Job Title: Workday Configuration Principal – Compensation
Location : Remote – EST Work Hours
Duration : 8 months (Possible conversion)
Job Description:
- The Workday Compensation Configuration Principal is responsible for leading the strategy, design, configuration, testing, implementation, and ongoing support of Workday Compensation solutions.
- This role serves as the functional owner for compensation-related processes including annual compensation planning, incentive and bonus programs, compensation eligibility, salary structures, market adjustments, one-time payments, and compensation statements. The Principal evaluates business requirements, provides solution recommendations, and translates complex compensation needs into sustainable system capabilities.
- Working as a trusted advisor to business and technology leaders, this role drives continuous improvement, identifies opportunities for automation and process optimization, and evaluates new Workday functionality to maximize business value. The Principal leads complex initiatives, assesses cross-functional impacts, supports governance and release management activities, and provides advanced troubleshooting for critical production issues.
- As a senior subject matter expert, the role influences enterprise strategy, mentors team members, and provides recommendations to leadership on matters with significant operational, financial, compliance, and associate experience impacts.
Attributes for success:
- Deep expertise in Workday Advanced Compensation and compensation administration with the ability to translate complex business requirements into scalable, sustainable solutions.
- Strong strategic consulting, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to influence decisions and provide recommendations to senior leaders.
- Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts and solution tradeoffs to non-technical audiences.
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex initiatives, balance competing priorities, and drive continuous improvement through governance, automation, and optimization.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Information Systems, Business Administration, Finance, Computer Science, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
- 10+ years of HR technology, HRIS, enterprise systems, or related experience, including significant experience leading complex configuration initiatives.
- 5+ years of hands-on Workday configuration experience with deep expertise in Workday Advanced Compensation and related HCM functionality.
- Experience configuring and supporting compensation processes, including annual compensation planning, merit increases, bonus and incentive programs, compensation eligibility, salary structures, and one-time payments.
- Demonstrated experience gathering business requirements, conducting solution design, and translating complex business needs into scalable Workday solutions.
- Experience leading testing activities, including unit testing, system integration testing (SIT), user acceptance testing (UAT), release validation, and production deployment.
- Experience partnering with Compensation, Total Rewards, HR, Finance, Payroll, Technology, and other business stakeholders to deliver enterprise-wide solutions.
- Proven ability to provide strategic recommendations, influence business decisions, and lead complex projects or workstreams in a large, matrixed organization.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Workday Pro certification or accreditation in Compensation, Advanced Compensation, HCM, or a related Workday discipline.
- Experience leading large-scale Workday implementations, optimization initiatives, or enterprise compensation transformations.
- Strong knowledge of compensation structures, job architecture, market pricing, salary grade administration, and annual compensation planning processes.
- Experience with Workday reporting, dashboards, Prism Analytics, calculated fields, and data-driven decision support.
- Experience mentoring configuration professionals and influencing technology strategy within a large, complex enterprise environment.