Workday Payroll Consultant San Jose, CA

Position: Payroll Manager (Contract)

Location: San Jose, CA (Hybrid – 3 days onsite: Mon, Tue & Thu) [ Hybrid schedule through September (3 days onsite), transitioning to fully remote thereafter]

Duration: July 2026 – March 2027

Client cannot sponsor. - Can do Pass through for Independent Consultants.

Job Summary

Our client is looking for an experienced Payroll Manager to manage end-to-end payroll operations for 1,500+ employees across the U.S. and Australia. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in Workday Payroll, payroll accounting, SOX compliance, payroll tax, and multi-state payroll processing while partnering with HR, Finance, Legal, and IT teams.

Key Responsibilities

Process end-to-end payroll for 1,500+ employees using Workday Payroll

Handle equity transactions and payroll tax withholding

Manage payroll accounting, journal entries, reconciliations, and month/year-end close

Ensure compliance with federal, state, and multi-state payroll tax regulations and SOX controls

Process W-2/W-2c and support payroll audits

Partner with HR, IT, and Finance on Workday enhancements and payroll operations

Manage payroll inquiries, time & attendance, garnishments, and compliance activities

Drive payroll process improvements and leverage AI tools (Claude, Gemini, etc.) for automation and reporting

Required Skills

8+ years of end-to-end payroll experience

Strong hands-on experience with Workday Payroll (Mandatory)

Payroll accounting and General Ledger reconciliation

SOX controls and multi-state payroll tax compliance

Year-end payroll processing (W-2/W-2c) using Workday and ADP SmartCompliance

Advanced Excel/Google Sheets skills

Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities

Preferred Skills

Experience leading or managing a payroll team

Strong payroll automation and process improvement experience

Exposure to AI tools for payroll operations

Important Notes

No extended time off can be approved through March 2027

Hybrid schedule through September (3 days onsite), transitioning to fully remote thereafter

Top Must-Haves

Hands-on Workday Payroll experience (Mandatory)

8+ years of payroll experience in Workday

Payroll accounting, SOX controls, and multi-state payroll expertise