Workday Benefits/Absence Lead

Title: Workday Benefits/Absence Lead 

Location: Remote (monthly travel)

Client Industry: Professional Services 

Compensation: $70 - $85/hr. (10+ month contract) 

We have partnered with our client in their search for a Workday Benefits/Absence Lead. The Workday Benefits/Absence Lead owns delivery of Benefits and Absence capabilities within the Workday platform for our clients. The role partners with HR, Payroll, IT operations, Security, and client leadership to design processes, configure solutions, and validate integrations while safeguarding data integrity and compliance. It oversees day-to-day Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) advisory engagements and project reviews from requirements through go-live and optimization. Success is measured by on-time, on-budget delivery, quality of configuration and documentation, data accuracy, and stakeholder adoption.

Responsibilities

• Lead Workday Benefits and Absence implementations and optimization across strategy, configuration, and integration
• Design and configure eligibility rules, plan designs, and leave and time-off policies aligned to client requirements and compliance needs
• Coordinate cross-functional process design with HR, Payroll, IT operations, Security, and integration teams to ensure end-to-end alignment and validated integrations
• Oversee project lifecycle activities, including requirements, configuration, unit/system/user testing, cutover, and post-go-live stabilization for benefits and absence modules
• Govern Workday security and data integrity practices, including access design and data quality monitoring
• Manage day-to-day ERP advisory engagement activities and project reviews to maintain scope, timeline, and quality
• Ensure adherence to financial and cost-management policies while tracking budgets, forecasts, and deliverable acceptance
• Produce client-ready documentation (design, configuration, test cases) and support knowledge transfer to client teams

Skills Required

• Workday Benefits and Absence configuration across eligibility rules, plan design, and leave and time-off policies
• ERP/HCM implementation lifecycle expertise from requirements through hypercare
• Workday security model design and data integrity governance
• Integration awareness for benefits and absence with ability to define requirements and validate end-to-end flows
• Workshop facilitation and process mapping with cross-functional stakeholders
• Analytical problem solving to translate plan and policy requirements into Workday design
• Project financial stewardship including budget tracking, forecasting, and adherence to cost-management policies
• Quality assurance skills including test planning, scripting, and defect management
• Documentation excellence producing client-ready design, configuration, and testing artifacts
• Clear verbal and written communication for technical and non-technical audiences

Education & Work Experience

• Relevant degree or equivalent experience
• 5+ years in ERP/HCM implementations with direct focus on Workday Benefits and Absence
• Completion of 1+ full-cycle Workday implementation covering Benefits and Absence
• Workday Certification in Benefits and Absence Management

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