Workday Financials Functional Specialist in Leeds

Shape how finance works across a £multi-million operation. We are seeking a detail-oriented and analytical Workday Finance Functional Specialist to provide expert functional and technical support across Workday Financials. Reporting to the Head of In Life Change for Finance, Supplier and Colleague Journeys, this role plays a critical part in ensuring the system runs accurately, enabling better decision-making, and continuously improving how Finance operates across the business.

You’ll work closely with Finance, IT, HR, and operational teams to optimise processes, enhance system performance, and ensure data integrity across the platform. Expertise in Workday Customer Accounts, alongside broader Financials capability, is essential for success in this role.

What you’ll be doing (and why it matters)

• Act as the go-to expert for Workday Financials — resolving issues, improving performance, and keeping critical finance processes moving without disruption.
• Own and optimise core finance processes — from Order-to-Cash and Procure-to-Pay through to record-to-report, you’ll continuously improve how finance flows through the system — with a particular focus on Customer Accounts.
• Work closely with Finance leaders to ensure they have accurate, real-time insight to run the business.
• Identify where things can be better, faster, or simpler — and make it happen.
• Lead Workday change and releases — ensure updates land smoothly, users are ready, and the system continues to perform.
• Translate complexity into clear, practical guidance that teams can actually use.

What we’re looking for

• Strong hands-on experience with Workday Financials, particularly Customer Accounts.
• Qualified accountant with a solid understanding of real-world finance operations.
• Experience across O2C, P2P and R2R processes.
• Ability to troubleshoot, improve, and optimise systems.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• A mindset focused on continuous improvement, not just support.

Why this role

This isn’t just about maintaining a system, it’s about improving how the business runs through better use of Workday. You’ll have real ownership, visibility, and the opportunity to shape how Finance operates at scale.

We are Panda. We value waste. We’re in the business of waste management but that doesn’t just mean collecting bins. Behind every collection is a passionate team of people finding smarter, safer, and more sustainable ways to recycle and repurpose materials that would otherwise go to waste. Over the past 30 years, Panda has grown into a leading resource recovery business, bringing together almost 3,000 people across multiple brands, united by a shared vision and strong values.

While our operations are diverse, our purpose is clear: to protect our people, support our customers, and create positive impact for the communities and environments we serve. At Panda, people are at the heart of everything we do. We work as one team, combining different skills, experiences, and perspectives to achieve shared goals. We care for each other’s wellbeing, encourage development, and support growth because we know we’re stronger together.

We expect excellence in how we operate. High standards, bold thinking, and continuous improvement drive our passion for innovation. We challenge the ordinary, put safety first, and embrace new ideas while delivering practical, cost-effective solutions that move our business forward. We own what we do. From day-to-day tasks to major projects, we take pride in our work and responsibility for the outcome. We don’t walk past problems; we address them together. Our expertise, reliability, and care reflect who we are and the difference we make. And above all, we act with trust and integrity. Trust is built through open communication, honesty, and accountability. It allows us to move quickly, make confident decisions, and deliver results — knowing our people are empowered to do the right thing.

Our journey depends on talented, committed people who want to make an impact. Take the first step and join us on the journey. Panda is committed to attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we operate and the people we serve.