Workday System Developer

About Gusto

At Gusto, we're on a mission to grow the small business economy. We handle the hard stuff — payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, and HR — so owners can focus on their craft and their customers. With teams in Denver, San Francisco, and New York, we support more than 500,000 small businesses nationwide and are building a workplace that reflects the people we serve.

All full-time employees receive competitive base pay, benefits, and equity (RSUs) — because everyone who helps build Gusto should share in its success. Offer amounts are determined by role, level, and location. Learn more about our Total Rewards philosophy.

AI is a fundamental part of how work gets done at Gusto. We expect all team members to actively engage with AI tools relevant to their role and grow their fluency as the technology evolves. AI experience requirements vary by role and will be assessed during the interview process.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced L4 People Technology Developer to lead the design, configuration, and optimization of Workday solutions that power our HR and payroll processes. The ideal candidate brings advanced, wide-ranging Workday expertise, applies creative and effective solutions to complex business problems, and guides the development of new approaches and best practices. This role operates with a high degree of independence, mentors others on Workday functionality, and partners closely with the People Team, IT, and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure Workday delivers scalable, business-ready outcomes.

About the Team

The People Operations, Services, and Technology team is transforming how Gusto supports its people by pairing cutting-edge AI with smart automation. We optimize workflows, enhance service delivery, and free up teams to focus on meaningful, high-impact work to support a more responsive, efficient, and future-ready people experience.

Day To Day

Workday Configuration & Enhancements

• Lead configuration of Workday modules (e.g., Payroll, Absence, Time Tracking, HCM, Talent, Compensation) on complex business requirements, applying in-depth evaluation to determine optimal approaches.
• Architect and guide development of Workday Business Processes, calculated fields, condition rules, and security roles; exercise judgment in selecting methods and techniques on new assignments.
• Lead evaluation and adoption of new features with each Workday release; identify creative solutions and guide policy development for optimization across modules.

Reporting & Analytics

• Develop and own advanced, matrix, composite, and dashboard reports in Workday; apply in-depth analytical judgment to surface actionable workforce insights for senior stakeholders.
• Drive data quality and integrity standards across Workday and connected systems; provide in-depth analytical insights to inform workforce decisions and cross-functional planning.
• Own audit readiness through proactive reporting, documentation, and control frameworks; determine appropriate methods independently.

Testing & Quality Assurance

• Design and lead test strategies including test plans, scripts, and UAT coordination; exercise independent judgment in defining testing approaches and resolving complex issues.
• Lead regression and functional testing for biannual Workday releases; determine procedures and guide team approach to ensure quality and business continuity.

Collaboration & Support

• Network with key contacts across functions; adapt communication style to diverse audiences and frequently advise others—including senior partners—on complex Workday matters, using persuasion and judgment to drive alignment.
• Provide expert-level Workday system support; independently diagnose and resolve complex issues, and develop scalable solutions that prevent recurrence.
• Mentor and upskill team members and key users on Workday functionality; act as an internal subject matter authority on system capabilities and best practices.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, HR Technology, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5-7 years of hands-on Workday analyst or configuration experience.
• Advanced, wide-ranging knowledge of Workday security, business processes, reporting, and calculated fields; proven ability to independently determine methods and techniques on new, complex assignments.
• Demonstrated ability to work on complex, ambiguous issues requiring in-depth evaluation; exercises independent judgment in selecting approaches, with work reviewed upon completion rather than in progress.

Preferred Qualifications

• Workday certifications (Payroll, Absence, HCM, Benefits, Time Tracking, Reporting).
• Experience in HR, payroll, benefits, or related domains.
• Experience working in an agile environment; track record of guiding new policy development and mentoring junior team members on system best practices.

Compensation

At Gusto, we strive to provide rewards that empower employees to achieve their financial and personal goals. We offer competitive compensation packages with a strong emphasis on equity based compensation (ownership in Gusto). To learn more about Gusto’s compensation philosophy and benefits offerings please view our Total Rewards Approach page.

Our cash compensation range for this role is $128,000/yr to $160,000/yr in Denver & most remote locations, and $154,000/yr to $193,000/yr in San Francisco, Seattle & New York. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including candidate experience and expertise, and may vary from the amounts listed above.

At Gusto, we don't use titles the traditional way, as a signal of rank or hierarchy. Instead, our titles describe two things at once — your craft (what you do, e.g. Engineering, Design) and your scope of ownership (what you're accountable for) — which is why you'll see something like "Head of X" instead of a rank word like "Director" that tells you neither. Because of this, the title on this posting may look different from what you'd expect based on the scope and seniority of the role, and from how similar roles are typically titled elsewhere. If you have questions about how this role compares to your current title or level, your recruiter can help translate.

Gusto has physical office spaces in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. Employees who are based in those locations will be expected to work from the office on designated days approximately 2-3 days per week (or more depending on role). The same office expectations apply to all Symmetry roles, Gusto's subsidiary, whose physical office is in Scottsdale.

Note: The San Francisco office expectations encompass both the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas.

When approved to work from a location other than a Gusto office, a secure, reliable, and consistent internet connection is required. This includes non-office days for hybrid employees.

Reliable, consistent presence: We expect regular and predictable attendance, whether you're working in-office, hybrid, or fully remote, so that you stay closely connected to your team, customers, and stakeholders in real time and ensure colleagues and customers receive the timely support and responsiveness they deserve.

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes our company stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for small businesses, you will find a home at Gusto.

Gusto is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. Gusto considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Gusto is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. We want to see our candidates perform to the best of their ability. If you require a medical or religious accommodation at any time throughout your candidate journey, please fill out this form and a member of our team will get in touch with you.

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Personal information collected and processed as part of your Gusto application will be subject to Gusto's Applicant Privacy Notice.