Principal Workday Administrator - Core HR

At Columbia Sportswear, our Digital Technology (CDT) team plays a critical role in enabling global operations through robust, scalable systems. We are seeking a Principal Workday Administrator to join our Human Resources Technology team. This role is ideal for a hands-on analyst with 8+ years of experience who specializes in system configuration, operational execution, and solution delivery within enterprise HR platforms. What You’ll Do • Own the configuration and setup of Workday, ensuring alignment with business requirements and compliance standards • Deliver functional solutions by translating business needs into system configurations, workflows, and integrations that are scalable and supportable • Enable resilient business systems by including enhancements, patches, and upgrades, ensuring minimal disruption to business operations • Lead operational delivery of application support, including incident resolution, root cause analysis, and performance tuning • Perform hands-on testing of system changes, including integration, regression, and functional user testing (FUT) • Document and maintain system configurations, process flows, and support procedures to ensure operational continuity and audit readiness • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver integrated, end-to-end solutions • Contribute to agile delivery , including backlog grooming, sprint planning, and daily stand-ups, with a focus on delivering high-impact, configuration-driven solutions • Support data integrity and reporting by ensuring accurate data flows between systems and assisting with data validation and reconciliation processes Who You Are • A highly detail-oriented systems analyst with deep experience in application configuration and operational delivery • A strong executor who thrives on solving problems through hands-on system work and cross-functional collaboration • A clear communicator who can translate business needs into technical configurations and explain system behavior to non-technical stakeholders • A proactive team player who takes ownership of system stability and continuous improvement What You Bring • Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Human Resources, or a related field—or equivalent experience • 8+ years of experience in software systems analysis, with a strong focus on Workday system configuration and support • Proven experience configuring and maintaining Workday in one or more of the following modules: • Core HCM • Compensation/Advanced Compensation • Recruiting • Talent • Learning • Benefits • Absence • Reporting/Prism • Extend • Technical proficiency in: • Workday configuration and workflow design • Service management tools (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira) • Experience with system integrations, data mapping, and troubleshooting across Workday modules • Familiarity with agile delivery practices and DevOps principles • Excellent documentation, testing, and communication skills This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company.