Payroll Manager

Position Description

About Lactalis

Lactalis New Zealand, formerly known as Fonterra Brands NZ, is now proudly part of the Lactalis Group.

Here in Aotearoa, New Zealand, we employ more than 1,000 people across four manufacturing sites, two distribution centres and our corporate head office. Together, we produce some of the country’s most loved dairy brands, including Anchor, Fresh’n Fruity, Mainland and Kāpiti.

Our business also includes NZ New Milk, a specialised nutrition and infant formula manufacturer that produces premium products for global markets. We manufacture high-quality dairy products enjoyed by Kiwis here in New Zealand and consumers around the world.

Lactalis is a French family-owned business and the world’s largest dairy company. With a presence in 50 countries, employing around 90,000 people and a range of 2,000 dairy products. Lactalis is committed to contributing to the health and well-being of consumers around the world every day.

Our passionate and talented team is dedicated to nurturing the future of dairy, unlocking new opportunities and fostering innovation in nutrition and food.

The Opportunity

This is a rare opportunity to build and lead Lactalis New Zealand’s in-house payroll function from the ground up during a pivotal period of business transformation. Reporting to the Australia-based Group Payroll Manager, you'll lead a team of three and play a key role in transitioning payroll services from Fonterra to Lactalis NZ, ensuring a seamless experience for employees while shaping the future operating model of the function. You will:

• Lead the establishment of Lactalis New Zealand’s payroll function, creating processes, structures, and ways of working that set the team up for long-term success
• Oversee the end-to-end payroll lifecycle, ensuring timely, accurate and compliant payroll services for employees across New Zealand
• Guide the business through the payroll transition from Fonterra, maintaining service continuity while embedding new systems, processes and operating models
• Lead, coach and develop a team of payroll professionals, fostering a collaborative, customer-focused and high-performing culture
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance payroll accuracy, employee experience, compliance and operational efficiency

About You

You're an experienced payroll leader who combines deep technical payroll expertise with a genuine passion for people leadership and continuous improvement. Comfortable operating in an evolving environment, you thrive on creating structure from ambiguity, building trusted relationships and leaving a lasting legacy through the functions and teams you develop. In addition to this, you will bring:

• Strong end-to-end New Zealand payroll experience, with approximately five years or more in payroll and exposure to senior payroll responsibilities
• Proven people leadership experience, with the ability to coach, support and develop team members through periods of change
• In-depth knowledge of New Zealand payroll legislation, compliance requirements and payroll best practice
• Experience with payroll and workforce management systems; exposure to Kronos, SAP, ServiceNow or similar platforms would be advantageous
• A resilient, adaptable and customer-focused mindset, with the confidence to make decisions, solve problems and drive outcomes in a changing environment

What We Offer

• Competitive pay and benefits
• Career development and progression opportunities within a global organisation
• A collaborative and supportive workplace culture where your contribution makes a real impact
• A strong commitment to safety, quality, innovation and sustainability
• Flexible working arrangements where possible

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Lactalis NZ, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive.

Let’s make this your best move yet. Apply now and be part of a global business with local heart!