Senior HR Operations Specialist

Fixed-Term Contract (12 Months) | Clayton, Melbourne | Hybrid Working

Join a global organisation transforming public health

At the World Mosquito Program (WMP), we are helping protect millions of people from mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya through an innovative, sustainable solution that is transforming public health outcomes around the world.

With operations across 15 countries, more than 16 million people protected, and the recent opening of the world's largest Wolbachia bio factory in Brazil, we are entering an exciting phase of global growth. To support this journey, we are seeking a highly skilled Senior HR Operations Specialist to join our global People & Culture team.

Why this role? You will be the foundational anchor for our Australian HR compliance and payroll ecosystem while simultaneously contributing to broader, global HR operational excellence.

About the Role

The Senior HR Operations Specialist will play a critical role in strengthening HR operational excellence across the organisation. This position will act as the subject matter expert for the implementation and embedding of employment frameworks in Australia, take ownership of payroll integrity and HR governance, and drive continuous improvement initiatives that enable global scalability.

This role is ideal for an experienced HR Operations professional who thrives at the intersection of technical compliance, Enterprise Agreements, systems thinking, and process automation within a dynamic international environment.

Location & Working Arrangements

• Location: Based in Clayton, Melbourne with a flexible hybrid working model.
• Global Collaboration: The role reports directly to the Director, People & Culture, who is based in France. As a global organisation, candidates will need to demonstrate flexibility to accommodate occasional meetings outside standard Melbourne business hours.

Key Responsibilities

1. Australian Employment Frameworks & Compliance

• Expert Interpretation: Act as the lead internal advisor on interpreting and applying Australian employment legislation, Enterprise Agreements (EAs), modern awards, and HR frameworks.
• Framework Governance: Assess, implement, and imbed changes arising from Australian employment framework and legislative updates.
• Process Architecture: Develop scalable HR processes, templates, and operational guidance that mitigate risk and ensure compliance with governance and audit requirements.

2. Payroll Integrity & HR Systems (Global & Local)

• Payroll Partnership: Partner closely with our Australian payroll provider, Finance, IT, and Monash University teams to ensure seamless end-to-end execution.
• Data Governance: Guarantee absolute integrity, accuracy, and reliability of all Australian HR and payroll data.
• System Optimisation: Lead root-cause analysis for any payroll/system issues and continuously optimise HRIS workflows to improve efficiency and global user experience.

3. Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Automation & Scaling: Identify opportunities for automation and standardisation to transition manual processes into sustainable, repeatable global workflows.
• Audit Readiness: Support internal and external HR and payroll audits, maintaining impeccable compliance documentation.

4. Stakeholder Engagement & Change Support

• Trusted Advisor: Serve as a consultative partner on HR operational matters to leaders across Australia and global entities.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Build strong relationships across diverse stakeholder groups, delivering clear communication within a complex international environment.

About You

You are a highly organized, detail-oriented HR professional who thrives at the intersection of operational excellence and cultural intelligence. You excel in a compliance-sensitive environment where navigating nuance, building authentic relationships, and driving absolute accuracy go hand in hand.

Soft Skills

• Global Mindset & Cultural Agility: You are highly comfortable at working across multiple countries, time zones, and diverse cultures with ease and sensitivity.
• Autonomy, Accountability & Ownership: You have a proven track record of operating with a high level of autonomy. You take full ownership of challenges and possess the tenacity to drive complex compliance or process issues through to absolute resolution.
• Influence & Credibility: You possess strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills. You know how to communicate complex HR compliance and payroll data clearly, allowing you to build immediate trust and credibility at all levels of the organisation.
• Collaborative Execution: You have a demonstrated ability to execute and deliver strict outcomes while maintaining a highly collaborative, partnership-first approach across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Inclusive Leadership: You hold a strong commitment to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative workplace. You bring a natural approachability, high professionalism, and a sense of humility to your daily interactions.

Experience and Qualifications

• Australian Expertise: Strong, demonstrable experience interpreting complex Australian employment legislation, industrial instruments, and Enterprise Agreements (EAs).
• Background: 5–7+ years of experience in senior HR Operations or HR Compliance roles.
• Payroll & Tech Proficiency: Deep experience overseeing payroll partnerships/inputs and navigating modern HRIS environments; advanced MS Excel skills are essential.
• Continuous Improvement: A proven track record of mapping processes, implementing automation, and scaling HR infrastructure. Lean or Agile training is highly regarded.
• Education: Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, Business, or a related discipline.
• Language Skills: Fluency in English is required; French and/or Spanish language capability are welcomed to interact with teams across WMP.
• Work Rights: Must hold valid, ongoing work rights for Australia.

Why Join WMP?

At WMP, your work contributes directly to improving health outcomes for communities around the world.

You will join a passionate, purpose-driven team working at the forefront of global public health innovation. We offer an environment where collaboration, expertise, accountability, and impact are valued, and where talented people have the opportunity to help shape the future of a growing international organisation.

To Apply

If you are looking for a role where operational excellence and meaningful global impact go hand in hand, we encourage you to apply by clicking on the application link. Please provide resume, cover letter and salary expectations when applying.

Learn more about the World Mosquito Program at www.worldmosquitoprogram.org.