Staff Product Analyst (Workday Payroll, Absence & Time Tracking)

Overview

This role focuses on functional optimization of a global Workday platform across Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking. The position leads end-to-end lifecycle activities—from discovery and design through testing, deployment, adoption, and ongoing maintenance—while partnering with People, Payroll, IT, Finance, and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Product Strategy and Roadmap: Collaborate on the product vision and multi-year roadmap for Workday Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking, aligning with global People Technology and Finance objectives.
• Stakeholder Partnership: Partner with People, Payroll, and Finance leadership to translate business needs into clear functional requirements and configuration designs.
• Functional Configuration and Design: Lead design and configuration of Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking business processes, calculations, eligibility rules, and pay components that support employee experience and operational efficiency.
• Lifecycle Management: Manage the full lifecycle of Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking configuration, from discovery and requirements gathering through testing, deployment, and ongoing maintenance.
• Data-Driven Insights: Use Workday reporting and analytics to monitor process performance, identify trends, and recommend optimizations.
• Vendor and Platform Management: Oversee third-party vendor relationships (e.g., ADP) to ensure seamless data flows and adherence to service level agreements.
• Operational Excellence: Drive continuous improvement by analyzing process and configuration issues, leading testing efforts, and proposing changes that improve accuracy and reduce manual intervention.
• Feature Adoption and Training: Drive end-user adoption of new Workday features using documentation, user guides, and training programs.
• Compliance and Security: Ensure Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking configurations meet global data privacy requirements and internal security standards.

Requirements

• Workday Expertise: 7+ years configuring Workday Payroll, Absence, and/or Time Tracking, including business process design, calculated fields, and eligibility rules.
• Domain Knowledge: Deep functional expertise in Workday Payroll (GL, pay components, taxes), Absence, and Time Tracking configuration, including global HR business processes.
• Testing and Quality: Experience leading tenant configuration testing, including UAT and regression testing, to ensure accurate, reliable releases.
• Analytical Skills: Advanced ability to build custom reports, dashboards, and hubs for data-informed decision-making.
• Strategic Communication: Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and collaborate effectively across global time zones.
• Problem Solving: Ability to troubleshoot complex functional issues and design scalable configuration solutions in a fast-paced environment.
• Agile Methodology: Experience working in an Agile environment, managing backlogs, and delivering value through iterative cycles.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Workday integrations, especially the Global Payroll Connect.
• Experience with Workday Extend.
• Workday Certification in Payroll, Absence, or Time Tracking.

Compensation & Benefits

Annual base salary range (San Francisco Bay area): $148,000 USD - $203,500 USD

Annual base salary range (California excluding San Francisco Bay area, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Washington): $132,000 USD - $181,500 USD

Base salary depends on skills, qualifications, experience, and work location. The role may also include equity (where applicable), bonus, and benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k), flexible spending account, and paid leave (including PTO and parental leave) in accordance with applicable plans and policies.

Location

• Candidates must meet the following status requirements:

  • U.S. soil status: The employee must be on U.S. soil (50 states, District of Columbia, or outlying areas of the United States, as defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 2.101) and be a U.S. person.
  • U.S. person status: The employee must be either a U.S. citizen (as defined in 42 U.S. Code § 9102); a natural person who is a lawful permanent resident (as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20)) or who is a protected individual (as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)); or a U.S. national (including citizens and non-citizens born in outlying possessions such as American Samoa and Swains Island), green card holders, refugees, and asylees. Working on a U.S. visa does NOT qualify as a U.S. person.

• Compensation bands vary by location (San Francisco Bay area vs. California excluding San Francisco Bay area, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Washington).