Workday Payroll Operations Specialist

CGI•Dc, DC

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

CGI is seeking a Workday Payroll Operations Specialist to support accurate, compliant, and timely payroll processing in a large, highly controlled financial services environment. This role will focus on end-to-end payroll operations within Workday, including on-cycle and off-cycle payroll processing, payroll audits, reconciliations, variance analysis, configuration support, reporting, testing, and issue resolution. The specialist will partner closely with HR, Benefits, Compensation, Finance, technical teams, and vendor support groups to troubleshoot payroll issues, validate integrations, support system changes, and ensure payroll data flows accurately across Workday Time Tracking, Absence Management, and downstream payroll outputs. The role requires strong attention to detail, clear documentation skills, and the ability to work within structured compliance, audit, and change control practices.

Requirements

5+ years of payroll experience, including hands-on experience with Workday Payroll.
Hands-on experience supporting Workday Payroll in an end-to-end payroll operations role.
Strong understanding of on-cycle and off-cycle payroll processing, payroll audits, reconciliations, and variance analysis.
Ability to configure and support Workday Payroll components such as earnings, deductions, taxes, business processes, security roles, and domain access.
Experience with Workday Report Writer, calculated fields, dashboards, and payroll-related reporting.
Working knowledge of Workday Time Tracking and Absence Management, especially how time and absence data impacts payroll.
Proven ability to troubleshoot payroll calculation results, payroll input issues, retro pay, arrears, overpayments, worker data issues, and payroll variances.
Experience validating payroll integrations and inbound/outbound files, including error resolution, data mapping, file validation, and coordination with technical teams or vendors.
Strong testing background, including regression testing, payroll parallel testing, test scenario development, and documentation of results.
Solid knowledge of payroll laws, tax regulations, compliance requirements, audit expectations, and controlled payroll processing practices.
Advanced Excel or similar data analysis skills, including pivot tables, lookup formulas, data validation, reconciliations, and large data set review.
Experience using Jira or similar tools to track payroll issues, enhancements, testing, and production support items.
Strong communication skills with the ability to explain payroll issues clearly to HR, Finance, Benefits, Compensation, and technical stakeholders.
Comfortable working in a deadline-driven, detail-oriented environment where accuracy, controls, and audit readiness are critical.

Nice To Haves

Experience with payroll accounting outputs, general ledger files, payroll costing, bank files, third-party tax files, EIB uploads, SOX controls, and Workday release management.
Certified Payroll Professional certification.
Workday Payroll Certification.

Responsibilities

Support accurate, compliant, and timely payroll processing in a large, highly controlled financial services environment.
Focus on end-to-end payroll operations within Workday, including on-cycle and off-cycle payroll processing, payroll audits, reconciliations, variance analysis, configuration support, reporting, testing, and issue resolution.
Partner closely with HR, Benefits, Compensation, Finance, technical teams, and vendor support groups to troubleshoot payroll issues, validate integrations, support system changes, and ensure payroll data flows accurately across Workday Time Tracking, Absence Management, and downstream payroll outputs.
Work within structured compliance, audit, and change control practices.