Workday Solutions Analyst

Description:

Job Description Summary:

About Information Technology:The integration of advanced technology throughout all levels of study is ubiquitous across universities – it facilitates digital transformations and ultimately shapes the future of higher education.

At Samuel Merritt University (SMU), our legacy is built on technology. The department of Information Technology (IT) not only acknowledges but wholeheartedly supports this opportunity to drive our community's advancement in technology and innovation. In order to foster collaboration in the areas of teaching and learning, student success, research and scholarship, service and outreach, and administrative operations – we implement value-driven strategic solutions and support new technologies with enhanced security in an increasingly remote space.

Along the way, IT strives to meet global challenges that require us to turn inward, unveiling a shared vision of empathetic leadership, accountability, and exceptional customer-centric services that fully support and empower our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the vision and mission of SMU.

The Workday Solutions Analyst provides expert-level support and administration of the institution's Workday platform, with primary focus on the HCM suite and enterprise platform capabilities. This role is responsible for the full platform lifecycle — business process configuration, reporting, integrations, and change management — ensuring that Workday serves the needs of Human Resources, PATT, Finance, Procurement and administrative units across the university.

A secondary responsibility of this role includes supporting Workday Student, collaborating with Registrar, Financial Aid, and Student Services offices to maintain core student-facing functionality. The successful candidate will bring deep Workday platform expertise and a working familiarity with how student business processes intersect with HCM and broader enterprise data.

This position requires in-depth knowledge of higher education business processes, strong communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences, and a customer-centric mindset oriented towards students, faculty, and staff.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Responsibilities: 

• Workday Platform — Core Responsibilities (90%)
• Business Process & Configuration (35%)
• Configure and modify Workday business processes based on functional design, institutional policy, and business decisions
• Evaluate enhancement requests from functional areas, design solutions, and deploy configurations on the Workday platform
• Serve as a subject matter expert for Workday HCM modules including Core HR, Payroll, Benefits, Recruiting, Talent, and Learning
• Lead and participate in discovery sessions with functional area stakeholders to gather requirements and translate them into platform solutions
• Communicate issues, bugs, and configuration problems with Workday Support; manage tickets through to resolution
• Investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve escalated Level 2/3 platform issues in partnership with functional teams

Reporting & Analytics (25%)

• Create, maintain, schedule, and deliver Workday reports to end users across academic and administrative departments
• Build custom reports, dashboards, and embedded analytics using Workday Report Writer, BIRT, and Workday Prism Analytics
• Gather reporting requirements from stakeholders, prototype solutions, and deploy to production
• Develop calculated fields and complex report logic to meet institutional data needs
• Advise team members and stakeholders on report design best practices and data accuracy

Integrations (20%)

• Support new integration development and maintain existing integrations between Workday and campus systems (HR, Finance, Identity Management, third-party vendors)
• Build and maintain integrations using Workday Studio and Workday-delivered Connectors (e.g., Benefits, Payroll, banking, OCR)
• Coordinate with IT infrastructure and third-party vendors to diagnose and resolve integration issues
• Document integration specifications, data maps, and operational runbooks

Release Management & Platform Optimization (10%)

• Proactively monitor Workday bi-annual feature releases, weekly patches, and the Workday Community
• Coordinate planning, regression testing, and change management for all functional area users around semi-annual releases
• Evaluate new platform features and recommend adoption strategies to maximize institutional value
• Contribute to a strategic Workday roadmap in alignment with IT and institutional priorities
• Serve as project lead on configuration and enhancement initiatives, managing scope and delivery from design through deployment

Workday Student — Secondary Responsibilities (10%)

• Provide support for Workday Student module functions including advising, academic records, registration, and financial aid
• Partner with the Registrar, Financial Aid, and Student Services offices to configure and maintain student business processes
• Assist with testing and deployment of Workday Student updates, ensuring continuity of student-facing services
• Support integration touchpoints between Workday Student and HCM (e.g., student employment, work-study)
• Participate in cross-functional working groups addressing student lifecycle processes within Workday

Training, Documentation & Other Duties

• Develop user procedures, guidelines, and training materials for Workday end users across the institution
• Deliver or support end-user training sessions in coordination with functional areas and HR Learning & Development
• Maintain thorough documentation of configurations, integrations, business processes, and system changes
• Proactively pursue Workday professional development, certifications, and Workday Community engagement
• Perform additional duties as assigned in support of IT strategic goals

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an analytical, business, or technology-related field; or equivalent training and experience
• 2+ years of professional experience administering the Workday platform (HCM, business process configuration, and/or reporting)
• Demonstrated knowledge of higher education business processes in HR, Finance, or administrative operations
• Experience with Workday reporting tools (Report Writer, calculated fields, dashboards)
• Experience capturing requirements and documenting business processes
• Ability to analyze business operations and translate institutional needs into effective Workday solutions
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills; ability to manage multiple concurrent projects
• Sound independent judgment, analytical ability, and high attention to detail

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Workday integrations (Studio, Connectors, EIBs) or Workday Prism Analytics
• Familiarity with Workday Student module (advising, registration, financial aid, or student records)
• Experience supporting a Workday implementation or bi-annual release cycle in a higher education setting
• Workday Pro Certification(s) in HCM, Reporting, Integrations, or related functional areas
• Experience with BIRT reporting, Workday Payroll, or Workday Financials in a university environment

Work Environment:

Office Location: Oakland Campus – Onsite

• This is an onsite position based in Oakland, CA, requiring regular in-office presence to support daily operations, collaboration, and student or team engagement.
• Work is performed primarily on campus in a dynamic academic environment, with direct interaction across multidisciplinary teams.

Mental/Physical Requirements:

This position will be performed in an office setting. The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person, video and by telephone, frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers.

Eligibility Requirement

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. SMU will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position

Employee Status:

Regular

Exemption Status:

United States of America (Exempt)

Time Type:

Full time

Job Shift:

Pay Range:

The anticipated annual salary range for this exempt position is $110,000 – $125,000. The actual salary offered will be determined based on job-related factors, including relevant experience, qualifications, skills, and geographic location, as applicable.

Organization:

At Samuel Merritt University (SMU), we are dedicated to fostering a supportive, inclusive community committed to advancing healthcare through exceptional education, compassionate care, and community service. Known for our leading-edge programs in health sciences, SMU equips students and faculty with the knowledge and skills to make impactful contributions to health and wellness.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. SMU welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where anyone can thrive and reach their full potential.

Samuel Merritt University currently provides base salary ranges for all positions-on job advertisements-in the United States based on local requirements. Individual compensation will ultimately be determined based on a variety of relevant factors including but-not limited to qualifications, geographic location, and other relevant skills.

Benefits

Samuel Merritt University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Mental health and wellness resources
• Education reimbursement
• Employee discounts through Marketplace
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and parental leave
• Nine paid holidays, plus a paid holiday break between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Two floating holidays
• One paid Volunteer Work Day
• Five Education Leave Days

Important Notice: Beware of Fraudulent Job Offers

Samuel Merritt University has been made aware of individuals posing as SMU recruiters, particularly for remote positions. To help protect yourself, please keep the following in mind:

• All legitimate job openings are posted on the SMU Careers page and trusted job boards.
• We will never ask you to provide payment for equipment or submit sensitive personal information before completing the formal hiring process.
• Official offers of employment are issued through Workday, not by text message or informal email.

Please remain cautious and protect your personal information throughout your job search.

Notice to Recruitment Agencies

Samuel Merritt University does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. Please do not forward resumes to our job application email address, SMU employees, or any other university location.  Samuel Merritt University is not responsible for fees associated with unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions.