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

Overview

This role supports the People Technology team by optimizing the global Workday platform for Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking. You will lead the end-to-end lifecycle of these functional programs—from strategic discovery and design through global deployment, adoption, testing, and ongoing maintenance.

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 complex business needs into functional requirements and configuration designs.
• Functional Configuration and Design: Lead design and configuration for Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking business processes, calculations, eligibility rules, and pay components focused on 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 deliver actionable recommendations.
• Vendor and Platform Management: Oversee relationships with third-party vendors (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 to improve accuracy and reduce manual intervention.
• Feature Adoption and Training: Support end-user adoption of new Workday features via documentation, user guides, and training programs.
• Compliance and Security: Ensure payroll, absence, and time tracking configurations adhere to 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, plus global HR business processes.
• Testing and Quality: Proven 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 and ability to influence stakeholders while collaborating 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.
• Workday Extend experience.
• 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
• 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

• U.S. soil status required: 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 required: The employee must be either a U.S. citizen as defined in 42 U.S. Code § 9102; a lawful permanent resident as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20) or a protected individual as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3); or a U.S. national (includes 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.