Principal Accountant

Your work days are brighter here.

We’re obsessed with making hard work pay off, for our people, our customers, and the world around us. As a Fortune 500 company and a leading AI platform for managing people, money, and agents, we’re shaping the future of work so teams can reach their potential and focus on what matters most. The minute you join, you’ll feel it. Not just in the products we build, but in how we show up for each other. Our culture is rooted in integrity, empathy, and shared enthusiasm. We’re in this together, tackling big challenges with bold ideas and genuine care. We look for curious minds and courageous collaborators who bring sun-drenched optimism and drive. Whether you're building smarter solutions, supporting customers, or creating a space where everyone belongs, you’ll do meaningful work with Workmates who’ve got your back. In return, we’ll give you the trust to take risks, the tools to grow, the skills to develop and the support of a company invested in you for the long haul. So, if you want to inspire a brighter work day for everyone, including yourself, you’ve found a match in Workday, and we hope to be a match for you too.

About the Team At Workday, we help the world’s largest organizations adapt to what’s next by bringing finance, HR, and planning into a single enterprise cloud. We work hard, and we’re serious about what we do. But we like to have fun, too. We put people first, celebrate diversity, drive innovation, and do good in the communities where we live and work.

About the Role

Workday is seeking a Principal Accountant who wants to make their mark on a growing organization. This is an individual contributor role with broad ownership across the corporate accounting close (e.g., operating expenses, payroll‑related costs, and variable compensation) and a key partner to FP&A and business leaders. Reporting to the Senior Accounting Manager, the ideal candidate is a self‑starter, an excellent communicator, and enjoys collaborating with people with a diverse set of talents in an ambitious, fast‑paced environment.

Responsibilities:

• Own core GL areas in the monthly and quarterly close for global consolidation (e.g., operating expenses, payroll‑related accounts, variable compensation, and other corporate accounting areas), including preparation and review of journals, account reconciliations, and variance analyses.

• Manage the accounting and reporting for variable compensation (primarily Sales and Professional Services), ensuring accurate and timely recognition of commissions, bonuses, and incentives in accordance with US GAAP

• Prepare and review monthly management reporting and analytics for owned areas, clearly explaining drivers, trends, and risks to Finance and business partners.

• Collaborate with Sales Ops, CX Ops, and Payroll to ensure compensation plans, quota changes, and system configurations are accurately reflected in upstream data and downstream accounting.

• Support internal and external audits for owned areas, including preparation of schedules and responding to inquiries.

• Maintain and enhance internal controls over financial reporting, including design and execution of controls for new or evolving processes.

• Identify and drive process improvements and automation opportunities across corporate accounting, working with Finance Systems and IT as needed.

• Contribute to ad hoc projects such as system implementations, process redesign, and department initiatives, and communicate complex topics in a clear, concise way to finance and non‑finance partners.

About You

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of related accounting experience.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics, or a related field.

Other Qualifications:

• Master’s degree and/or active CPA license is a plus.

• Experience with a publicly traded company in the technology or SaaS industry preferred.

• Strong knowledge of US GAAP and solid understanding of general ledger accounting and financial statements, including operating expenses, payroll‑related costs, and variable compensation.

• Demonstrated experience owning multiple areas of the close and improving processes, controls, and reporting quality.

• Experience with sales CRM tools such as Salesforce and incentive compensation management tools such as Xactly is a plus.

• Advanced Excel skills and comfort working with large data sets.

• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills with high attention to detail and strong ownership mindset.

• Strong communication skills; able to explain complex compensation plans and accounting conclusions clearly to diverse stakeholders.

• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment and adapt to changing priorities.

• Highly productive self‑starter with a strong work ethic, curiosity, and dedication to excellence.

Workday Pay Transparency Statement

The annualized base salary ranges for the primary location and any additional locations are listed below. Workday pay ranges vary based on work location. As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Workday Bonus Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus, as well as annual refresh stock grants. Recruiters can share more detail during the hiring process. Each candidate’s compensation offer will be based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, geography, experience, skills, job duties, and business need, among other things. For more information regarding Workday’s comprehensive benefits, please click here.

Primary Location: USA.CA.Pleasanton

Primary Location Base Pay Range: $145,000 USD - $217,400 USD

Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $122,400 USD - $217,400 USD

Our Approach to Flexible Work

With Flex Work, we’re combining the best of both worlds: in-person time and remote. Our approach enables our teams to deepen connections, maintain a strong community, and do their best work. We know that flexibility can take shape in many ways, so rather than a number of required days in-office each week, we simply spend at least half (50%) of our time each quarter in the office or in the field with our customers, prospects, and partners (depending on role). This means you'll have the freedom to create a flexible schedule that caters to your business, team, and personal needs, while being intentional to make the most of time spent together. Those in our remote "home office" roles also have the opportunity to come together in our offices for important moments that matter.

Pursuant to applicable Fair Chance law, Workday will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Workday is an Equal Opportunity Employer including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

At Workday, we are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive hiring experience where all candidates can fully demonstrate their skills. If you require assistance or an accommodation at any point, please email accommodations@workday.com.

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