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Workday Payroll Senior Lead - Emerging Markets

Kainos
Homeworker - USA, United States, United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 19 Mar 2026

About the role

Join Kainos and Shape the Future 

At Kainos, we’re problem solvers, innovators, and collaborators - driven by a shared mission to create real impact. Whether we’re transforming digital services for millions, delivering cutting-edge Workday solutions, or pushing the boundaries of technology, we do it together.


We believe in a people-first culture, where your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and your contributions truly make a difference. Here, you’ll be part of a diverse, ambitious team that celebrates creativity and collaboration.


Ready to make your mark? Join us and be part of something bigger.

Role mission 

Own the payroll delivery and enablement strategy for our Emerging Markets segment – small and mid-sized customers who are newer to Workday and have less complex needs than traditional enterprise clients – with an exclusive focus on Kainos’s accelerated Spark & Grow deployment methodology. Lead implementations, partner with Sales on scoping, and build the playbooks, templates, and accelerators that make delivery for this segment repeatable, scalable, and cost-effective. 

What you'll do — Delivery & client leadership 

  • Lead Workday Payroll implementations for small and mid-sized customers using Kainos’s rapid Spark & Grow methodology, guiding them from discovery through go-live with a focus on rapid, repeatable delivery and high customer satisfaction. 

  • Configure complex payroll calculations; handle scenarios such as multiple positions and multiple FEINs; apply strong knowledge of Workday Payroll and interdependencies with Time Tracking, Absence, and Benefits. 

  • Navigate regulatory and contractual complexity (e.g., tax, garnishments, Common Pay Master, retirement plans, union/CBAs, payroll accounting) across applicable markets. 

 

Sales partnership & scoping 

  • Partner with Sales on qualifying opportunities, running discovery, shaping the solution approach, and producing right-sized estimates/SOW inputs; participate in client-facing demos and orals. 

  • Translate business needs into clear scope, assumptions, risks, and resourcing appropriate for compressed timelines and lean budgets, balancing outcomes with commercial considerations. 

 

Emerging-markets capability building 

  • Establish repeatable delivery by creating and maintaining localization checklists, configuration templates, testing packs, and knowledge articles tailored to smaller customers. 

  • Codify best practices into accelerators that improve quality, predictability, ramp time, and cost-to-serve; measure adoption and iterate. 

 

Operating in Emerging Markets 

  • Manage ambitious timelines through pragmatic, MVP-first approaches, crisp decision logs, and time-boxed design. 

  • Design creative, right-sized solutions that maximize delivered value within tight budget constraints (e.g., templated configurations, phased scope, standard integrations). 

 

Minimum qualifications 

  • 5+ years Workday Payroll implementation experience, including 3+ years leading end-to-end implementations recently with hands-on configuration; certification in at least one Workday Payroll country plus one additional Workday module. 

  • Proven ability to build complex payroll calculations; experience with multiple positions and multiple FEINs. 

  • Deep knowledge of Workday Payroll and interdependencies with Time Tracking, Absence, Benefits; solid understanding of tax/garnishments, Common Pay Master, retirement plans, CBAs/unio

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Company

Kainos

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