Sr. Management Analyst - Payroll

City of Seattle; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 117,000 - 137,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedule

Benefits package

Job summary

The City of Seattle seeks a Senior Management Analyst-Payroll to lead Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, Absence, and Compensation configurations, ensuring policy compliance and reliable operations.

Role requires coordinating across HR, Payroll, ITD, and various stakeholders to maintain an audit-ready Workday HCM environment and guide decentralized teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, IS, or related field; or equivalent experience.
• 3 years advanced experience with Workday Payroll, Time Tracking or Absence.
• Experience leading complex analysis, testing, or configuration in a large organization.
• Experience interpreting labor or contract pay impacting rules, pay policies, or compliance requirements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills using reporting tools or data analysis.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional work in IT, HR, payroll, or financial environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic system configuration for Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, Absence, and Compensation.
• Translate labor contract requirements into scalable configurations while overseeing processes, integrations, audit controls, and data accuracy.
• Direct requirements gathering, prototyping, analytics-driven performance reviews, and testing governance for Workday updates.
• Conduct root-cause analysis and apply advanced reporting and analytics to detect anomalies and drive improvements.
• Lead cross-functional solution design and citywide readiness with HR, Payroll, ITD, SMEs, developers, reporting analysts, and privacy teams.
• Provide clear communication and backup support for payroll staff while maintaining documentation standards.

Skills

Workday configuration

Analytics

Cross-functional leadership

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Workday modules

EIBs

Reporting tools

Job description

The Office of City Finance (OCF) OCF is responsible for the financial operations of the City of Seattle. While working closely with the City's Budget Office. OCF oversees the City's financial control functions and enterprise reporting responsibilities and supports the goals set by the Mayor and the City Council by providing financial information and expertise. The Office of City Finance champions race and social justice and works progressively to realize the City's vision of racial equity by participating in the Race and Social Justice -RSJ, which requires fostering a relational culture and an openness to learn and apply new ideas and skills through an equity lens.

The OCF is seeking to hire a Senior Management Analyst-Payroll (Sr. MSA) in Payroll serves as the City’s lead functional expert for Workday Time Tracking, Absence, and Payroll, driving enterprise-wide configuration, governance, and operational reliability. This position is responsible for evaluating system performance, interpreting complex labor contracts affecting pay, coordinating cross department payroll operations, and ensuring timely, accurate, compliant compensation for City employees.

This role provides advanced functional analysis, leads design and testing for Workday updates, manages enterprise payroll, time and attendance and absence inputs for configuration, and partners closely with HR, Payroll, ITD, and departmental stakeholders across the organization. It provides influential leadership, training, and project guidance across decentralized teams and plays a critical role in maintaining a stable, audit ready Workday Human Capital Management (HCM) environment.

• Lead strategic system configuration, governance, and performance evaluations for Workday Payroll, Time Tracking, Absence, and Compensation, ensuring alignment with policy, labor standards, and compliance requirements.
• Translate complex labor contract requirements into scalable, compliant system configurations while overseeing business processes, integrations, retro processing, audit controls, and payroll-related EIB data accuracy.
• Direct requirements gathering, prototyping, analytics-driven performance reviews, and testing governance for Workday configuration updates, releases, and weekly service changes to enhance usability, reliability, and efficiency.
• Conduct root-cause analysis and apply advanced reporting and analytics to detect anomalies, identify trends, support audits, and drive system improvements across payroll and HCM functions.
• Lead cross-functional solution design, stakeholder alignment, and citywide readiness efforts through coordination with HR, Payroll, Information Technology (ITD), Workday Subject Matter Expert (SMEs), developers, reporting analysts, and privacy/security teams.
• Provide clear communication, operational continuity, and issue resolution for decentralized departmental payroll teams while maintaining documentation standards and serving as backup support for payroll staff and leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Information Systems, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3 years advanced experience supporting or configuring Workday Payroll, Time Tracking or Absence.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex analysis, testing, or configuration work in a large organization.
• Experience interpreting labor or complex contract pay impacting rules, pay policies, or compliance requirements.
• Robust analytical and problem-solving skills using reporting tools or data analysis.
• Experience coordinating cross functional work in IT, HR, payroll, or financial environments.

(Or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class.)

While not required, the desired qualifications below reflect the experience, skills, and abilities that support effective performance in this role.

• Workday HCM certification(s) or equivalent experience.
• Experience supporting public‑sector payroll operations and process development and mapping.
• Experience with multi‑union environments and complex labor contract interpretation.
• Familiarity with enterprise testing governance or release management.
• Experience developing Workday dashboards, custom reports, orEnterprise Interface Builder(EIBs).

PAY
This civil-service position is classified as a Management Systems Analyst, Senior(Sr. MSA). The full pay range for this step‑progression position is $56.23 to $65.54 per hour. New employees begin at Step 1 of the pay progression, which is $56.23 hourly. Current City employees’ starting rate of pay will be based on Personnel Rules regarding promotions.

Work Environment

This position offers the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule . Employees are expected to be in‑office three days per week. Individual schedules will be based on agreement between the employee and their supervisor and are subject to change. Collaborative, inclusive team environment.

PLEASE NOTE:This job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Background Check:Applicants must successfully pass a background check, which will be conducted in accordance with Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17. Applicants will be given a chance to explain or correct background information and provide verifiable information of good conduct and rehabilitation.

Why work at the City of Seattle?

The City of Seattle recognizes every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. Our culture is the result of our behavior, our personal commitments, and the ways that we courageously share our perspectives and encourage others to do the same. To cultivate an antiracist culture, we seek employees who will engage in the Race and Social Justice Initiative by working to dismantle racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and provide equitable processes and services.

Benefits

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holidays, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long‑term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits.

Who May Apply

This position is open to all applicants that meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The city encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experience.