Tax and Compliance Specialist

We are seeking an experienced and technically strong Tax & Compliance Specialist to join our Business Services Centre Compliance Assurance team and play a critical role in Wage Type Review high-profile project.

This 2-year maximum term contract opportunity is ideal for a seasoned employment tax professional who enjoys working through complex payroll environment, applying technical tax legislation in a practical business context, and partnering with stakeholders to deliver robust and sustainable compliance outcomes.

Reporting to the Project Manager, you will provide specialist expertise across Australian employment taxes and payroll-related compliance obligations, helping to assess, validate and improve the treatment of wage types, allowances, deductions and other payroll elements across Downer’s operations.

About the Role

In this role you will:

• Conduct detailed reviews of wage types, allowances, deductions and employee payments to assess compliance with Australian fringe benefits tax, payroll tax, PAYG withholding and superannuation guarantee requirements, as well as New Zealand ESCT obligations.
• Analyse payroll configurations, business practices and payroll processing outcomes to determine whether employment tax and superannuation treatments are technically supportable and operationally effective.
• Provide expert advice and technical guidance to project teams, payroll, HR systems, industrial relations, finance, tax and remediation stakeholders.
• Assess compliance risks arising from wage type design, configuration and usage, and develop practical recommendations to improve governance and compliance outcomes.
• Review and validate technical assessments, working papers and project findings to ensure consistency, accuracy and legislative compliance.
• Support remediation activities by developing evidence-based and well-documented technical positions that can withstand internal, external and regulatory scrutiny.
• Translate complex employment tax and superannuation requirements into clear and practical business guidance.
• Contribute to the development of future-state wage type design, payroll configuration and governance frameworks.
• Prepare and maintain audit-ready documentation, decision records and evidence repositories to support project governance and ongoing compliance assurance.
• Partner with stakeholders across People Services, Group Tax, Industrial Relations, Finance, Risk Assurance and operational business functions to deliver sustainable compliance outcomes.

This is a highly visible specialist role that offers the opportunity to influence payroll compliance practices across a complex and diverse organisation while contributing to a strategically important transformation project.

Our Ideal Candidate

You are a highly analytical and commercially minded employment tax professional who combines deep technical expertise with a practical approach to problem-solving. You enjoy navigating complexity, working collaboratively across functions, and helping organisations strengthen compliance, governance and payroll outcomes.

You will bring:

• Degree qualifications in Tax, Accounting, Commerce or a related discipline.
• CA, CPA or equivalent professional qualification.
• Strong technical experience (for at least 5 years) in Australian employment taxes, ideally gained within a Big 4 or mid-tier accounting firm, specialist advisory practice, law firm, or large corporate environment.
• Demonstrated expertise across fringe benefits tax (FBT), payroll tax, PAYG withholding and superannuation guarantee legislation.
• Knowledge of New Zealand payroll and ESCT requirements (desirable).
• Experience reviewing payroll treatments, wage types, allowances, deductions and employee payments within large and complex payroll environments.
• Experience supporting payroll compliance reviews, remediation programs, governance initiatives, audits or control uplift activities.
• Strong understanding of Enterprise Agreements, awards, payroll systems and operational payroll processes.
• Experience preparing technical advice, working papers and recommendations that can withstand audit or regulatory review.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong analytical, documentation and problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience with SAP, Oracle Express HR, JDE or similar payroll systems will be highly regarded.

You are known for your sound judgement, attention to detail, collaborative approach and ability to balance technical compliance requirements with practical business outcomes.

Benefits Of Working with Downer

• Work with an ASX listed company, working with market leaders.
• Grow your career with us, we are passionate about giving our people opportunities to grow through personal and professional development and continuous learning: 
  • Professional development programs 
    • Access to professional memberships and industry networks
• Be part of a team that cares, we foster a work environment built on support that is flexible around our employee’s wellbeing needs: 
  • Flexible work arrangements 
    • Parental leave
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • Programs promoting diversity and inclusion
• A range of Corporate Benefits, including: 
  • Discounted services (car hires, hotels, insurance, retail stores, gyms)

 Why Downer?

As a trusted name in infrastructure, transport, facilities management, and construction, Downer is committed to delivering projects that create a lasting, positive legacy. We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve, and we welcome people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, abilities, and lived experiences. We especially encourage applications from those whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented in our industry, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pasifika Peoples, veterans, people with disability, and neurodivergent individuals.  Even if your experience doesn’t align perfectly with this role, we’d still like to hear from you. If it feels like the right fit, apply - potential counts, and so do you.

As a WORK180 Endorsed Employer, we support flexibility that works for your life, inclusive leadership that values your voice, and equitable access to opportunity so you can do your best work and bring your whole self to it.