Workday Technical Lead, Payroll, Time & Absence

Summary   The Workday Technical Lead – Payroll, Time & Absence   is responsible for   the end-to-end technical ownership, design, and governance of Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence modules. This role serves as the system authority for the domain, ensuring scalable design, data integrity, and alignment with business and compliance requirements.   This position   operates   within IT and partners closely with Payroll, HR, and external vendors to deliver reliable, efficient, and compliant solutions. While not responsible for payroll processing, this role is accountable for the systems and configurations that enable   accurate   payroll outcomes.

Domain Ownership & Technical Leadership   Own the architectural and configuration guardrails for Payroll, Time, and Absence, coordinating execution while retaining accountability for outcomes.  Establish and maintain standards for configuration, data integrity, and system governance.  Make and guide key decisions on system design, scalability, and long-term architecture.  Serve as the primary escalation point for complex system and payroll-impacting issues.  System Design & Configuration  Lead configuration of payroll elements, time tracking rules, and absence plans with a focus on scalability and maintainability.  Ensure configurations support business requirements while minimizing downstream risk.  Evaluate and redesign existing configurations to improve performance, accuracy, and usability.  Payroll Systems Enablement (U.S.)  Ensure Workday Payroll configurations support accurate and compliant payroll processing.  Partner with Payroll leadership to identify risks, gaps, and optimization opportunities.  Own enterprise‑level resolution of payroll‑impacting issues, including root cause identification, risk mitigation, and long‑term remediation. Global Payroll Integration (India – External Vendor)  Own design and reliability of outbound payroll data integrations.  Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and auditability across systems.  Coordinate with external vendors to resolve systemic issues and improve processes. Architecture, Integrations & Data  Own architectural decisions and trade‑offs for payroll, time, and absence integrations, balancing compliance, scalability, and operational risk (e.g., EIB, APIs, vendor feeds)  Ensure alignment between Workday and downstream/upstream systems  Define and maintain data standards, controls, and validation processes  Workday Release & Change Governance Lead impact assessment and strategy for Workday biannual releases  Establish testing standards and ensure high-quality deployment of changes  Govern system changes to ensure stability and avoid unintended impacts  Continuous Improvement & Strategy  Identify opportunities to simplify processes, reduce manual work, and improve system efficiency  Translate business needs into scalable, forward-looking system solutions  Shape and influence the broader HR technology roadmap, representing Payroll, Time, and Absence priorities and trade‑offs.  Stakeholder Leadership  Act as the primary technical advisor and decision partner to Payroll, HR, and IT stakeholders  Provide clear recommendations and guidance on system capabilities and limitations  Influence decision-making through expertise and data-driven insights  Required Qualifications  5+ years of Workday experience with deep expertise in:  Workday Payroll (U.S.)  Time Tracking  Absence  Proven experience owning system design and configuration decisions  Strong understanding of payroll processes, compliance, and downstream impacts  Experience supporting integrations and data flows across systems  Demonstrated ability to lead complex problem-solving and root cause analysis  Preferred Qualifications   Workday certifications in Payroll, Time Tracking, or Absence  Experience with global payroll integrations and vendor coordination  Experience with