HR Systems Architect

Accountabilities: As the HR Systems Architect, you will manage and optimize core HR technology platforms, provide operational support, and drive improvements across HR processes. Your responsibilities will include: Serve as the primary subject matter expert for UKG, configuring and maintaining business rules, workflows, security roles, organizational structures, and settings supporting HR, payroll, timekeeping, and benefits. Manage HR systems requests through Freshservice, including ticket triage, prioritization, resolution, and escalation within established service levels. Treat pay-impacting issues as same-day priorities. Maintain Freshservice knowledge base articles and request categories, monitor ticket trends, and identify recurring issues, training needs, and opportunities for self-service or automation. Protect employee and organizational data integrity through scheduled audits, validation checks, and timely corrections, resolving audit findings before the next pay cycle whenever possible. Develop and maintain standard and ad hoc UKG reports, queries, and dashboards, providing analysis to support HR operations, compliance, and leadership decisions. Support UKG releases, enhancements, and upgrades by gathering requirements, configuring and testing changes in non-production environments, conducting regression testing, and validating production readiness. Monitor UKG integrations and file feeds with benefits carriers, retirement providers, and other vendors, troubleshooting errors and coordinating solutions with IT and external partners. Support recurring HR processes in UKG, including open enrollment, annual compensation and merit cycles, year-end processing, and mass data uploads, validating results before and after each load. Provide backup support for talent acquisition systems, including iCIMS, handling routine administration, user support, and issue triage while escalating complex design and configuration decisions. Support the Training team's learning management system (LMS), managing users and data, maintaining UKG-to-LMS employee feeds, resolving access and enrollment issues, and producing course completion and compliance reports. Identify, evaluate, and help implement AI-enabled automation and tool integrations across HR by assessing use cases, building and testing workflows, and measuring efficiency gains. Ensure all AI and automation initiatives comply with data privacy, security, and governance standards, documenting employee data usage and supporting adoption through user training. Investigate system defects and process breakdowns through root cause analysis, recommending configuration and process improvements that strengthen controls and reduce manual administration. Develop and maintain end-user documentation, job aids, configuration standards, process flows, and change logs to support training, audits, and knowledge transfer. Mentor junior analysts and HR team members on UKG, Freshservice, reporting, and system best practices, sharing expertise and reviewing work to strengthen team capabilities. Perform other duties as assigned. Requirements The ideal candidate brings extensive HRIS expertise, strong hands-on UKG capabilities, and the ability to manage complex systems while working across multiple departments. Required qualifications and preferred experience include: Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Human Resources, Business, or a related field. At least 7 years of progressive experience in HRIS or HR technology. Extensive hands-on experience with UKG configuration, reporting, and integrations is strongly preferred. UKG certification is an advantage. Experience supporting users through a ticketing platform such as Freshservice is preferred. Familiarity with iCIMS or another applicant tracking system (ATS) is preferred. Advanced Excel skills and strong report-writing capabilities. Exposure to workflow automation and AI tools is a plus. Experience working in a multi-site or healthcare organization is preferred. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to investigate issues, identify root causes, and recommend sustainable improvements. Effective communication and collaboration skills to work with technical teams, HR stakeholders, business users, and external vendors. Ability to manage competing priorities independently and operate with minimal supervision.