The Workday Compensation Principal Consultant is a senior functional consultant responsible for leading the design, configuration, and delivery of Workday Compensation solutions. Acting as a trusted advisor, this individual helps organisations optimise their compensation strategies, reward programmes, and workforce planning processes while ensuring solutions align with business objectives and Workday leading practices. The Principal Consultant combines deep Compensation expertise with delivery leadership, pre-sales support, and mentoring responsibilities. They work closely with clients to design scalable compensation solutions, lead complex project workstreams, and support the growth of the Workday practice through knowledge sharing and thought leadership.

Responsibilities

Serve as a Workday Compensation subject matter expert, providing guidance on compensation strategy, reward programmes, and Workday best practices. Lead client workshops and design sessions to define Workday Compensation solutions aligned to business requirements. Design and configure Workday Compensation functionality, including compensation plans, compensation cycles, eligibility rules, merit increases, bonuses, and stock-based compensation processes. Advise clients on compensation programme design, governance, and process optimisation. Lead Compensation workstreams on medium to large Workday implementations, managing solution decisions, risks, and dependencies. Partner with HCM, Talent, Recruiting, Benefits, Payroll, Reporting, Security, Integrations, and Change Management teams to deliver integrated solutions. Support testing, deployment, cutover, and post-go-live transition activities. Provide guidance on compensation review cycles, budgeting, workforce planning, and manager self-service processes. Mentor consultants and analysts, providing coaching, quality reviews, and functional leadership. Support business development activities including solutioning, estimations, proposals, demonstrations, and customer presentations. Contribute to practice development through internal training, asset creation, methodology enhancements, and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Maintain expertise in Workday Compensation functionality, market trends, and product innovations. Skills &

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. Active Workday Compensation Certification required. Additional Workday certifications in HCM, Advanced Compensation, Benefits, or Talent are desirable. 5+ years of Workday implementation experience. Proven experience leading Workday Compensation workstreams on end-to-end implementations. Deep functional expertise in compensation processes, salary planning, merit reviews, bonus programmes, equity administration, and workforce reward strategies.

Experience

gathering requirements, facilitating workshops, solution design, configuration, testing, and deployment.

Experience

supporting pre-sales activities including estimations, proposals, and solution presentations. Strong consulting, stakeholder management, facilitation, and communication skills. Ability to mentor team members and provide functional leadership across projects. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced consulting environment. Eligible for SC Clearance - you must have been a UK resident for the last five years and be legally entitled to work in the UK. Minimal travel required, but must be willing to travel on-site as needed. #LI-Remote 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. Cognizant (Nasdaq-100: CTSH) engineers modern businesses. As one of the world’s leading professional services companies, we help our clients modernize technology, reimagine processes and transform experiences so they can stay ahead in our fast changing world. Together, we’re improving everyday life. Founded in 1994 as a technology development arm of The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, we were spun off as an independent company in 1996, and have worked closely with large organizations to help them build stronger businesses ever since. Today, Cognizant engineers modern businesses to improve everyday life, helping some of the world’s most established companies remain the most loved brands. In today’s fast-changing technology landscape, we work with our clients to advance every aspect of how they serve their customers: digitizing their products, services and customer experiences; automating their business processes; and modernizing their technology infrastructures. Cognizant’s Workday practice was formed in 2020 through the acquisition of Collaborative Solutions, a leading global finance and HR transformation consultancy. Our 1,700+ experts provide full lifecycle services—advisory, deployment, and post-production—using our proven, proprietary tools. With headquarters in the US and a rapidly expanding footprint that extends from India and China to Europe, North America, South America and the Middle East, we’re committed to building digital talent all around the globe so everyone can benefit from the full spectrum of human ingenuity. We collaborate locally with clients, in person and in their local languages. We believe that the opportunity presented by technology has never been greater, and because of that opportunity, Cognizant will continue to work with clients to modernize their businesses, making everyday life even better for them, their customers and the communities they serve. Our Commitment to Inclusion: Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Accommodations: If you have a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening or submit an application, please email CareersNA2@cognizant.com with your request and contact information. Notice of E-Verify Participation Right To Work poster Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision Cognizant EEO Policy