8 week contract with extension option.
The Workday Payroll Configuration Lead is the primary technical owner for payroll configuration within Workday. This role translates payroll requirements into secure, scalable configuration; leads testing and controlled releases; resolves complex system issues; and builds durable internal capability through documentation, training, and knowledge transfer.
The role sits within HR Systems & Technology and works closely with Payroll, HR Operations, Finance, Benefits, Security, Integrations, and external payroll providers.
Workday Payroll Configuration and Process Ownership
- Own the design, configuration, documentation, and maintenance of Workday Payroll functionality and related business processes.
- Translate approved payroll requirements into sustainable configuration, including earnings, deductions, payroll inputs, calculations, retroactive processing, withholding, costing, settlement, and year-end processes.
- Evaluate downstream effects across HCM, Compensation, Benefits, Time Tracking, Absence, Reporting, Security, and integrations before implementing changes.
- Apply enterprise configuration standards and favor scalable design over one-off exceptions.
- Trains internal resource on Workday configuration.
Testing Release and Operational Support
- Create and execute unit, regression, end-to-end and post production validation plans for payroll changes.
- Lead technical triage and root-cause analysis for payroll system defects, calculate business impact, and drive issues through resolution.
- Monitor recurring defects and support trends to identify opportunities for process redesign, automation, and preventive controls.
Knowledge Transfer and Capability Building
- Complete structured knowledge transfer from the interim payroll configuration consultant and convert that knowledge into repeatable internal procedures.
- Maintain configuration, decision logs, runbooks, test libraries, release checklists, and support documentation.
- Train and mentor a designated backup resource so payroll configuration knowledge is not concentrated in one person.
- Develop functional understanding across the HR Technology team and reinforce clear boundaries between business ownership and system administration.
Optimization and Payroll Technology Strategy
- Identify opportunities to simplify payroll processes, automate manual work, improve controls, and increase adoption of native Workday capabilities.
- Assess Workday releases and payroll product enhancements, recommend relevant features, and lead adoption through the governance process.
- Support the long-term global payroll strategy, including evaluation of capabilities that could be brought into Workday to reduce vendor complexity and operating cost.
Required Qualifications
- At least five years of experience supporting payroll technology, payroll operations, or enterprise HR systems, including at least three years of hands-on Workday Payroll configuration experience.
- Strong understanding of payroll processing, earnings, deductions, taxes, retroactivity, costing, settlements, reconciliations, and year-end requirements.
- Experience configuring Workday business processes and working across related areas such as HCM, Benefits, Time Tracking, Absence, Reporting, Integrations, and Security.
- Demonstrated experience with controlled system changes, test planning, defect management, production releases, documentation, and audit support.
- Ability to translate business requirements into maintainable technical solutions and explain design decisions to both functional and technical audiences.
- Strong analytical, problem solving, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Workday Payroll certification, Workday Pro accreditation, or comparable advanced Workday training.
- Experience with multi-state U.S. payroll, global payroll providers, payroll accounting, and complex enterprise organizations.
- Experience participating in Workday Payroll implementation, reimplementation, major redesign, acquisition integration, or global payroll transformation.
- Experience training internal team members and reducing reliance on external professional services.
Pay: $80.00 per hour
Expected hours: 40.0 per week
Work Location: Remote
