Senior Manager, Finance Process Owner (Hire to Retire)

Overview

Your work days are brighter here. We’re obsessed with making hard work pay off, for our people, our customers, and the world around us. As a Fortune 500 company and a leading AI platform for managing people, money, and agents, we’re shaping the future of work so teams can reach their potential and focus on what matters most. The minute you join, you’ll feel it. Our culture is rooted in integrity, empathy, and shared enthusiasm. We’re in this together, tackling big challenges with bold ideas and genuine care. We look for curious minds and courageous collaborators who bring sun-drenched optimism and drive. Whether you're building smarter solutions, supporting customers, or creating a space where everyone belongs, you’ll do meaningful work with Workmates who’ve got your back. In return, we’ll give you the trust to take risks, the tools to grow, the skills to develop and the support of a company invested in you for the long haul. If you want to inspire a brighter work day for everyone, including yourself, you’ve found a match in Workday, and we hope to be a match for you too.

About The Team

The Finance Transformation Office (FTO) drives the modernization and optimization of Workday’s global finance function. The Finance Process Ownership team governs and transforms the end-to-end processes that enable scale, control, and efficiency across Finance. By integrating strategic process design with technology innovation, automation, and continuous improvement, this team ensures Finance operates with simplicity, accuracy, and insight, empowering Workday to be its own best Customer Zero.

About The Role

We are seeking a Senior Manager, Finance Process Owner (Hire to Retire) to lead the optimization and governance of Workday’s Payroll and Stock Administration value streams. Reporting to the Senior Director, Global Finance Process Owner, this individual will be the primary architect for the end-to-end design and performance of these critical people-finance pillars. The Senior Manager will drive day-to-day execution and lead a team focused on elevating H2R processes, ensuring that global payroll and equity workflows are seamlessly integrated into our digital ecosystem. This role is a unique blend of technical payroll/stock expertise and digital transformation, partnering closely with People & Purpose (HR), Payroll Operations, Stock Admin, and Product teams to showcase world-class use of Workday HCM and Payroll.

Responsibilities

• Global Process Ownership: Payroll & Stock Administration — Define and maintain the global end-to-end process standards for the finance portions of Hire to Retire, specifically Payroll execution and Stock Administration workflows.
• Cross-Functional Governance — Establish frameworks that drive consistency between HR, Finance, and Legal, ensuring that equity grants and payroll cycles are integrated into the core financial reporting process.
• Compliance & Integrity — Partner with the Global Payroll and Equity leaders to ensure process integrity, SOX compliance, and statutory audit readiness across all jurisdictions.

Standardization & Continuous Improvement

• Frictionless Finance — Lead the identification and elimination of process friction in global payroll cycles and equity administration workflows.
• Performance Metrics — Develop and manage KPIs to track Payroll Accuracy, Stock Settlement Cycle Time, and Operational Cost per Employee.
• Operational Excellence — Drive a continuous improvement culture, utilizing automation to streamline complex multi-national payroll and stock reporting requirements.

Technology, Automation, & AI Enablement

• Workday on Workday — Partner with Business Technology to implement scalable processes powered by Workday, focusing on automated payroll reconciliations, intelligent auditing, and AI-driven equity forecasting.
• Innovation Roadmap — Champion automation opportunities such as machine learning for payroll anomaly detection and automated tax withholding for stock vestings.
• Customer Zero — Test and pilot new Workday features within the H2R suite, providing a feedback loop to Product Management to influence the future of the platform.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• People Management — Lead and mentor Business Analysts and Process Specialists, fostering a culture of curiosity, accountability, and technical excellence.

About You

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in Payroll, Stock Administration, or Finance Transformation, with a heavy emphasis on the Hire to Retire lifecycle.
• Deep functional knowledge of global payroll operations, equity-based compensation (RSUs, ESPP, Options), and the resulting accounting/tax implications.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field.

Other Qualifications:

• Proven experience using or deploying Workday HCM and Payroll is essential; you should understand the technical interplay between HR data and financial outcomes.
• CPP, CEP, or CPA designation is highly preferred.
• Analytical Mindset: The ability to translate complex global payroll and equity regulations into scalable, digital process flows.
• Collaborative Leader: Outstanding ability to influence stakeholders at the Senior Manager+ level across People & Purpose, Payroll, and Product organizations.
• Change Agent: A track record of leading teams through digital shifts, moving from manual entry work to automated, system-driven outcomes.
• Customer Zero Vision: A passion for being a power user and advocate for Workday technology, helping to refine the product through internal excellence.

Workday Pay Transparency

The annualized base salary ranges for the primary location and any additional locations are listed below. Workday pay ranges vary based on work location. This role may be eligible for the Workday Bonus Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus, as well as annual refresh stock grants. Each candidate’s compensation offer will be based on multiple factors including geography, experience, skills, job duties, and business need. For more information regarding Workday’s comprehensive benefits, please click here.

Primary Location: USA.GA.Atlanta

Primary Location Base Pay Range: $144,300 USD - $216,500 USD

Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $137,100 USD - $243,600 USD

Our Approach to Flexible Work

With Flex Work, we combine in-person time and remote work. We expect teams to spend at least half (50%) of their time each quarter in the office or in the field with customers, prospects, and partners (depending on role). This allows flexibility while ensuring collaboration. Remote employees may come to offices for important moments that matter.

Pursuant to applicable Fair Chance law, Workday will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Workday is an Equal Opportunity Employer including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. If you require assistance or an accommodation, please email View email address on click.appcast.io.

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