[Hiring] Workday Talent Principal Consultant @Cognizant

Role Description

The Workday Talent Principal Consultant is a Workday subject matter expert responsible for leading the design, configuration, and delivery of Workday Talent solutions. Acting as a trusted advisor to clients, this individual provides strategic guidance across Talent Management processes while driving successful implementation outcomes.

The Principal Consultant combines deep functional expertise with delivery leadership, pre-sales support, and mentoring responsibilities. They serve as a solution lead on complex engagements, support business development activities, and help develop the next generation of Workday consultants.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a Workday Talent subject matter expert across areas including Talent, Performance, Succession, Career Development, Goals, Skills Cloud, and Talent Marketplace.
• Lead client workshops and design sessions to gather requirements and define Workday Talent solutions aligned to business objectives and best practices.
• Own the design, configuration, testing, and deployment of Workday Talent solutions.
• Provide strategic guidance and recommendations to clients on talent management processes and transformation initiatives.
• Lead Talent workstreams on medium to large Workday implementations, managing solution decisions, risks, and dependencies.
• Partner with Recruiting, HCM, Learning, Reporting, Security, Integrations, and Change Management teams to deliver integrated solutions.
• Support testing, cutover, deployment, and knowledge transfer activities.
• Mentor consultants and analysts, providing coaching, quality reviews, and functional guidance.
• Support sales and business development activities, including solutioning, estimations, proposals, demonstrations, and client presentations.
• Contribute to practice development through knowledge sharing, methodology improvements, and internal training initiatives.
• Maintain expertise in Workday Talent functionality, emerging trends, and product innovations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Active Workday Talent Certification required.
• 5+ years of Workday implementation experience.
• Proven experience leading Talent workstreams on end-to-end Workday implementations.
• Experience gathering requirements, leading workshops, solution design, configuration, testing, and deployment.
• Experience supporting pre-sales activities.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including engagement with senior business stakeholders.
• 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.

Benefits

• 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.

Company Description

• 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.