Systems Architect

The Workday Systems Architect / AI Lead is responsible for designing, architecting, and leading the implementation of Workday Financials, with a strong focus on intelligent automation, AI-driven insights, and scalable integration architecture. This role bridges Finance, HR, IT, and Data teams to deliver a future-state ecosystem that is efficient, secure, and data-driven.

This individual will define enterprise architecture standards, lead Workday integrations, and embed AI/automation capabilities to optimize financial operations, reporting, and decision-making

Essential duties include, but are not limited to:

• Assess current finance systems, applications, data flows, and processes to design a scalable future-state architecture centered around Workday Financials.
• Lead the design and implementation of Workday Finance solutions aligned with organizational strategy and growth objectives.
• Establish enterprise-wide Workday roadmap and technology governance strategy.
• Define end-to-end system architecture including integrations, data models, security, and reporting frameworks.
• Partner with Finance stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable, efficient technical solutions.
• Lead data conversion, validation, reconciliation, and cutover planning activities.
• Design and deliver complex Workday integrations using industry standards (REST, SOAP, JSON, APIs, middleware platforms).
• Develop integration patterns and reusable frameworks to simplify deployment and reduce technical complexity.
• Architect message-based and event-driven solutions leveraging modern integration approaches.
• Define data flows across Workday, ERP, and downstream systems ensuring integrity, security, and performance.
• Establish API governance, security standards, and monitoring practices.
• Lead the integration of AI and automation capabilities into Workday Finance processes (e.g., predictive analytics, anomaly detection, intelligent workflows).
• Design data architectures that enable advanced analytics, reporting, and machine learning use cases.
• Partner with data and analytics teams to develop intelligent insights and decision-support tools.
• Identify opportunities to leverage AI to improve financial operations, forecasting, and reporting efficiency.
• Define AI governance, responsible AI controls, and model oversight standards.
• Define and enforce architecture standards, integration patterns, and governance frameworks.
• Establish Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) principles and API-first design strategies.
• Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, reusable, and aligned with long-term enterprise architecture goals.
• Establish KPIs and success metrics to measure system performance and business value.
• Lead design reviews and ensure adherence to best practices across all technical implementations.
• Drive solution delivery using Agile and modern implementation methodologies
• Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance to engineering and integration teams.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure alignment across Finance, IT, HR, and external vendors.
• Manage complex issues with a high degree of autonomy and provide strategic recommendations.
• Oversee performance optimization, logging, monitoring, and reporting capabilities.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Finance Technology, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in software development, systems architecture, or enterprise applications.
• 5+ years of experience designing and implementing integration architectures.
• Proven experience with Workday Financials architecture and integrations strongly preferred.
• Experience with enterprise integration platforms (e.g., MuleSoft, Boomi, TIBCO, Oracle SOA, webMethods).
• Experience implementing ERP/Finance transformation initiatives.
• Experience leading enterprise-scale Workday Financials transformations in complex organizations.
• Deep understanding of Workday architecture, integrations (EIB, Studio, APIs), and data structures.
• Expertise in API management, microservices, and SOA architecture.
• Strong knowledge of integration patterns (REST, SOAP, JSON, messaging systems such as pub/sub, MQ).
• Experience with cloud-based architectures and distributed systems.
• Solid understanding of data architecture, warehousing, and data flow optimization.
• Familiarity with AI/ML frameworks and data-driven solution design.
• Strong systems thinking with the ability to design scalable, enterprise-grade solutions.
• Exceptional problem-solving and debugging capabilities.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear business value.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Proven ability to influence, lead, and mentor technical teams.
• Strong executive presence with ability to present recommendations to senior leadership.
• High degree of autonomy with the ability to handle complex challenges.
• Experience designing intelligent logging, monitoring, and performance optimization frameworks.
• Strong understanding of financial systems, reporting, and compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of security, governance, and risk management in enterprise systems.
• Experience working in Agile and fast-paced transformation environments.

Work Environment:

• Duties and responsibilities are typically performed in a professional office setting, but there may be times where you will need to be in operating areas. In these areas, you may be exposed to environmental factors including, but not limited to, second hand smoke and excessive noise.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms, talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance, color, and peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.