Title: Workday Absence Architect/Lead
Location: Remote (monthly travel)
Client Industry: Professional Services
Compensation: $70 - $85/hr.
We have partnered with our client in their search for a Workday Absence Architect/Lead. The Workday Absence Architect leads a global, implementation-focused workstream to design and deploy Absence Management at scale, translating diverse country policies into harmonized, sustainable configuration. The role partners with HR, Payroll, Integrations, Security, and regional country leads to validate upstream/downstream impacts, govern data integrity, and support mergers and acquisitions (M&A) harmonization as multiple companies move into one Workday tenant. Phase 1 will likely be delivered part-time through January with likely extension into Phase 2. Success is measured by milestone delivery, configuration quality, integration stability, data accuracy, and stakeholder adoption.
Responsibilities
- Architect end-to-end Workday Absence solutions and global design standards aligned to policy, compliance, and scalability needs
- Lead multi-country discovery and design workshops; capture statutory rules, calendars, and policy nuances to inform country-specific configuration and a harmonized global model
- Configure eligibility rules, accrual schedules, balances, carryover, proration, time-off plans, and leave types; establish promotion and versioning controls across tenants
- Drive M&A harmonization by assessing acquired entities’ policies and balances, defining the to-be blueprint, and sequencing cutover for merging populations
- Define and oversee Absence-related integrations with Payroll, Time Tracking, and external leave administrators; coordinate data mappings and end-to-end validation
- Own data migration approach for absence balances and history, including templates, EIB loads, reconciliations, and sign-offs
- Govern security and data quality for Absence through domain/role design, audits, calculated-field controls, and monitoring reports
- Orchestrate testing across unit, system, and user acceptance testing (UAT); manage global defect triage, prepare cutover plans, and support hypercare
Skills Required
- Expert-level Workday Absence configuration across eligibility, accruals, time-off plans, leave types, balances, carryover, and proration
- Strong understanding of the Workday HCM data model and business process framework as they relate to Absence
- Global implementation experience localizing design for country statutory requirements while maintaining a harmonized global standard
- Integration knowledge for Absence with Payroll and Time Tracking; ability to design requirements and validate flows using EIB, Core Connectors, or Workday Studio
- Data conversion and reconciliation proficiency for opening balances and historical leave records
- Reporting capability using Report Writer and calculated fields to monitor balances, usage, exceptions, and data quality
- Security model design for Absence including domains, role-based access, and business process security policies
- Rigorous testing practice with traceability from requirements through UAT and defect resolution
- Workshop facilitation and documentation excellence with HR, Payroll, country leads, and vendor partners across time zones
- Delivery discipline in estimation, backlog management, cutover planning, and hypercare stabilization
Education & Work Experience
- Relevant degree or equivalent experience
- 5+ years in Workday HCM with 3+ years focused on Absence Management
- Completion of 1+ full-cycle Workday Absence implementation as architect or track lead
- Workday Certification in Absence Management
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