Job Details

Workday Payroll Analyst - Contract - San Jose, CA (Onsite)

We are seeking a Senior Business Systems Analyst with extensive Workday expertise to support and enhance our Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence solutions. This role serves as the key liaison between Payroll, HR, Accounting, and IT, ensuring Workday is configured, optimized, and continuously improved to support accurate payroll processing and efficient business operations.

The ideal candidate is hands-on, business-focused, and comfortable owning Workday Payroll end-to-end, from requirements and configuration through testing, releases, and production support.

Responsibilities:

• Act as the primary owner for Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence modules
• Partner closely with Payroll, HR, and Accounting teams to gather requirements and translate business needs into Workday configurations
• Lead requirement-gathering sessions, solution design, and functional reviews with stakeholders
• Configure and maintain Workday Payroll and Time Tracking functionality, including process documentation
• Plan and execute system testing, including regression, UAT, and post-release validation
• Manage Workday releases and enhancements to ensure smooth adoption and minimal disruption
• Provide production support, troubleshooting, and issue resolution for payroll-related processes
• Support year-end payroll activities, audits, and compliance reporting
• Drive process improvements by evaluating current workflows and leveraging new Workday features
• Ensure systems and processes comply with SOX and internal control requirements
• Engage end users to improve system adoption through training, documentation, and clear communication

Skills & Qualifications:

• 7-8+ years of experience as a Workday Business Systems Analyst or Functional Analyst
• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Accounting, Human Resources, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• Strong hands-on experience with Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence configuration
• Solid understanding of payroll operations, compliance, and audit requirements
• Experience leading requirements, testing, and release activities in Workday
• Ability to work directly with business stakeholders and lead discussions independently
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and documentation skills

Nice to have

• Workday Payroll and/or Absence certification
• Experience supporting multi-state or California payroll
• Prior experience in SOX-regulated environments
• Exposure to complex Workday integrations

Job Type: Contract
Duration: 6M+
Location: San Jose, CA
Work Setting: Onsite