Lead, People Systems - Payroll, Absence and Time-Tracking

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Lead, People Systems - Payroll, Absence and Time-Tracking based in Canada.

This role offers the opportunity to lead the design, configuration, and optimization of critical People technology systems that support the employee lifecycle. You will serve as a subject matter expert for Workday HCM, with a focus on Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking capabilities. The position combines technical expertise, business partnership, and process improvement to deliver reliable and scalable HR solutions. You will collaborate with HR, Payroll, IT, and business stakeholders to translate complex needs into effective system configurations. This role is ideal for a Workday professional who enjoys solving problems, improving processes, and driving automation in a fast-paced environment. You will play a key role in ensuring data integrity, security, and operational excellence across enterprise People systems.

Accountabilities:: In this role, you will own the configuration, optimization, and ongoing support of Workday People systems while partnering with cross-functional teams to improve employee experiences and business operations. You will provide technical leadership across Payroll, Absence, Time Tracking, and Core HCM functions while ensuring secure, scalable, and well-documented solutions.

Configure and maintain Workday Payroll, including pay components, earnings and deductions, pay groups, schedules, and payroll-related business processes.

Configure and manage Workday Absence functionality, including time-off plans, accrual rules, eligibility criteria, and leave configurations.

Configure and maintain Workday Time Tracking features, including time entry templates, validations, work calendars, and overtime calculations.

Support Core HCM configuration, including supervisory organizations, staffing models, job profiles, compensation structures, custom organizations, and worker data integrity.

Support recurring People processes such as compensation reviews, open enrollment configuration, and organizational changes.

Design and maintain Workday business processes, including condition rules, calculated fields, validations, routing logic, approvals, and notifications.

Partner with Payroll teams to troubleshoot configuration-related payroll issues and ensure accurate system behavior.

Manage Workday security configurations, including role-based security, domain policies, business process security, and integration system users.

Support security and data audits by analyzing access controls, identifying risks, and maintaining compliance standards.

Perform impact analysis before system changes to understand downstream effects across HCM, payroll, absence, time data, and integrations.

Build advanced reports, dashboards, alerts, and scheduled reporting solutions while supporting mass data updates through EIB.

Identify opportunities for automation and process improvements using modern tools, including AI-enabled solutions.

Document system decisions, configuration changes, and operational processes to support long-term maintainability.

Requirements:

The ideal candidate is an experienced Workday professional with deep expertise in HCM configuration and a strong understanding of Payroll, Absence, and Time Tracking modules. You should be comfortable working across technical and business teams, managing complex priorities, and improving enterprise HR technology solutions.

7+ years of experience as a Workday Business Systems Analyst or similar Workday-focused role.

Strong hands-on experience with Workday configuration, testing, troubleshooting, and implementation.

Workday Pro accreditation or partner certification in HCM, Payroll, Absence, or Time Tracking preferred.

Deep knowledge of Workday Payroll, Absence, Time Tracking (PATT), Core HCM, business processes, and security models.

Experience with Workday reporting, calculated fields, integrations, and data management.

Exposure to Workday Prism Analytics, Extend, or advanced reporting capabilities is an asset.

Experience supporting full lifecycle Workday implementations or significant module expansions.

Strong understanding of Workday architecture, security models, and integration methodologies.

Experience applying AI tools to HR systems or People Operations workflows is a plus.

Ability to translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions.

Strong documentation skills and attention to detail with a commitment to process excellence.

Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Curious, analytical mindset with a focus on understanding root causes and creating sustainable solutions.

Strong commitment to HR data privacy, security, and compliance.

Benefits:

Comprehensive health benefits and life insurance coverage.

Employer-supported long-term savings program.

20 vacation days, wellness days, and unlimited sick and mental health days.

Flexible work arrangement, including the ability to work outside Canada for up to 90 days per year.

Hybrid work environment with collaboration across a distributed North American team.

Access to employee resource groups and inclusive workplace initiatives.

Opportunity to work with talented teams focused on innovation, technology, and continuous improvement.

Professional growth opportunities within a fast-growing technology-driven organization.

How Jobgether works: We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team. We appreciate your interest and wish you the best!  Why Apply Through Jobgether?    Data Privacy Notice: By submitting your application, you acknowledge that Jobgether will process your personal data to evaluate your candidacy and share relevant information with the hiring employer. This processing is based on legitimate interest and pre-contractual measures under applicable data protection laws (including GDPR). You may exercise your rights (access, rectification, erasure, objection) at any time.     #LI-CL1