Workday Financials Principal Consultant - Functional & Technical

The Principal Consultant acts as a strategic bridge between business and technical teams, solving complex Workday challenges across finance and integrations. This role leads clients through transformation, implementation, and operational phases of Workday Financials projects combining deep functional expertise with strong technical and integration capabilities. Key Responsibilities Serve as a Workday Financials subject matter expert, spanning design, configuration, testing, and implementation. Lead clients through end-to-end Workday Financials implementations, from discovery and design through deployment and post-go-live support. Facilitate design workshops and solution discussions, translating business requirements into scalable Workday solutions aligned to best practices. Drive the technical solution design and integration strategy, ensuring seamless connectivity between Workday and external systems. Identify and manage dependencies across functional and technical workstreams. Lead, mentor, and oversee consultants and analysts, ensuring high-quality delivery and knowledge development. Act as a trusted advisor to client stakeholders, maintaining strong relationships throughout the project lifecycle. Support system transitions, including data migration and legacy system replacement. Perform hands-on configuration and technical activities, including: Business process and security configuration Data loads (EIBs, iLoads) Integration development and deployment Tenant migration activities Design and deliver robust integration and extend solutions leveraging Workday technologies. Communicate progress, risks, and updates clearly to project teams and senior stakeholders. Take on lead roles such as Delivery Lead, Integration Lead, or Solution Architect where required. Reinforce company policies, delivery standards, and best practices. Contribute to internal knowledge sharing, training, and continuous capability building. Skills and Requirements: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. 5+ years of Workday Financials implementation experience Strong functional expertise across Core Financials Proven experience delivering end-to-end Workday implementations with both functional and technical responsibilities. Strong hands-on experience with Workday integrations, including: Workday Studio Enterprise Interface Builder (EIB) Core Connectors (including PECI) Report-as-a-Service (RaaS) REST and SOAP APIs Experience with Workday Extend to build custom applications and enhancements. Experience integrating with third-party systems such as payroll providers, banks, CRM, or other enterprise platforms. Strong understanding of data migration, transformation, and integration patterns. Strong analytical, data-driven, and solution-oriented mindset. Excellent stakeholder management and client-facing skills. Minimal travel required, but must be willing to travel on‑site as needed 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 #LI-Remote Why choose Cognizant: 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 Cognizant Core Values: 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.