactions, leave provisions, and benefit plan accounting, ensuring precision and timeliness.
What are we looking for?
A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. A CA, CPA, or MBA qualification (or progress towards one) is highly desirable.
5+ years of professional experience in a relevant field such as payroll, financial accounting, tax, or financial analysis.
Proven experience successfully managing and developing a team.
A strong background in process management with a mindset for continuous improvement.
Exceptional communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to partner effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
What can you expect from Mars?
The opportunity to work for a global, family-owned business that is committed to making a positive impact on people and the planet.
A key leadership role where you can make a tangible impact and shape the future of our payroll services.
A supportive and collaborative work environment where you are empowered to learn, grow, and develop your career.
Competitive compensation and benefits that reflect your skills and experience.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
- CA, CPA, or MBA qualification (or progress towards one)
- 5+ years professional experience in payroll, financial accounting, tax, or financial analysis
- Proven experience managing and developing a team
- Strong background in process management and continuous improvement
- Subject matter expertise in Australian and New Zealand payroll regulations and compliance
- Exceptional communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills; ability to partner with stakeholders
Mars Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mars and has not been reviewed or approved by Mars.
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Healthcare Strength — The benefits package is positioned as comprehensive, with broad medical coverage and additional protections like life insurance and short- and long-term disability. Mental health support is emphasized, including free mental health services and wellbeing programming under initiatives such as Mars Be Well.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is highlighted as market-leading in the U.S., with an example of 18 weeks fully paid for both parents. Additional family-related leave types such as sick time for caregiving and bereavement leave are also described as part of the overall package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings are described as strong, including 401(k) matching (with a 6% match cited) and pension plans in some cases. The broader package also references retirement savings options and contributions aligned to local market practice, supporting long-term financial security.
Mars Insights
What We Do
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™. We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
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