Senior Workday Analyst - HCM and Absence

Workday HCM & Absence SME

Location: London, United Kingdom Type: Permanent, Full-time Work Pattern: Hybrid (3 days per week onsite)

About the Company Our client is a large enterprise organisation currently investing in the optimisation and maturity of its Workday platform following a complex legacy setup. The business is focused on simplifying processes, improving user experience, and maximising the value of Workday through best-practice configuration and scalable system design. This role sits within a broader HR systems transformation programme and offers the opportunity to play a key role in shaping how core HCM and Absence processes are delivered across the organisation.

Why This Role Matters Lead the optimisation and continuous improvement of Workday HCM and Absence Drive standardisation and simplification across HR processes Support the organisation’s “adopt rather than adapt” Workday strategy Improve automation, user experience, and operational efficiency Partner with stakeholders across HR and the wider business to deliver scalable solutions Key Responsibilities Act as the SME for Workday HCM and Absence modules Manage system maintenance, enhancements, upgrades, and change requests Configure and optimise business processes, security, and module functionality Support the delivery of continuous improvement initiatives across Workday Develop and maintain the roadmap for HCM and Absence enhancements Maximise automation opportunities and reduce off-system processes Identify opportunities to simplify or redesign processes to improve user experience Facilitate workshops and demonstrations both virtually and onsite Gather feedback from end users and stakeholders across the business Assess change impacts in line with governance processes and risk controls Support testing activities for releases, upgrades, and new functionality Manage escalations, incidents, and ticket resolution in line with SLAs Configure and maintain HCM and Absence reporting Support training materials including user guides, FAQs, demos, and knowledge content Utilise Workday Community and Success Plans to remain aligned to best practice and market trends Who We Are Looking For Essential Strong experience supporting and optimising Workday HCM and Absence Strong understanding of core HR processes and integrations with payroll and external systems Experience configuring Workday business processes and security Experience engaging with stakeholders across multiple levels of an organisation Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Experience working within complex or multinational organisations Experience supporting large-scale Workday environments and transformation initiatives Ability to identify opportunities for simplification and continuous improvement Strong communication and stakeholder management capability Desirable Experience supporting organisational change, restructuring, or divestiture activity within Workday Experience across multi-business or international Workday deployments Exposure to Workday consulting, innovation, or advanced configuration work Workday Pro certification in HCM and/or Absence (attained or in progress) Additional Information Hybrid working with 3 days per week onsite in London Long-live role, therefore candidates must confirm they have not previously applied Right to represent required prior to submission Hiring Process Initial screening conversation Interview process with HR Systems and business stakeholders Final stage discussions with senior leadership teams