Workday Absence and Time Lead

At Keywords, we are using our passion for games, technology and media to create a global services platform for video games and beyond. Our aim is to become the “go to” provider of technical services. We enable leading content creators and publishers to leverage our expertise and capacity across the lifecycle of interactive content. In so doing we empower our clients to remain lean and agile, and to focus on creating the most engaging experiences.

Keywords is trusted and relied upon by many of the world’s leading video game companies to work alongside them during concept, development and live operations by leveraging the breadth and depth of our industry leading service lines every step of the way.

The Absence, Time Off and Time Tracking Lead will serve as the functional expert, leading the solutioning for all time-related needs within the Workday system. This role is crucial in ensuring the business can effectively manage time-off, absence, and employee time‑tracking processes in line with Keywords Studios' P&C (People and Culture) and operational strategies.

This position will play a pivotal role in the design, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of the Workday Time Tracking, Time Off, and Absence Management modules. They will collaborate closely with P&C, Finance, and Operations teams to build and support scalable technology solutions for a global employee population. The focus is on driving configuration, maintaining system stability, and ensuring queries are managed effectively through the Cloud Support Model's tiered system. The position will support in value realisation and migration from legacy solutions to a Workday‑Enabled centralised service.

This position requires deep knowledge of the Workday platform, specifically its core HCM capabilities related to Time and Absence and its overlay into Time tracking, Time Sheeting and Projects. The role will support the establishment of Absence in 24 countries across all key regions working with local P&C teams and Legal to ensure legislative and cultural items are supported.

• Serve as the technical subject matter expert on Workday Absence, Time‑Off and Time Tracking capabilities, leveraging analytical capabilities and process orientation.
• Provide expertise on Workday best practices and partner with Human Resources and other stakeholders to design cohesive solutions, mitigating cross‑functional and technical impacts.
• Ensure implemented solutions meet the transactional, reporting, and analytical needs of the business for time and absences processes.
• Support the mapping of Time and Attendance information to external payroll partners with support of the integrations lead.
• Conduct regular system audits and performance tuning for the talent modules to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
• Stay current with Workday releases and updates, evaluating new features and functionality for potential adoption in the talent space.
• Manage the Workday Releases by evaluating updates and discussing the impacts and benefits with the business.
• Support P&C and the Business in the education of end‑users and ensure effective change management for new functionality and process changes.
• Break down business needs into actionable steps toward solutions and refine conceptual approaches into concrete, specific investments.
• Partner with P&C, IT and the Business to define the multi‑year Workday roadmap, focusing on achieving tangible near‑term results for Absence, Time‑Off and Time Tracking.
• Support P&C and the business with Absence, Time‑Off and Time Tracking related projects, ensuring technical feasibility and timely delivery.
• Within the Support Model, this role provides Tier 3 specialist functional knowledge and configuration support for their domain.

• Proven experience in a technology product management or functional lead role, focusing on Human Capital Management (HCM) systems.
• Minimum of 5 years of Workday Experience with specific expertise in configuring and managing the Absence, Time‑Off and Time Tracking module.
• Workday Qualification for Absence plans and Time Tracking.
• Knowledge of Workday architecture, configuration, business processes, and security models as they apply, including experience managing and supporting the Workday bi‑annual release cycle.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Experience translating end‑user stated needs into scalable, system‑minded solutions.
• Solid organizational skills, attention to detail, and a strong inclination for planning strategy and tactics.

This position is remote and open globally, compensation will vary depending on the region you are applying from. Keywords Studios is dedicated to following a well‑established Equal Opportunities Policy. We endeavor to create a workplace, which provides for equal opportunities for all employees and potential employees.