Payroll Officer

At Halter, we’re on a mission to enable farmers and graziers to run the most productive and sustainable operations. Our customers are using Halter to break free from the time-intensive constraints of conventional practices. Imagine watching 500 cattle stand up and walk calmly towards their next break? No quad bikes, no dogs, no fences. Just a group of cattle walking at their own pace. People say it looks like magic. Our customers are revolutionizing grazing with Halter. It's changing lives and transforming an industry. People join Halter to do meaningful work. By joining us you’ll be solving challenging problems within a talented team and a culture built for high performance. Our team out-think, out-work and out-care. We’re committed to delivering real change in the world - this isn’t easy, and in truth, we love that it’s hard.

We’re backed to deliver on a mission that matters by Tier 1 investors including Founders Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, BOND, DCVC, Blackbird, Promus Ventures, Rocket Lab’s Peter Beck and Icehouse ventures.

To find out more, visit our LinkedIn & Instagram.

We’re after a Payroll Officer to make sure every Halter team member is paid correctly, on time, every time. Reporting to the Financial Controller and working hand in hand with our People team, you’ll own payroll end to end for our teams in New Zealand, Australia, the US and Canada.

Payday is one of the few moments every single person at Halter feels the finance team’s work. Getting it right builds trust. Getting it wrong costs it, fast. This role is for someone who takes that personally, and who keeps confidential information exactly that.

• Owning every pay run from processing to sign-off, so everyone gets paid accurately and on time.

• Managing payroll compliance across New Zealand, Australia, the US and Canada, covering tax, statutory deductions, retirement contributions and filings.

• Calculating holiday pay, sick leave, parental leave and final pays correctly under the Holidays Act in New Zealand and local employment law in each other country.

• Partnering with the People team to get starters, pay changes and leavers into the right pay run.

• Being the go-to for pay questions, giving clear, friendly answers.

• Managing payroll systems and local providers, checking outputs before payday.

• Reconciling payroll to the ledger monthly and report costs to Finance.

• Automating manual payroll steps while protecting accuracy.

• At least 3 years running payroll end to end, including payroll across more than one country.

• A strong working knowledge of New Zealand payroll (the Holidays Act, KiwiSaver and payday filing), plus hands-on experience in at least one of Australia, the US or Canada.

• Meticulous accuracy. You check your own work before anyone else has to.

• Absolute discretion with confidential information.

• Clear, calm communication, including when the answer isn’t the one someone hoped for.

• Solid Excel or Google Sheets skills.

Bonus points for:

• Experience with Xero Payroll, iPayroll or a similar payroll system.

• Experience across all four of New Zealand, Australia, the US and Canada.

• Experience in a fast-growing company, where headcount and pay structures change quickly.

• Experience using automation or AI to take manual work out of payroll.

• Every pay run is correct and on time.

• Tax filings and deductions are filed and paid on time in every country.

• Team members get quick, clear answers to pay questions.

• Payroll reconciles to the ledger every month, with no open items carried forward.

• You’ve removed at least one manual step from the payroll process.

• Delicious snacks and drinks are available for your daily flow.

• Healthy body, healthy mind. We're partnered with Southern Cross Health Insurance to support your well-being.

• We offer 6 months of fully paid parental leave for primary caregivers, 4 weeks of fully paid secondary caregiver leave and many other parental benefits that support you and your family.

• Our personal growth is important. Halter offers an annual $1000 self-development budget to be used for anything that fuels personal growth.

• Our time to recharge is valued, we're offered wellness leave and unlimited paid annual leave.

• Importantly, we offer an inclusive and attractive remuneration package made up of salary, benefits and an employee stock ownership plan.

Humans are wired for connection. Being office first is a core pillar of our culture because in-person connections drive your growth, learning, impact, and relationships. Strong relationships make it easier to disagree, give feedback, and do meaningful work together.

We're office first, not office only. Working from the office is our default, but we flex when needed. We have a high-trust culture where everyone is trusted to do what's best for Halter.

Our office vibe is special, the high energy and spectacular people make work enjoyable. Your growth and impact are unlimited here, coming from solving problems, innovating, and constantly learning from each other.

Halter is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace — a place where we can each be ourselves and do the best work of our lives. Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements, women and under-represented groups of candidates tend to only apply when they meet every requirement. If you think you have what it takes but don’t necessarily tick every requirement on this job description, please still get in touch and apply to Halter. We’d love to chat to see if you’ll be an epic fit!

If this opportunity sounds like you, please apply below by sending through your cover letter explaining why you’re excited about this role and working at Halter, along with your CV, and we’ll be in touch!

Please also feel free to check out the careers page for more information on working at Halter and don't forget to follow us on LinkedIn & Instagram.

• Work that genuinely matters. Every now and again a company comes along that transforms an entire industry and leaves the world in a better place. Our team gets to be part of something truly meaningful, helping farmers improve their livelihoods, spend more time with their families, and build more sustainable operations.

• Spectacular people solving hard problems. Our culture is designed for talented people to do work that changes lives. The team is filled with diverse, kind, and driven people who push each other to do their best work. You'll be thrown into the deep end, tackling complex challenges and building something tangible that solves real problems.

• You'll grow here. Autonomy, mastery, and learning define how we work. You'll have the freedom to work on interesting problems, master new skills, and continuously develop yourself, both through your role and our personal growth fund.

• This isn't easy, and we love that it's hard. Working at Halter will be the most rewarding and the most challenging work of your life. We move fast, take bold bets, and work hard to reshape an entire industry. As one team member put it: "Joining Halter is a bit like strapping yourself to a rocket ship, but it's an epic journey to be a part of!"