Megha Sharma
Melbourne,VIC
Summary
Professional consultant with track record of providing valuable insights and strategic solutions to diverse clients. Adept at leveraging analytical skills and industry knowledge to drive impactful outcomes. Known for fostering team collaboration and adapting to dynamic environments, ensuring project success and client satisfaction.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Xpert Consultant - Payroll
Payroll Experts Australia
Remote
07.2024 - Current
- Deliver payroll consulting services to clients across multiple industries, supporting payroll audits, remediation programs, payroll implementations, and operating model redesigns.
- Lead payroll compliance audits, identifying underpayments, overpayments, and compliance gaps across superannuation, overtime, leave entitlements, allowances, and termination payments.
- Perform detailed root-cause analysis on payroll issues, categorising findings into system configuration, data quality, award interpretation, retroactivity, or process gaps, and recommending sustainable remediation solutions.
- Support clients with go-to-market payroll projects, including readiness assessments, payroll capability reviews, and establishment of compliant payroll frameworks for new or transitioning businesses.
- Conduct payroll requirements analysis workshops with HR, Finance, and Operations stakeholders to document current-state and future-state payroll processes.
- Translate business, legislative, and award requirements into functional payroll requirements for system configuration and vendor implementation teams.
- Support end-to-end payroll system implementations, including Workday, Dayforce, and ADP, from discovery and design through testing, parallel runs, and go-live support.
- Develop payroll testing strategies, test cases, and validation scenarios to ensure accurate calculation of earnings, deductions, superannuation, and statutory obligations.
- Assist clients during parallel payroll runs, investigating variances, validating results, and providing sign-off recommendations.
- Design and document payroll operating models, SOPs, control frameworks, and reconciliation processes to strengthen governance and audit readiness.
- Act as a trusted payroll SME, providing advisory support to resolve complex payroll queries and post-implementation issues
Payroll Specialist
Orica Australia Pty Ltd
Melbourne, VIC
09.2022 - 06.2024
- Delivered end-to-end payroll processing across weekly, fortnightly, and monthly cycles for Australian and New Zealand employees, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with statutory and organisational requirements.
- Interpreted Enterprise Agreements (EBAs), awards, and legislative obligations to ensure correct calculation of earnings, allowances, overtime, shift loadings, and leave entitlements.
- Managed employee master data administration in SAP SuccessFactors, including new hires, salary changes, position changes, cost centre updates, and roster alignments.
- Partnered with managers to guide and validate salary changes and roster alignment, ensuring employees were correctly mapped to award levels, pay structures, and working patterns.
- Calculated and processed terminations, redundancies, and final pay settlements, including statutory entitlements and complex exit scenarios.
- Identified, calculated, and processed back payments, underpayments, and overpayments, ensuring accurate remediation and audit-ready documentation.
- Performed Long Service Leave (LSL) calculations and reimbursements for Coal Mining Enterprise Agreements.
- Processed timesheets covering overtime, shift penalties, and allowances, ensuring correct application of EBA rules.
- Administered complex payroll elements including novated leases, child support garnishments, workers’ compensation, and Government Paid Parental Leave (GPPL).
- Supported payroll testing activities for the Dayforce implementation, including test case execution, validation of payroll calculations, and identification and resolution of defects prior to go-live.
- Acted as a key point of contact for payroll enquiries, resolving employee and stakeholder queries efficiently and professionally.
- Worked closely with HR and Finance teams to maintain payroll data integrity, support reconciliations, and ensure compliance with internal controls and external regulations.
Payroll Consultant
Employee Managed Service PVT Ltd
Melbourne, VIC
04.2019 - 09.2022
- Provide end-to-end payroll consulting and processing services for multiple client organisations across diverse industries, assuming full ownership of payroll delivery from input validation through to final pay run approval.
- Manage complete payroll operations for clients, including payroll calendars, data collection, validations, calculations, approvals, and post-payroll activities.
- Process weekly, fortnightly, and monthly payrolls, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with Australian legislative and industrial requirements.
- Conduct detailed root-cause analysis of payroll discrepancies, categorising issues across system configuration, data quality, award and EBA interpretation, retroactivity, and process gaps, and implement corrective actions.
- Design and maintain payroll operating procedures, SOPs, control frameworks, and reconciliation processes to ensure audit readiness and consistent service delivery.
- Act as the primary payroll SME and client contact, resolving complex payroll queries, managing stakeholder expectations, and providing ongoing advisory support.
Payroll Manager
SNM Group
05.2014 - 04.2018
- Managed end-to-end payroll processing for monthly cycles, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
- Collected, verified, and updated attendance, leave, and overtime records, integrating timesheet data with payroll inputs.
- Processed and maintained employee salary changes, promotions, and contract updates in payroll systems as approved by HR.
- Reviewed and validated monthly payroll reports, ensuring accuracy before salary disbursement.
- Maintained statutory registers, payroll files, and employee records to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Handled and resolved employee payroll queries on salary, deductions and statutory benefits.
- Led payroll audits, reconciliations, and variance analysis, correcting discrepancies.
- Reviewed and approved final settlements and payroll terminations, ensuring compliance with company policies and statutory laws.
- Managed payroll vendor relationships, ensuring accurate service delivery and system integrations.
- Prepared accurate and timely payroll MIS, reports, and dashboards for senior leadership and auditors.
Sr. Payroll and HR Officer
Hartek Group
09.2010 - 04.2014
- Responsible for managing the complete recruitment cycle for sourcing the best talent from diverse sources from Entry to Top level.
- Preparation of job descriptions.
- Carrying out appropriate reference Checks of the hired Candidates and ensuring that Joining formalities (induction & orientation) are concluded seamlessly.
- Salary negotiation with candidates, fixing salary norms as per our company standards.
- Preparation of offer letters, appointment letter and contracts etc.
- Manage the implementation of performance management and activities.
- Handle related queries / communication & provide inputs and feedback.
- Sessions with Managers to gauge the performance of their team.
- Handling out appraisal letters and communication of changes in levels/compensation to Finance.
- Planning and recommending the training calendar for the year.
- Coordinate & facilitate employee trainings as per training plan.
- Detailed Training Need Analysis (Levels & Individual)
- Identifying external trainers; liaising with external trainers (Negotiation & Coordination).
- Preparing training module for the year
- Formulation & implementation of HR policies & SOP’s.
- Preparation, implementation & updating of employee handbook.
- Responsible for Employee Engagement Initiatives across organization.
- To make sure that as much as possible, workmen queries and problems are addressed there and then. Clear understanding of the importance of timely redressal of grievances. Able to resolve inter & Intra group conflicts.
- Manage employee attendance systems, including biometric clock-in/clock-out devices, ensuring accuracy of daily working hours.
- Collect, verify, and maintain timesheets, overtime records, and leave applications, coordinating with department managers for approvals.
- Administer leave management processes, updating balances for sick leave, annual leave, and other entitlements.
- Validate attendance and leave data to prepare accurate payroll input files for monthly salary processing.
- Perform manual payroll calculations including gross salary, deductions,overtime, and allowances.
- Prepare and send payroll input reports to the Accounts/Finance department for salary disbursement.
- Maintain accurate employee records, payroll registers, and compliance files in line with statutory requirements.
Recruitment Specialist
TDS Group
02.2010 - 08.2010
- Partnered with client organizations to understand workforce requirements, job descriptions, and hiring priorities.
- Managed the end-to-end recruitment process – sourcing, screening, interviewing, shortlisting, and coordinating client interviews.
- Developed and maintained strong client relationships, acting as the primary point of contact for recruitment delivery.
- Sourced candidates through job portals, LinkedIn, databases, referrals, and headhunting for niche and high-volume roles.
- Conducted candidate assessments including resume review, competency-based interviews, and cultural fit evaluations.
- Presented shortlisted profiles to clients with detailed summaries, ensuring alignment with role requirements.
- Coordinated interview schedules, gathered feedback, and facilitated the offer negotiation and acceptance process.
Education
MBA - Masters in Business Administration
Skills
- Problem-Solving
- Compliance
- Implementation
- Stakeholder Management
Certification
Dayforce Lab- Implementation Core/HR
Timeline
Xpert Consultant - Payroll
Payroll Experts Australia
07.2024 - Current
Payroll Specialist
Orica Australia Pty Ltd
09.2022 - 06.2024
Payroll Consultant
Employee Managed Service PVT Ltd
04.2019 - 09.2022
Payroll Manager
SNM Group
05.2014 - 04.2018
Sr. Payroll and HR Officer
Hartek Group
09.2010 - 04.2014
Recruitment Specialist
TDS Group
02.2010 - 08.2010