Workday Platform & Governance Owner - Workday SME
Guardian Life, Holmdel, NJ, United States
Position Summary
The
Workday Platform & Governance Owner
serves as the technical subject matter expert (SME) and governance authority for the Workday ecosystem supporting 10,000+ employees.
This role is responsible for tenant management, security administration, production change control, configuration standards, and complex cross-module configuration within Workday.
This position operates within IT, operating within a structured HRIS (functional design) and HRIT (technical delivery) model. This role ensures Workday remains secure, architecturally aligned, compliant, and technically optimized. While HRIT Engineers own module delivery, this role serves as the enterprise technical SME across all Workday domains and provides hands-on configuration for complex or cross-functional initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
Enterprise Technical SME (All Workday Modules)
Serve as the senior technical authority across:
Core HCM
Position Management & Job Management
Benefits
Compensation & Advanced Compensation
Recruiting
Talent Management
Workday Learning
Payroll
Time Tracking & Absence
Security
Integrations (EIB, Core Connectors, APIs, Studio fundamentals)
Responsibilities include advising HRIT engineers on complex configuration design, new releases, AI agents and new functionality, validating cross-module impacts, supporting troubleshooting of high-severity issues, and mentoring team members on advanced configuration practices.
Hands-On Configuration Responsibilities
Configure complex cross-domain business processes
Design and implement advanced security groups and domain policies
Configure complex eligibility rules and condition logic
Support advanced compensation cycle setup
Configure complex Position Management structures
Build enterprise-impact calculated fields
Support integration troubleshooting
Perform configuration clean-up and technical debt remediation
Tenant Management & Environment Governance
Create and Maintain Tenant Management Plan
Oversee all Workday tenants (Production, Sandbox, Dev, Preview)
Coordinate sandbox refresh schedules
Enforce Dev ? Test ? Prod migration controls
Approve production configuration migrations
Oversee release preview cycles
Maintain production access governance
Support emergency change management
Lead governance processes, including prioritization of enhancements, upgrades and releases.
Establish and enforce technical and application change management standards, ensuring compliance with documentation and audit requirements
Security & Access Governance
Maintain enterprise Workday security model
Monitor and remediate segregation of duties (SOD) conflicts
Conduct periodic security reviews
Review elevated access requests
Partner with IT Security and Audit teams
Production Change Control & CAB Leadership
Chair Workday Change Advisory Board (CAB) for Intake and Demand
Review cross-module impact of proposed changes
Validate testing documentation prior to approval
Maintain structured change control records
Required Qualifications
7-10 years HRIS experience
5+ years advanced hands-on Workday configuration
Workday Pro Certifications
Deep expertise across all major Workday modules
Strong Position Management and Job Management experience
Experience designing and maintaining security architecture
Strong understanding of SOD and audit controls
Experience operating within a multi-tenant governance model
Location:
Three days a week at a Guardian office in New York, NY, Holmdel, NJ or Stanford, CT>
Salary Range:
$152,290.00 - $250,195.00
The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.
Our Promise
At Guardian, you'll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals. Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.
Inspire Well-Being
As part of Guardian's Purpose - to inspire well-being - we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits .
Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.
Accommodations
Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact MyHR@glic.com. Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.
Visa Sponsorship
Guardian is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant. you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.
Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.
Every day, Guardian helps our 29 million customers realize their dreams through a range of insurance and financial products and services. Our Purpose, to inspire well-being, guides our dedication to the colleagues, consumers, and communities we serve. We know that people count, and we go above and beyond to prepare them for the life they want to live, focusing on their overall well-being - mind, body, and wallet. As one of the largest mutual insurance companies, we put our customers first. Behind every bright future is a GuardianTM. Learn more about Guardian at guardianlife.com .
Visa Sponsorship:
Guardian Life is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant, you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.
The
Workday Platform & Governance Owner
serves as the technical subject matter expert (SME) and governance authority for the Workday ecosystem supporting 10,000+ employees.
This role is responsible for tenant management, security administration, production change control, configuration standards, and complex cross-module configuration within Workday.
This position operates within IT, operating within a structured HRIS (functional design) and HRIT (technical delivery) model. This role ensures Workday remains secure, architecturally aligned, compliant, and technically optimized. While HRIT Engineers own module delivery, this role serves as the enterprise technical SME across all Workday domains and provides hands-on configuration for complex or cross-functional initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
Enterprise Technical SME (All Workday Modules)
Serve as the senior technical authority across:
Core HCM
Position Management & Job Management
Benefits
Compensation & Advanced Compensation
Recruiting
Talent Management
Workday Learning
Payroll
Time Tracking & Absence
Security
Integrations (EIB, Core Connectors, APIs, Studio fundamentals)
Responsibilities include advising HRIT engineers on complex configuration design, new releases, AI agents and new functionality, validating cross-module impacts, supporting troubleshooting of high-severity issues, and mentoring team members on advanced configuration practices.
Hands-On Configuration Responsibilities
Configure complex cross-domain business processes
Design and implement advanced security groups and domain policies
Configure complex eligibility rules and condition logic
Support advanced compensation cycle setup
Configure complex Position Management structures
Build enterprise-impact calculated fields
Support integration troubleshooting
Perform configuration clean-up and technical debt remediation
Tenant Management & Environment Governance
Create and Maintain Tenant Management Plan
Oversee all Workday tenants (Production, Sandbox, Dev, Preview)
Coordinate sandbox refresh schedules
Enforce Dev ? Test ? Prod migration controls
Approve production configuration migrations
Oversee release preview cycles
Maintain production access governance
Support emergency change management
Lead governance processes, including prioritization of enhancements, upgrades and releases.
Establish and enforce technical and application change management standards, ensuring compliance with documentation and audit requirements
Security & Access Governance
Maintain enterprise Workday security model
Monitor and remediate segregation of duties (SOD) conflicts
Conduct periodic security reviews
Review elevated access requests
Partner with IT Security and Audit teams
Production Change Control & CAB Leadership
Chair Workday Change Advisory Board (CAB) for Intake and Demand
Review cross-module impact of proposed changes
Validate testing documentation prior to approval
Maintain structured change control records
Required Qualifications
7-10 years HRIS experience
5+ years advanced hands-on Workday configuration
Workday Pro Certifications
Deep expertise across all major Workday modules
Strong Position Management and Job Management experience
Experience designing and maintaining security architecture
Strong understanding of SOD and audit controls
Experience operating within a multi-tenant governance model
Location:
Three days a week at a Guardian office in New York, NY, Holmdel, NJ or Stanford, CT>
Salary Range:
$152,290.00 - $250,195.00
The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.
Our Promise
At Guardian, you'll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals. Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.
Inspire Well-Being
As part of Guardian's Purpose - to inspire well-being - we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits .
Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.
Accommodations
Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact MyHR@glic.com. Please note: this resource is for accommodation requests only. For all other inquires related to your application and careers at Guardian, refer to the Guardian Careers site.
Visa Sponsorship
Guardian is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant. you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.
Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.
Every day, Guardian helps our 29 million customers realize their dreams through a range of insurance and financial products and services. Our Purpose, to inspire well-being, guides our dedication to the colleagues, consumers, and communities we serve. We know that people count, and we go above and beyond to prepare them for the life they want to live, focusing on their overall well-being - mind, body, and wallet. As one of the largest mutual insurance companies, we put our customers first. Behind every bright future is a GuardianTM. Learn more about Guardian at guardianlife.com .
Visa Sponsorship:
Guardian Life is not currently or in the foreseeable future sponsoring employment visas. In order to be a successful applicant, you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, without the need for employer sponsorship.