What makes Cognizant a unique place to work? The combination of rapid growth and a unique place international and innovative environment! This is creating many opportunities for people like YOU — people with an entrepreneurial spirit who want to make a difference in this world. At Cognizant, together with your colleagues from all around the world, you will collaborate on creating solutions for the world's leading companies and help them become more flexible, more innovative, and successful. Moreover, this is your chance to be part of the success story.Position Summary As a Workday Payroll, Time Tracking & Absence Principal Consultant, you will serve as a trusted advisor and lead functional consultant responsible for delivering enterprise-scale Workday solutions for global customers. Acting as the bridge between business and technical teams, you will lead customers through the full implementation lifecycle including discovery, design, configuration, testing, deployment, and post-production support. You will play a key role in shaping scalable and commercially viable Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence solutions aligned with customer business needs. The role also involves leading project workstreams, mentoring junior consultants, supporting pre‐sales activities, and contributing to continuous improvement within the consulting practice.Mandatory Skills3–4+ years of Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence implementation experienceMinimum 2 years of recent hands‐on configuration experience in Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and AbsenceCertified in Workday US and AUS Payroll, Time Tracking, and AbsenceStrong functional and configuration expertise in Workday Payroll processing, Time Tracking, Absence, and related HCM modulesExperience in enterprise‐scale Workday implementations and leading functional workstreamsStrong understanding of payroll integrations, payroll processing, workforce management, and compliance requirementsExpertise in business process configuration, security setup, iLoads, tenant migration, and data conversionExperience integrating Workday with payroll providers, HR systems, and third‐party applicationsExcellent stakeholder management and customer engagement skills with the ability to manage expectations effectivelyAbility to work under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and meet project deadlinesCommercial awareness and understanding of project delivery within a consulting/services organizationStrong communication skills with experience presenting to senior client stakeholdersMentoring and leadership capability to support and guide junior consultantsBroad understanding of HR, Payroll, ERP, Financials, and SaaS industry trends and business processesDuties and ResponsibilitiesLead the implementation and configuration of Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence solutions for enterprise customersConduct discovery sessions, workshops, and requirements gathering with stakeholdersRecommend and design best‐practice solutions aligned to customer business objectives, compliance, and operational needsConfigure Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, Absence, business processes, security roles, and integrationsPerform testing activities including unit testing, SIT, UAT, payroll validation, and parallel payroll testingSupport data migration, iLoads, data mapping, and tenant‐to‐tenant migrationsCollaborate with integration teams to deliver seamless payroll and third‐party system integrationsProvide strategic guidance and maintain strong customer relationships throughout implementation and support phasesMonitor project progress, identify risks/issues, and communicate updates to project leadership and customersSupport post‐go‐live activities and Application Management Services while meeting Service Level Agreements (SLAs)Mentor junior consultants and contribute to capability development, knowledge sharing, and practice improvementsSupport pre‐sales activities including solution planning, estimations, and proposal developmentParticipate in utilization forecasting, resource planning, recruitment, and performance management activities where applicableStay current with Workday product updates, payroll regulations, and industry best practicesTravel to customer locations as required for project delivery and stakeholder engagementQualifications & Certifications (Optional)Bachelor's degree in IT, Human Resources, HRIS, Information Systems, Business, Finance, Payroll, or related fieldMandatory Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence Certification(s)Additional Workday HCM or related module certifications are highly desirable2–5 years of experience in Payroll, HRIS, ERP, Financials, or SaaS implementation environmentsExperience with Workday Your Way, Launch, or Launch Express methodologies is desirableProfessional certifications in Payroll, HRIS, ERP, or Consulting disciplines are desirableSalary Range: $100,000Date of Posting: 15-May-26Cognizant is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunities. Successful candidates will be required to undergo a background check.#J-18808-Ljbffr