Payroll Administrator

About Arkeus

Arkeus builds AI-powered sensing systems that help autonomous platforms detect, track and understand what's happening in the most complex and contested environments. Our technology is deployed across defence and national security applications — already protecting lives and strengthening security across the U.S. and allied markets.

Backed by QIC, Main Sequence, R+VC, Salus Ventures, Folklore Ventures, DYNE Ventures and Beaten Zone Venture Partners, Arkeus is entering a major growth phase. We are a small, fast-moving company with the energy and ambition of a start-up and the technical credibility of a world-class defence technology provider.

We work at the intersection of optics, autonomy, robotics and real-time AI and we deploy what we build. If you want to ship technology that matters, not technology that ships decks, this is where you belong.

Check it yourself on News | Arkeus

We have developed an inclusive, transparent and engaging culture that focuses on building a diverse workforce — realising that to attract the very best, we need to ensure our culture is ready to welcome people from all ages, genders and backgrounds.

About the role

Arkeus is growing fast and we are looking for a hands-on Payroll Administrator to help ensure our people are paid accurately, on time and in line with Australian payroll, tax and employment requirements. You will own the full end-to-end payroll administration cycle, maintain reliable employee records, and provide responsive support to employees and managers.

Reporting to the Senior Accountant and VP Finance, you will partner closely with People managers and Finance team to process payroll, administer superannuation and statutory deductions, reconcile payroll accounts and support month-end and year-end reporting. You will also manage relationships with our external payroll provider and relevant government agencies when required.

This is a foundational, hands-on role in a scaling business. You will combine attention to detail with practical problem-solving to help improve payroll controls, documentation, and help build a scalable global employee administration function as Arkeus expands in Australia and beyond.

About you

You are an experienced payroll professional who takes pride in getting the details right. You possess a strong grasp of the Australian payroll cycle, confidently interpreting employment terms, relevant awards and agreements., You know how to transform timesheets, leave, allowances, deductions, and employee changes into flawless payroll outcomes.

You are confident working with payroll and HR systems, spreadsheets, and financial reconciliations. You enjoy digging into data, resolving discrepancies, explaining calculations clearly to employees and managers, all whilst maintaining accurate records for audit, reporting and compliance purposes.

You are organised, discreet, and dependable. You manage recurring deadlines calmly, protect confidential employee information, and flag anomalies early. You are comfortable working across Finance and People & Culture, and you bring a service mindset without compromising accuracy or internal controls.

Key responsibilities

Payroll Processing & Employee Administration:

• End-to-end Payroll: Own the preparation and execution of regular payroll accurately and on time. This includes managing new starters, terminations, salary changes, timesheets, leave, allowances, bonuses, deductions, and other approved adjustments.
• Data Integrity: Maintain accurate, up-to-date and secure employee records, including bank details, tax declarations, superannuation information, and supporting documentation, Compliance, Reporting & Reconciliations.
• Statutory Compliance: Manage and execute obligations for PAYG withholding, Single Touch Payroll (STP), superannuation contributions, payroll tax and other payroll-related obligations in alignment with regulatory requirements and internal approvals.
• Financial Alignment: Reconcile payroll outputs against bank files, the general ledger, and relevant liability accounts. Investigate variances and prepare required inputs for month-end close, year-end reporting and audit.

Employee Support, Controls & Improvement:

• Query Resolution: Act as the prompt, professional point of contact for employees and manager for payroll questions, resolving discrepancies and explaining payroll outcomes in clear, practical language.
• Strengthen Payroll Processes: Manage payroll calendars, checklists, and internal procedures, partner with external payroll providers and internal stakeholders; and identify improvements that increase accuracy, efficiency and employee confidence.

Your experience and skills

• Payroll Experience: At least 3 years of hands-on payroll administration experience, ideally in a growing Australian organisation with a varied employee population.
• Australian Payroll Knowledge: Working knowledge of PAYG withholding, Single Touch Payroll, superannuation, leave administration, payroll tax and the application of employment terms, awards or enterprise agreements.
• Payroll Qualification: Certificate IV in Payroll Administration, Diploma of Payroll, or a similar payroll-related certification or qualification is highly regarded.
• Systems & Data: Experience using a recognised payroll or HR information system and strong spreadsheet skills, including reconciliations, data validation and investigating variances.
• End-to-End Processing:Demonstrated experience managing employee changes, timesheets, allowances, deductions, leave, terminations and payroll checking through to payment and reporting.
• Service & Communication: Able to handle employee queries with empathy and clarity, work effectively with managers and People & Culture, and communicate sensitive or complex payroll matters appropriately.
• Confidentiality & Controls: High attention to detail, sound judgement with confidential information and a strong commitment to approvals, audit trails, secure records and continuous improvement.

What success looks like

In your first 90 days:

• You have learned the current payroll process, systems, calendar, employee arrangements, and key controls, and shared your initial observations with ideas on how to handle our upcoming growth cycles. You have built effective working relationships with Finance, People & Culture, managers and our payroll provider, and understand how employee changes and approvals flow into payroll.
• You have completed payroll cycles accurately and on time, resolved priority data or reconciliation issues, and documented the core payroll process and responsibilities.

In your first year:

• Every payroll cycle follows a consistent, documented process with clear cut-off dates, approvals, validation checks, reconciliations, and secure recordkeeping.
• Payroll is processed accurately and on time, with reduced corrections, clear ownership of exceptions and reliable reporting to Finance and People & Culture.
• PAYG withholding, Single Touch Payroll, superannuation, payroll tax and other required payroll activities are completed accurately and by the relevant deadlines.
• A practical payroll knowledge base, calendar and control framework is in active use, supporting business growth and reducing reliance on individual knowledge.

Why Join Arkeus

• You will support a team working on some of the hardest problems in deep-tech — optics, autonomy, real-time AI and hardware-software integration — by making sure our people can rely on accurate, timely payroll and responsive support.
• You will collaborate with exceptional leaders who have decades of combined experience in AI, optics and defence. You will be learning from — and contributing to — the best in the field.
• You will become part of a close-knit, ego-free team where ideas compete on merit, not seniority. Low politics, high trust. The kind of team you will still be talking about in ten years.
• You will work hard and be expected to bring your best — and in return you will grow faster than you ever would at a large organisation.
• You will work on technology that is already deployed in real environments — protecting lives and strengthening security across defence and national security applications.
• You will receive a competitive, market-benchmarked salary, structured career pathways built to grow with you, and the opportunity to participate in our Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP).
• You will help build reliable payroll operations for a growing defence technology company, directly improving employee experience and financial controls that support our next stage of growth.

If this sounds like you, please apply even if you don't check every box — we care more about how you think than whether your CV is perfect. Join our growing team and help us change the world through autonomous systems.