Workday Absence and Time Tracking (Continuous Value Services) Principal Consultant

Cognizant; United States; On-site; USD 109,000 - 144,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance

Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off

401(k) plan and contributions

Long-term/Short-term Disability

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking a Workday Absence & Time Tracking Principal Consultant to guide clients through post-production Workday implementations and ongoing optimization. You will collaborate with clients to understand needs, design configurations, and share best practices across functional teams.

You will mentor junior consultants, drive project decisions, manage multiple client engagements, and support business development while ensuring updates align with production tolerances and client success.

Qualifications

• Experience gathering requirements, designing, prototyping, testing, and deploying Workday solutions.
• Subject Matter Expert in Workday Absence & Time Tracking.
• Proactive problem-solving abilities with the capability to identify issues, analyze options, and implement effective solutions.
• Passion for exceptional client service.
• Proven experience managing multiple clients simultaneously, balancing competing priorities, and delivering consistent results.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to manage client expectations and convey complex information.
• Commitment to staying current with Workday updates and best practices through ongoing training.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Current Workday certification in HCM Core or Absence preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identify strategies, risks, and options while recommending approaches to meet client requirements.
• Configure and test with vendors to ensure no impact to production environments.
• Manage multiple tasks under limited direction and keep stakeholders updated.
• Become a Workday functional expert across multiple areas.
• Mentor fellow consultants and analysts, including shadow assignments.
• Drive the project by making decisions and promoting best practices.
• Meet utilization goals and contribute to post-production initiatives.
• Participate in update training and share knowledge within the organization.
• Execute day-to-day Workday projects, process design, and lifecycle support.
• Support business development activities such as proposals and pursuits.
• Additional duties as assigned by manager.

Skills

Requirements gathering

Workday Absence & Time Tracking

Client relationship management

Problem solving

Communication & presentation

Mentoring & knowledge sharing

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Workday certification

Job description

As a Workday Absence & Time Tracking Principal Consultant (Continuous Value Services), you will play a crucial role in guiding clients through every phase of their post-production Workday. Your expertise will be essential in ensuring a seamless transition and continued success in leveraging Workday’s capabilities. You will collaborate closely with clients to understand their unique needs, provide strategic guidance, and ensure that the Workday solutions implemented are fully optimized. Additionally, you will work alongside other functional teams to deliver effective configurations, offer best practices, and provide continuous support throughout the project lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Identify strategies, risks, and options while recommending approaches and mitigations to meet client/functional requirements.
• Work alongside the other functional teams and vendors to configure and test to ensure no impact to their production environment.
• Perform multiple tasks under limited direction, while regularly keeping the client, your project team, and your Engagement Manager abreast of changes or progress related to the project.
• Become a Workday functional expert with deep knowledge of current functionality, design concepts, and touch points across multiple functional areas
• Act as a mentor to fellow consultants and analysts, including providing support for shadow assignments.
• Drive the project or ticket by driving decisions and recommending best practices related to functionality.
• Meet utilization goals and contribute to the post-production internal initiatives to help drive client success and efficiencies.
• Actively participate in update training and internal opportunities to share one’s skills and learnings with others within the organization.
• Execute the day-to-day activities of Workday project or tickets for a variety of clients including process design, package implementation lifecycle support, and project reviews.
• Support business development activities such as identification, proposal development, and other pursuit activities.
• Additional duties as assigned by manager.

Skills & Requirements

• Experience gathering requirements, designing, prototyping, testing, and deploying solutions to meet client requirements.
• Subject Matter Expertise in the respective functional area.
• Proactive problem-solving abilities with the capability to identify issues, analyze options, and implement effective solutions.
• Passion for exceptional client service.
• Proven experience managing multiple clients simultaneously, balancing competing priorities, and delivering consistent results.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively manage client expectations and clearly convey complex information to clients and team members.
• Commitment to staying current with Workday updates, trends, and best practices through ongoing training and development.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Current Workday certification in HCM Core, Absence and Time Tracking highly preferred or prior Workday experience in HCM and Absence
• Minimal travel required, but must be willing to travel on-site if needed

Salary And Other Compensation

Applications will be accepted until 11/25/2026 The annual salary for this position is between $109,459 - $144,424 depending on the experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program , based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

Why Choose Cognizant

• Entrepreneurial environment that welcomes your ideas
• Opportunity to do great work
• Outreach programs that support communities and tap into your volunteer spirit
• Learning opportunities to help current needs and advancement
• Global operations, with opportunities in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific
• An abundance of Affinity groups to meet your needs

Cognizant Core Values

• Work as One: We think beyond roles, relying on each other’s strengths to win as a team.
• Raise the Bar: We always aim for excellence in how we work and what we deliver.
• Dare to Innovate: We push boundaries and take chances to reimagine what’s possible.
• Do the Right Thing: We all lead with integrity and always make the ethical choice.
• Own It: We own the outcomes for our company, colleagues, and community.