Dayforce Architect

Our clients’ People Technology team is seeking an experienced Dayforce Architect Contractor to lead the global payroll migration. This is a critical, highly visible project that will modernize payroll operations for all international employees.

You will serve as the primary technical authority on the Dayforce platform, working closely with the People Technology team, Payroll Operations, Benefits, and external implementation partners to architect, configure, test, and deploy the Dayforce environment. In addition to project work, you will provide day-to-day guidance on Dayforce system health and configuration issues, ensuring platform stability and operational continuity. The People Tech team will provide strategic oversight and subject matter expertise while you drive day-to-day execution.

Responsibilities

Integration Ownership & Architecture

Serve as Payroll TSDO(Technical service Delivery Owner) for Corporate Engineering organizationTake formal end-to-end ownership of all Dayforce data fl ows, including inbound integrations (Workday, Schwab, equity platforms) and outbound integrations (Oracle, reporting, and compliance feeds)Document and maintain a comprehensive Dayforce integration map covering all connected systems, data payloads, frequencies, transformation logic, error handling, and dependenciesDesign the optimal integration strategy across Dayforce middleware and our middleware systems, establishing standards for reliability, monitoring, and change managementMonitor integration health, proactively identify failure risks, and resolve issues before they impact payroll processing

System Architecture & Design

Design the end-to-end Dayforce system architecture including module configuration, data flows, and system hierarchy (legal entities, pay groups, locations)Define and implement Dayforce security architecture including role-based access controls, data access profiles, and feature-level securityArchitect Dayforce workflows, approval chains, and business process configurations across Payroll, Time & Attendance, and scheduling modulesLead system design sessions with stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable Dayforce configurationsDevelop and maintain comprehensive technical architecture documentation, configuration workbooks.

Configuration & Implementation

Configure and validate Dayforce Payroll including pay policies, earnings and deduction codes, tax configurations, and off-cycle payroll rulesSet up Time & Attendance configurations including schedules, shift policies, accrual rules, and entitlementsConfigure Dayforce reporting and analytics including operational reports, dashboards, and compliance-related outputsPerform end-to-end system testing, parallel payroll runs, and user acceptance testing (UAT) coordinationLead data migration activities including data mapping, cleansing, load validation, and reconciliation

Keeping the Lights On (KTLO) & Operational Support

Provide day-to-day support to Payroll, and HR stakeholders on Dayforce configuration and system issuesMonitor the Dayforce environment for system errors, failed processes, and configuration driftRespond to production incidents and resolve platform issues in a timely mannerPerform root cause analysis for recurring issues and implement preventive configuration measuresMaintain and optimize Dayforce system settings, workflows, and security configurationsConduct knowledge transfer to People Technology team on system architecture and configurationDocument lessons learned, best practices, and standard operating proceduresEstablish ongoing KTLO processes for long-term Dayforce platform maintenance

Requirements

5+ years of hands-on experience implementing and architecting Ceridian Dayforce in enterprise environmentsStrong understanding of International payroll processes ideally in EMEA and SEA regions, country specific statutory tax regulations and compliance requirementsDeep expertise in Dayforce Payroll configuration including pay groups, tax setups, earnings/deductions, garnishments, and year-end processingStrong hands-on experience with Dayforce Time & Attendance including scheduling, accruals, leave management, and timekeeping policiesDeep understanding of Dayforce system architecture including legal entity setup, org hierarchy, pay group design, and data modelsProficiency in Dayforce security administration including role-based security, data access profiles, and feature-level permissionsExperience with Dayforce reporting tools including standard reports, custom reports, and data export configurationsStrong understanding of Dayforce APIs and data exchange models for integration touchpointsExperience with parallel payroll testing methodologies and reconciliation frameworksProficiency in data migration tools, Excel/Google Sheets-based mapping workbooks, and data validation techniquesFamiliarity with SOX compliance requirements for payroll systems

Preferred Qualifications

Payroll Ceridian Dayforce certificationFamiliarity with Workday HCM as a system of record, particularly in migration contextsKnowledge of Dayforce Continuous Payroll and on-demand pay featuresExperience with Dayforce integration studio and partner ecosystem configurationsFamiliarity with Dayforce Intelligence (AI/ML) features and reporting enhancementsPrior experience in high-growth technology or platform companiesFamiliarity with the Boomi integration platform

Compensation: $90 - $118 per hour

ID: 586546