Job description

The Team + The Role Pendo's People organization builds and supports the systems and processes that power the employee lifecycle. The team partners across People and Recruiting to ensure our HCM infrastructure runs smoothly and can scale with the company. As a Workday Systems Engineer, you'll own and evolve Workday as a core part of Pendo's HCM infrastructure. You'll manage configuration across key Workday modules, translate People and Recruiting requirements into scalable solutions, and maintain the reporting, security, integrations, and processes that keep the platform reliable. This role sits at the intersection of HR and technology, requiring a strong understanding of both People processes and the technical configuration behind them. This role is based in our Raleigh or New York City office. What this looks like day-to-day Workday platform ownership: Serve as the primary systems owner for Workday, managing configuration across HCM, Advanced Compensation, Time Tracking, and Time & Attendance. Maintain and evolve the platform as business needs change. People and Recruiting partnership: Partner directly with Recruiting and the broader People organization to understand business requirements and translate them into scalable Workday solutions. Balance stakeholder needs with sustainable system configuration. Open Enrollment: Lead or support annual Open Enrollment configuration, testing, and go-live activities. Help ensure Workday is configured and ready to support the enrollment process. Compensation cycles: Manage Workday setup for compensation cycles, including merit, bonus, and equity review processes. Support the configuration needed to run these programs effectively. System reliability and security: Troubleshoot Workday issues, manage security configurations, and maintain data integrity across integrations. Investigate problems and drive them through resolution. Reporting and analytics: Build and maintain reports, dashboards, and calculated fields that support People organization reporting needs. Translate reporting requirements into reliable Workday solutions. Workday releases: Evaluate new Workday releases and features to understand their potential impact and value. Recommend adoption where new capabilities benefit the business. Documentation and enablement: Document Workday processes and configurations and help HR team members understand system capabilities. Provide training that enables partners to use the platform effectively. Vendor and partner management: Manage relationships with Workday support and third-party implementation partners. Coordinate with external resources when additional expertise or support is required. Who You Are Beyond the qualifications, we hire through a specific lens. These aren't buzzwords; they're the things we'll actually look for in how you talk about your work. You're a builder, not a maintainer. You're most energized when there isn't a clear path yet, and you get to define it. You don't wait for direction; you identify gaps, shape solutions, and drive them forward. At Pendo, great Workday Systems Engineers don't just follow instructions; they operate as strategic advisors, influencing decisions, guiding stakeholders, and elevating how we work. You're AI-curious - genuinely. You're not using AI tools occasionally. You're rewiring how you work around them. You're faster, sharper, and more prolific because of it, and you bring that energy to everything — how you approach your work, how you prep, how you communicate, how you think. We want someone who sees AI as a multiplier, not a shortcut. Must-haves 3+ years of hands-on Workday experience, ideally spanning HCM, Advanced Compensation, Time Tracking, and Time & Attendance. Experience configuring Workday business processes, security roles, and reporting capabilities, including calculated fields and custom reports. Experience partnering directly with HR, People, and Recruiting stakeholders to translate business needs into technical solutions. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to own ambiguous, cross-functional projects. Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain technical Workday configurations clearly to non-technical partners. Nice-to-haves Experience with Workday integrations, including EIBs, Studio, or Core Connectors. Workday Pro certification or certifications. About Pendo Pendo was founded in 2013 by former product managers, who combined their heads and hearts to build something they wanted but never had as product managers: a simple way to understand and attack what truly drives product success. Our mission is to improve society's experience with software. Come join one of the fastest-growing startups, supported by best-in-class institutions like Battery Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, Spark Capital and Meritech. Pendo Core Values: Bias to Act, Hone Your Craft, The Team is Pendo, and Maniacal Focus. Location: Pendo is a hybrid culture. In-office 3 days per week unless designated remote. Compensation: The expected salary range for this role to be performed in the United States is USD $102,000 - $140,000. EEOC: We are an equal opportunity employer and believe having diverse teams where everyone brings their whole self to Pendo is key to our success. We welcome all people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Accessibility: Pendo is committed to working with, and providing access and reasonable accommodation to, applicants with mental and/or physical disabilities. If you think you may require an accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, please send a request to: accommodation@pendo.io. All requests for accommodations are treated discreetly and confidentially, as practical and permitted by law.

Requirements

Must-haves

The Team + The Role
What this looks like day-to-day
Open Enrollment: Lead or support annual Open Enrollment configuration, testing, and go-live activities. Help ensure Workday is configured and ready to support the enrollment process.
System reliability and security: Troubleshoot Workday issues, manage security configurations, and maintain data integrity across integrations. Investigate problems and drive them through resolution.
Reporting and analytics: Build and maintain reports, dashboards, and calculated fields that support People organization reporting needs. Translate reporting requirements into reliable Workday solutions.
Workday releases: Evaluate new Workday releases and features to understand their potential impact and value. Recommend adoption where new capabilities benefit the business.
Documentation and enablement: Document Workday processes and configurations and help HR team members understand system capabilities. Provide training that enables partners to use the platform effectively.
Vendor and partner management: Manage relationships with Workday support and third-party implementation partners. Coordinate with external resources when additional expertise or support is required.
Beyond the qualifications, we hire through a specific lens. These aren't buzzwords; they're the things we'll actually look for in how you talk about your work.
You're a builder, not a maintainer.
You're AI-curious - genuinely.
3+ years of hands-on Workday experience, ideally spanning HCM, Advanced Compensation, Time Tracking, and Time & Attendance.
Experience configuring Workday business processes, security roles, and reporting capabilities, including calculated fields and custom reports.
Experience partnering directly with HR, People, and Recruiting stakeholders to translate business needs into technical solutions.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to own ambiguous, cross-functional projects.
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain technical Workday configurations clearly to non-technical partners.

Nice-to-haves

Compensation cycles: Manage Workday setup for compensation cycles, including merit, bonus, and equity review processes. Support the configuration needed to run these programs effectively.
Experience with Workday integrations, including EIBs, Studio, or Core Connectors.
Workday Pro certification or certifications.

Application prep

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