Workday Boundary Systems Architect

this role will be a minimum of a two year contract supporting an ERP implementation

Job Title: Workday Boundary Systems Architect

Job Description

The Workday Boundary Systems / Third‑Party Solutions Architect serves as a senior technical architecture leader responsible for designing, governing, and optimizing the ecosystem of systems that interface with Workday. This role defines the future‑state architecture for Workday‑adjacent platforms and third‑party solutions, ensuring secure, scalable, and supportable integrations that align with enterprise standards, data governance, and business objectives. The architect partners closely with IT teams, business leaders, implementation partners, and application owners across HR, Finance, Payroll, Research, and Learning to drive a cohesive and robust integration strategy.

Responsibilities

• Design the target‑state architecture for Workday boundary systems and third‑party platforms, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards and business goals.
• Define and document integration patterns using APIs, middleware, file‑based interfaces, web services, and event‑driven approaches to support reliable data exchange.
• Evaluate current‑state systems and technical debt, and recommend rationalization and modernization strategies to streamline the Workday‑adjacent landscape.
• Establish architecture standards for master data ownership, ensuring clear system‑of‑record definitions and consistent data flows across integrated platforms.
• Define standards for authentication and identity to support secure access and robust identity management across Workday and connected systems.
• Set guidelines for exception handling, resiliency, and supportability to ensure integrations are stable, observable, and easy to maintain.
• Manage technical impact analysis related to Workday releases and platform changes, identifying risks and required updates to boundary systems and integrations.
• Ensure architectural readiness for implementation phases, including design, build, testing, cutover, and transition to support for Workday and related solutions.
• Develop and maintain architecture principles, standards, and governance documentation for Workday boundary systems and third‑party integrations.
• Lead architecture assessments and formal design checkpoints to validate solutions against enterprise architecture standards and integration best practices.
• Coordinate solution alignment across Workday, third‑party systems, and enterprise platforms to promote interoperability and reduce duplication.
• Ensure interoperability, security, and reporting integrity across integrated systems by enforcing consistent data models and integration controls.
• Partner with IT, business stakeholders, implementation partners, and application owners in HR, Finance, Payroll, Research, and Learning to align technical designs with functional needs.

Essential Skills

• Proven experience designing target‑state architectures for boundary systems and third‑party platforms integrated with Workday or similar enterprise applications.
• Strong expertise in system integration design, including APIs, middleware, file‑based interfaces, web services, and event‑driven integration patterns.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate current‑state systems and technical debt and to define rationalization and modernization strategies.
• Deep understanding of master data ownership concepts and data governance in an enterprise environment.
• Strong knowledge of authentication and identity standards and practices for securing integrated applications.
• Experience establishing standards for exception handling, resiliency, and supportability in complex integration landscapes.
• Ability to perform technical impact analysis for major platform releases and changes, particularly in Workday or comparable SaaS platforms.
• Experience developing architecture principles, standards, and governance documentation.
• Ability to lead architecture assessments and formal design checkpoints with cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Strong collaboration skills to coordinate solutions across IT, business leaders, implementation partners, and application owners in HR, Finance, Payroll, Research, and Learning.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in enterprise architecture or solution architecture for HR, Finance, Payroll, Research, or Learning systems.
• Familiarity with data governance practices and reporting integrity across integrated platforms.
• Experience working with third‑party solutions that interface with large SaaS platforms such as Workday.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Strong documentation skills for capturing integration patterns, standards, and architectural decisions.

Work Environment

The role operates in a highly collaborative, cross‑functional environment that brings together IT, business stakeholders, implementation partners, and application owners across HR, Finance, Payroll, Research, and Learning. Work focuses on enterprise‑grade platforms, Workday, and a variety of third‑party systems, with a strong emphasis on integration technologies such as APIs, middleware, file‑based interfaces, web services, and event‑driven architectures. The position is centered on strategic design, governance, and continuous improvement of the Workday‑adjacent ecosystem, with an expectation of thorough documentation, structured architecture reviews, and adherence to enterprise standards for security, data governance, and interoperability.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Boston, MA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $70.00 - $99.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms.

Benefits available may include:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre‑tax and Roth post‑tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long‑term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on May 4, 2026.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:

• Hiring diverse talent
• Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self‑reflection
• Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
• Ensuring growth opportunities for our people

Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.