Workday Finance Functional Lead

We are seeking an experienced and proactive Workday Finance Functional Team Lead to take full ownership of Workday Financial and Payroll modules post-implementation. This role is responsible for ongoing system optimization, support, governance, and collaboration with Finance, HR, and IT stakeholders to ensure Workday continues to meet evolving business needs. The ideal candidate will bring deep functional expertise, leadership ability, and a strategic mindset to maximize the platform's value. Key Responsibilities: Serve as the functional owner of Workday Financials and Payroll modules, ensuring stable and optimal system performance post-implementation. Lead day-to-day support and issue resolution, acting as the primary escalation point for functional queries across Finance and Payroll. Maintain and enhance system configurations across key modules, including: Financial Accounting, FDM, Budgets, Business Assets, Procurement, Expenses, Banking & Settlements, Customer Accounts, Supplier Management, Projects, Payroll, and Tax. Collaborate with Finance and HR leaders to align system capabilities with business processes, compliance needs, and operational goals. Monitor integrations and ensure seamless data flow between Workday Financials, Payroll, and external systems. Drive continuous improvement by identifying system inefficiencies, recommending enhancements, and delivering configuration updates. Manage bi-annual Workday releases by assessing new features, testing configurations, updating documentation, and facilitating change management. Develop and maintain custom reports, dashboards, and analytics to support financial, payroll, and operational decision-making. Oversee Workday security roles and user access controls, ensuring compliance with internal policies and data governance standards. Provide mentorship and guidance to analysts and key users to build internal capability and system knowledge. Liaise with Workday support and external vendors as a Named Support Contact to resolve critical issues and coordinate solutions. Qualifications: Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field. 8–10 years of experience in financial systems and, including 5+ years of Workday Financials and Payroll experience. Hands-on experience supporting Workday in a post-production environment. In-depth knowledge of finance operations and payroll compliance requirements. Experience managing system enhancements, release testing, and ongoing functional support. Skills & Competencies: Strong understanding of financial and payroll operations, reporting, and regulatory compliance (e.g., GAAP, tax regulations, payroll cycles). Deep functional expertise with Workday configuration, reporting tools, and security frameworks. Excellent problem-solving, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills. Ability to manage competing priorities and lead issue resolution in a fast-paced environment. Strong analytical skills and attention to data accuracy and integrity. Preferred: Workday certification(s) in Financials and/or Payroll. Experience in a multi-entity, global environment. Familiarity with Workday Adaptive Planning or Prism Analytics. Located in Hyderabad; flexibility to support up to 11:30pm IST or early mornings as needed depending on global team requirements Show more Show less