Workday Payroll Consultant San Jose, CA

Job Overview

Job Description

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