Senior HRIS Business Analyst (Workday HCM) - (Hybrid/Chicago, IL)

Senior HRIS Business Analyst (Workday HCM)

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Interested in joining a growing company where you will work with talented colleagues, enhance a supportive and energetic culture, and be part of the climate solution? At Energy Solutions, we focus on the big impacts. And we believe that market-based programs can be a powerful force to deliver large-scale energy, carbon, and water-use savings. Since 1995, we've harnessed that power to offer proven, performance-based solutions for our utility, government, and institutional customers.

Energy Solutions is currently seeking a Senior HRIS Business Analyst to serve as a Workday HCM subject matter expert and a key partner to People Operations. This role partners with HR, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance, and IT to configure, maintain, support and optimize HR systems, ensuring accurate data, compliant processes, and strong employee experience.

The ideal candidate operates independently with general guidance, manages moderately complex issues, and influences outcomes through expertise, analytics, and consultative communication.

This is a hybrid role requiring at least one onsite day per week (currently Wednesdays). Preferred locations include Oakland, CA; Orange, CA; and Portland, OR. Candidates near Chicago, IL; New York, NY; or Boston, MA will also be considered but must work Pacific Time hours.

Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To:

• Configure, maintain, and optimize Workday modules including Core HCM, Benefits, Compensation, Payroll, Time Tracking, and Absence Management.
• Manage People Operations service delivery by handling moderately complex HRIS cases, employee issues, and escalations, ensuring timely resolution and a positive employee experience.
• Troubleshoot and resolve Workday operational issues including PTO accruals not occurring, absence plan discrepancies, and time off labeling inconsistencies between payroll results and pay slips.
• Partner cross-functionally to resolve system, data, and process issues impacting HR service workflows and downstream integrations.
• Review and validate HRIS transactions to ensure standards for accuracy, consistency, internal controls, and compliance requirements are met.
• Support and maintain onboarding-related system processes and configuration updates, including I-9/document relaunch activities.
• Support and maintain compliance-related activities by ensuring HR data, system configurations, and business processes align with internal controls and regulatory requirements.
• Support audits, investigations, and corrective actions by providing accurate system data, documentation, and reporting.
• Identify, assess, and recommend process or system improvements to mitigate compliance or data risks.
• Maintain strong documentation to support audit readiness and operational controls.
• Partner with PC Analytics to provide access, data, and requirements needed to develop and maintain Workday reports, dashboards, and analytics.
• Enable PC Analytics to develop and maintain custom reports and operational reporting, including supervisor reports and dashboards (e.g., DEI reporting).
• Enable PC Team to prepare statistical summaries and ad hoc analyses related to workforce data, compensation, payroll, benefits, performance, and service delivery metrics.
• Improve and standardize data integrity, reporting consistency, and governance through standardized definitions, calculated fields, validation controls, and testing.
• Support, maintain, and troubleshoot inbound and outbound integrations and data loads using Enterprise Interface Builder (EIB), Cloud Connectors, and Workday Studio (as applicable to role scope).
• Support Workday business process integrations such as Docusign and associated workflow troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with technical teams to resolve interface issues, including updates to external system custom fields (e.g., Unanet custom fields in Workday Production).
• Plan and execute unit testing, integration testing, payroll parallel testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT) to validate system accuracy and end-to-end process integrity.
• Test and validate Workday feature releases, enhancements, and configuration changes to verify alignment with HR procedures, payroll requirements, and compliance needs.
• Support and maintain Workday security administration activities including security group updates, operations security setup, and access controls.
• Configure, review, and validate appropriate Workday access for employees, managers, and special populations (e.g., terminated staff, with security verification).
• Maintain and optimize user notifications and alerting configurations, including email notification routing and suppression (e.g., "A Task Awaits You" notifications).
• Support and maintain security group needs for reporting access (e.g., PC Analytics access groups).
• Act as a consultative partner to PC Leadership, Payroll, Benefits, and business stakeholders, helping resolve moderately complex issues and manage expectations.
• Communicate clearly system impacts, process changes, and data insights to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Support change management efforts by developing and maintaining training materials, job aids, user guidance, and best-practice recommendations.
• Maintain clear case notes and documentation to support transparency, continuity, and high-quality service delivery.
• Design and implement scalable improvements across HRIS-supported People Operations workflows.
• Drive consistency, standardization, and controls across HR workflows to improve execution quality and reduce operational and compliance risk.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by identifying inefficiencies and recommending system-enabled solutions.
• Provide informal mentoring or guidance to peers on Workday functionality, reporting, and HRIS best practices.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Information Systems, Business, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of HRIS experience, with hands-on expertise in Workday HCM
• Demonstrated experience supporting multiple Workday modules (HCM, Benefits, Compensation, Payroll, Time Tracking, Absence).
• Working knowledge of HR compliance requirements, payroll controls, and audit support.
• Ability to manage complex issues independently while collaborating across teams.
• Demonstrated experience in reporting, troubleshooting, and supporting production operations in Workday.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to perform accurate validation under deadlines (payroll calendar).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified in Workday HCM and Payroll
• Supporting payroll operations and payroll/benefits reconciliation

The salary range for this role is $107,363 - $134,127, with a target compensation of $107,363 - $119,621 based on experience and qualifications.

Compensation is commensurate with experience and includes a generous retirement package. Energy Solutions provides an excellent benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance, other pre-tax contribution plans and an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

AI Use

At Energy Solutions we believe in the importance of authentic interactions and equitable opportunities. We base our candidate selection on one's own skills, knowledge, and experience. To ensure the integrity and fairness of our interview process, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools (including Generative AI) or other means to generate or assist with responses during interviews is strictly prohibited. This practice supports our commitment to create a transparent and equitable space where skills, knowledge and experience can truly shine.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Energy Solutions is an affirmative action-equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. We afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by law. Energy Solutions conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

Office Locations and a Remote Workforce

Energy Solutions operates as a predominantly remote workforce with offices in six different locations . Employees who reside within 40 miles of an office (except New York) will be assigned to that location, though in-office attendance requirements may vary by team. At this time, we are not accepting applications from candidates residing in the following states: Delaware, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, and North Dakota.

Background Check Information

Information will be requested to perform the compulsory background check. A drug screen and authorization to work in the U.S. indefinitely are preconditions of employment. Energy Solutions is an equal opportunity employer.

Reasonable Accommodations

Energy Solutions is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. If you require accommodations in completing this application, interviewing, and/or completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in