Workday HCM Core

Job Title: Workday HCM Core & Advanced Compensation Principal Consultant

Location:USA/Canada (Remote)

Client:HCL/End client not disclosed yet

About the Role

We are seeking a highly experienced Workday HCM Core & Advanced Compensation Principal Consultant to lead end-to-end implementations and drive strategic HR transformation initiatives. This role requires deep functional expertise across Workday Core HCM, Core Compensation, and Advanced Compensation, with a proven track record of delivering multiple full-cycle Workday implementations, ideally within retail or consumer-facing environments.

As a Principal Consultant, you will act as a trusted advisor to clients, translating complex business requirements into scalable Workday solutions while mentoring teams and ensuring delivery excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end Workday HCM, Core Compensation, and Advanced Compensation implementations (design, build, test, deploy, support)
• Partner with stakeholders to define HR and total rewards transformation strategies
• Configure and optimize:
  • Core HCM (job profiles, supervisory orgs, business processes)
  • Core Compensation (salary plans, eligibility rules, compensation grades)
  • Advanced Compensation (merit cycles, bonus plans, stock/incentive programs, compensation reviews)
• Design and implement complex compensation frameworks, including:
  • Variable pay and incentive structures
  • Pay-for-performance models
  • Equity and long-term incentive plans
• Apply retail industry expertise to support:
  • High-volume and seasonal workforce models
  • Hourly vs salaried workforce structures
  • Scalable compensation strategies across distributed teams
• Provide subject matter expertise on Workday best practices and new releases
• Lead client workshops, requirement gathering, and solution design sessions
• Oversee data conversion, integrations, and testing strategies
• Ensure high-quality delivery across multiple concurrent projects
• Mentor junior consultants and contribute to practice development
• Support pre-sales activities, including demos and solution proposals
  

Required Qualifications

• Active Workday Certification in HCM AND Compensation (Core and/or Advanced) – required
• 7+ years of experience in HR systems consulting
• 3+ full-cycle Workday implementations across HCM and Compensation – required
• Hands-on experience with both:
  • Workday Core Compensation
  • Workday Advanced Compensation
• Proven experience in retail or consumer-facing organizations
• Strong understanding of:
  • Total rewards strategies
  • Workforce planning and compensation governance
• Proven ability to engage with senior stakeholders and executives
• Experience leading functional workstreams or full project delivery
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Additional Workday certifications (e.g., Advanced Compensation, Talent, Integrations)
• Experience with Workday Extend, Studio, or Orchestration
• Background in consulting or professional services environments
• Experience supporting large, distributed, hourly workforces
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  

What We're Looking For

• Strategic thinker with deep expertise in end-to-end compensation architecture
• Ability to bridge business strategy with system design
• Strong communicator who can simplify complex compensation models
• Ownership mindset with the ability to lead and deliver
• Passion for building scalable, high-impact HR and rewards solutions