Associate Director Human Resource Services

Te Whiwhinga mahi The opportunity

The University of Auckland is seeking an experienced and strategic Associate Director HR Services to lead the modernisation and delivery of our core HR services.

Reporting to the Director of Human Resources and as a member of the HR Leadership Team this role provides strategic and operational leadership across HR transactional services payroll HR systems and workforce reporting and analytics. The University has recently implemented Workday as its core HRIS and delivered a major payroll system upgrade (a-pay) and this role will be central to embedding optimising and maturing these platforms and related processes. You will play a critical role in strengthening service quality governance and insightdriven decision making while shaping the future capability of HR services through digital enablement and continuous improvement.

In this role you will:

• Lead the delivery and continuous improvement of HR Services including payroll HR transactions and workforce reporting and analytics.
• Strengthen and evolve HR service delivery models moving from manual processes toward standardised digitised and scalable services.
• Provide enterpriselevel governance and oversight of payroll operations ensuring accuracy compliance audit readiness and risk management.
• Lead the development of decisiongrade workforce reporting and dashboards shifting HR data from reporting to actionable insight for leaders.
• Partner closely with Finance Digital Risk Audit and other stakeholders to deliver integrated compliant and futurefocused services.
• Build and govern strategic vendor and system partnerships to maximise value manage risk and support timely delivery.
• Own HR and Universitywide transformation initiatives including HRIS optimisation and digital capability uplift.
• Support the responsible adoption of automation and emerging technologies (including AIenabled tools) to improve service efficiency and experience.
• Lead and develop highperforming teams fostering clarity accountability psychological safety.

For more detailed information please refer to the position description.

Please note this is a full-time (37.5hours/week) position with a salary range of $186100-$251800.00 depending on skills and experience. 

He kōrero mōu About you

You are a strategic serviceoriented HR leader with deep experience operating at scale in complex riskaware environments.

You will bring:

• Senior leadership experience within large or complex organisations.
• Demonstrated success modernising HR services.
• Strong governance capability across payroll compliance risk and audit processes.
• Experience leading complex change in riskaverse environments with strong crossfunctional influence across HR Finance Digital and Risk.
• Capability in establishing and governing strategic vendor and commercial partnerships
• Experience in HRIS optimisation.
• Confidence enabling digital capability uplift including automation and emerging technologies.
• A leadership style that creates clarity focus and momentum while developing capable engaged teams

Qualifications:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Human Resources Business Commerce Management or a related discipline or equivalent senior leadership experience
• Change Management certification (preferred).

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years senior-level experience in HR service delivery shared services or people operations within a large complex organisation.
• Demonstrated accountability for payroll operations including governance compliance and audit readiness.
• Proven experience leading and developing multi-disciplinary teams in a service-oriented environment.
• Experience in HR reporting and people data including the use of workforce metrics to support organisational decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with Finance Risk Audit and compliance functions.

Skills and knowledge:

• Expert knowledge of endtoend HR service delivery models including shared services payroll operations and HR transactional environments within large complex organisations.
• Sound understanding of information systems digital enablement and data privacy obligations with the ability to provide informed oversight of HRIS payroll systems and reporting platforms.
• Advanced understanding of HR data reporting and workforce analytics including data governance quality assurance and the interpretation of insights to inform organisational decisionmaking.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills with the ability to build trusted relationships across senior academic professional and service leadership groups.
• Commitment to equity inclusion and wellbeing with an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and their relevance to people leadership and service delivery in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Me pēhea te tuku tono How to apply

Applications must be submitted online by the closing date of 16 March 2026 to be considered. Please include your cover letter and your CV highlighting how you can meet the skills and experiences detailed above.

Equity

The University is committed to meeting its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and achieving equity outcomes for staff and students in a safe inclusive and equitable environment.  For further information on services for Māori Pacific women LGBTQIATakatāpuiMVPFAFF people with disabilities parenting support flexible work and other personal circumstances go to 

Additional Information :

Equity

The University is committed to meeting its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and achieving equity outcomes for staff and students in a safe inclusive and equitable environment.  For further information on services for Māori Pacific women LGBTQIATakatāpuiMVPFAFF people with disabilities parenting support flexible work and other personal circumstances go to 

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time