Senior HRIS (Workday) Analyst

GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401K

Paid Holidays

PTO

Education Tuition Discount

Job summary

Grand Canyon Education is seeking a Senior HRIS Analyst to lead Workday configuration, develop technical requirements, and map end-to-end HR processes. You will serve as a subject matter expert on Workday, influencing system design and security across the organization, and guiding upgrades and enhancements.

You will collaborate with payroll, recruiting, benefits, and IT teams to implement process improvements, create reports, test new releases, and document results.

Qualifications

• 7+ years Workday experience in HCM modules (Compensation, Absence, Timekeeping, Talent, Benefits).
• Experience leading complex Workday projects and upgrades.
• Ability to document configuration requirements and map HR processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead Workday configuration and system enhancements.
• Oversee upgrades, test plans, and validation activities.
• Collaborate with payroll, recruiting, benefits, and IT teams on system improvements.

Skills

Workday configuration

Project leadership

Business-process mapping

Test planning

Security & access

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Workday

Job description

Grand Canyon Education (GCE) is a rapidly growing educational service company that has long been an industry leader in providing educational, operational and technological support services to the post-secondary education sector. Formerly part of Grand Canyon University (GCU), GCE still works closely with GCU to benefit thousands of students, families and the local inner-city community. We put people first, drive innovation, and do good in the community that we live and work in.

The Senior HRIS Analyst will be responsible for a broad range of activities, including configuring the HRIS system (Workday), developing and documenting technical configuration requirements based on business needs, and mapping end-to-end business processes supported by system configurations. The role provides technical expertise for assigned projects and functional areas, analyzes current processes, and recommends improvements. The Senior HRIS Analyst also implements best practices and system enhancements to support internal customers, business strategies, and operational goals, including proactively reviewing existing configurations to ensure alignment with industry standards and emerging best practices.

What You Will Do

Knowledge and Expertise:

• Serve as a Workday configuration Subject Matter Expert with deep knowledge of current functionality and capabilities, including business processes, integrations, and security.
• Leads highly technical, specialized, and complex projects.
• Oversee the implementation of system upgrades and enhancements, as well as the design of system test plans and test scenarios.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on Workday capabilities for the institution, client groups, and individuals with a focus on product and service development, delivery, and support, and applying key technologies.
• Stay informed about trends in information systems training, materials, and techniques through the Workday Community and other sources to continually enhance both HR knowledge and HRIS application/tools knowledge.

Projects/Process Improvement

• Recommend and implement process/user experience improvements, as well as innovative solutions.
• Serve as a key liaison with internal customers (e.g., payroll, recruiting, benefits, compensation, and other departments).
• Use project management skills in managing projects.

System Maintenance

• Assist in reviewing, testing, and implementing HCM upgrades or patches.
• Collaborate with functional and technical staff to coordinate the application of the upgrade or fix.
• Document process and results.
• Assists in the maintenance of the HRIS helpdesk tickets and ensures resolution to all tickets in a timely manner.
• Lead and/or participate in the review, testing, and implementation of Workday releases and communicate the potential benefit of these features to stakeholders.

Reports/Queries

• Write, maintain, and support a variety of reports or queries using appropriate reporting tools.
• Assist in developing standard reports to meet ongoing customer needs.
• Help maintain data integrity in systems by running queries and analyzing data.

On Deck for 2026: Optimizing modules such as Time Tracking, Absence, Integrations, and Security.

What You Will Have Experience and Skills

• Must have 7+ years of Workday experience with demonstrated experience in the design and hands on configuration of Workday HCM, including Compensation, Absence, Timekeeping, Talent, and Benefits modules.
• Experience should include systems implementations, integrations, complex reporting, and project management.
• At least 2 years should be in a senior or lead-level role, in which you managed the full life cycle of projects.
• Project experience in a technical or techno-functional role on one or more HR ERP implementations.

Pace and Style

This position requires a proactive, solutions-oriented individual with strong problem-solving skills with a high level of initiative. You will act as a customer- focused HRIS consultant, working closely with internal client groups to understand business needs, ask the right questions, and deliver solutions that prioritize the end-user experience. As a confident subject matter expert, you will collaborate across departments, including IT, Compliance, and HR, effectively influencing and facilitating communication between business and technical teams. The role also requires the ability to manage multiple high-priority tasks, adapt to shifting priorities, and consistently meet deadlines.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline, such as Human Resources, Information Systems, or similar, from a regionally accredited institution.
• An equivalent combination of education and related work experience may be substituted, subject to the hiring supervisor’s approval.

Collaborative Approach

Although we offer autonomy, we are seeking individuals who enjoy sharing ideas, working as part of a team, bringing knowledge to those who will benefit career-wise, and helping our internal HR clients understand the rationale behind our work. It is expected that you may not have all the answers immediately but you must be resourceful, proactive, and persistent in finding solutions and delivering results.

Why Work at GCE

• Exceptional workplace benefits include medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, a 401K savings plan
• Generous time off plan and 11 paid holidays
• Paid time off to volunteer in the community or at GCU sponsored events
• Free covered parking

We also offer full-time employees, their spouses, and dependent children an Education Tuition Discount Program #INDLOPESUP

At Grand Canyon Education, it is our privilege to serve students and those who support academic advancement. We lead educational transformation by developing superior ways to help schools grow and prosper. We provide transparent programs, intuitive online learning technologies and well-established academic models that promote student success and institutional growth.

Employment is contingent upon the satisfactory outcome (as determined by the university) of pre-employment screening activities, including a background check.

Our partner in education, Grand Canyon University, is Arizona’s premier private Christian university. GCU serves traditional and online students by offering quality academic degree programs, experienced leadership and transformative learning experiences both on our growing campus and digitally.