UKG Ready Specialist - Contract

UKG Ready is Pindrop’s system of record for headcount, compensation, onboarding, payroll, and compliance reporting. It is currently under-optimized-  inconsistently configured, insufficiently automated, and generating downstream data quality issues that affect reporting, accuracy, and audit readiness.

We need a UKG Ready subject matter expert who can step in quickly, assess our implementation as it stands today, learn our processes end-to-end, and immediately begin driving improvements. This is a hands-on, high-ownership role for someone who knows the system deeply enough to see what’s wrong, explain it clearly to others, and fix it, without waiting to be told what to do next.

Accuracy is not a preference here. It is the standard. Every data point, every workflow, every configuration decision matters because the downstream consequences are real: payroll, headcount reporting, compliance, and Finance alignment all run through this system. The person in this role understands that, takes it seriously, and holds that bar for themselves and for the team they support.

You will report up to the Sr. Director of People Operations, who has ultimate ownership of the system. Your role owns both the system and process layer- what the system does, the workflows it supports, and the standards the team follows, as well as how it is configured, how it integrates, and how it performs. Clear scope boundaries are established from day one. Strong partnership, mutual respect for each other's domain, and a shared commitment to getting it right are non-negotiables.

• Come in quickly, assess the current implementation honestly, and document what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s missing, with a clear priority roadmap agreed with the Sr. Director within the first 30 days
• Serve as Pindrop’s primary UKG Ready subject matter expert- the single owner of system configuration, workflow builds, and ongoing optimization
• Build out and optimize UKG Ready modules relevant to Pindrop’s scale: Core HR, Onboarding, Time & Attendance, Reporting, and Benefits Administration
• Design and implement automated workflows that reduce manual data entry, eliminate duplicate processes, and improve data accuracy across the employee lifecycle
• Know the outcomes of workflows- not just how they are configured, but what they produce, where they break down, and how to validate that they’re working correctly
• Configure manager and employee self-service functionality to reduce administrative ticket volume to the People Operations team

• Audit every historical data set in the system: identify errors, correct historical data issues, and establish quality controls that prevent recurrence
• Own the technical connectivity between UKG Ready and downstream systems: payroll, benefits administration, Finance reporting, and IT provisioning
• Build data integrity checks and automated reporting that give leadership confidence in headcount and compensation data at any given moment
• Partner with IT and Security on system governance, access controls, and integration architecture
• Hold accuracy as the non-negotiable standard- flag issues proactively, escalate when appropriate, and never let data quality slide

• Clearly explain the system to non-technical colleagues-  how it works, why it is configured the way it is, and what to do when something doesn’t look right
• Train the Sr. Manager of People Operations and other team members on UKG Ready administrative functions, self-service features, and reporting capabilities
• Approach knowledge transfer as an ongoing responsibility, not an end-of-engagement task- document of SOPs is essential as you build, coach as you go
• Show up with an above-and-beyond attitude: willing to listen, willing to learn, and invested in the success of the people and processes around you
• Bring a process improvement mindset, not just fixing what’s broken, but surfacing and implementing a better way

Documentation & Knowledge Transfer

• Document every configuration decision, workflow build, and system change in a format that a permanent HRIS Analyst can inherit and maintain; this is a non-negotiable deliverable
• Build and maintain a UKG Ready admin guide for Pindrop: system architecture, module configuration, integration map, and troubleshooting protocols
• Deliver a comprehensive knowledge transfer of what was accomplished to date by the end of month 6, ensuring full operational continuity when the term ends or transitions

• Build and maintain HR dashboards and reporting in UKG Ready: headcount by function, attrition trends, time-to-onboard, compensation distribution, and compliance completion rates
• Partner with the Sr. Director of People Operations to ensure reporting meets the needs of both People Operations and Finance
• Establish reporting standards and cadences that the permanent HRIS function can maintain after the term ends

• Not someone who has used it; someone who has owned it. You know the module structure, the workflow builder, the integration architecture, and the reporting engine. You know where UKG Ready is strong and where it has real limitations. A UKG Ready expert.
• You catch errors others miss. You verify before you commit. You know that in an HRIS, a wrong number has real consequences- for people’s paychecks, their records, and the company’s reporting. Detail-oriented to the point of being almost obsessive about accuracy.
• You are energized by assessing a system that isn’t working at its potential and making it excellent. You come in with suggestions, not just observations, and you follow through on implementing them. A builder and an improver.
• You can explain a complex system configuration to someone who has never opened UKG Ready. You don’t make people feel bad for not knowing, you meet them where they are and bring them along. A clear communicator and a patient coach.
• You work well with others. You listen first. You ask good questions. You bring an above-and-beyond attitude and take pride in leaving things better than you found them.Collaborative and willing.
• You audit, prioritize, and execute. When something is wrong, you own it and fix it. Self-directed and accountable.

• 4+ years of hands-on UKG Ready ownership- not just usage, but system administration, workflow configuration, module build-out, and integration management
• Demonstrated experience assessing and optimizing an under-configured or underperforming UKG Ready instance-  ideally inherited from a previous configuration rather than built greenfield
• Experience with UKG Ready integrations: payroll, benefits, IT provisioning, or Finance reporting systems
• Strong data integrity mindset: experience auditing HR data, identifying systemic errors, and implementing quality controls
• Experience building HR dashboards and reporting within UKG Ready
• Experience training non-technical HR team members on UKG Ready administrative and self-service functions

• Experience conducting a formal HRIS platform evaluation — including developing the business case, assessing alternatives, and producing a documented recommendation
• Experience supporting an HRIS migration: either migrating into UKG Ready or migrating away from it
• Familiarity with compliance requirements in a multi-state US workforce: I-9, EEO-1, state-specific leave laws, and how they are managed within UKG Ready
• Experience at a high-growth technology or SaaS company where headcount was scaling rapidly during the engagement
• Exposure to international contractor populations and how they are managed in UKG Ready or alongside it

Here is how success is defined across the engagement:

Period

Focus & Deliverables

Weeks 1–4

Rapid onboarding. System access, meet the team, begin listening and learning. Initial observations documented.

Months 1–2

Full system audit. Documented current-state assessment: what is configured, what is broken, what is missing. Integration map. Data quality baseline. Priority roadmap agreed with Sr. Director.

Months 2-3

Core optimization work. Workflow builds, module configuration, integration fixes, data remediation. Self-service setup. Documentation running in parallel.

Months 3-4

Reporting and analytics build-out. System stabilization. Fix-or-replace assessment developed and finalized. Recommendation of future phases delivered to Sr. Director and CPO.

Months 4-6+

Knowledge transfer and continuity planning. Full admin guide completed for work completed to date. Sr. Director trained to own day-to-day UKG Ready administration. 

Most UKG Ready roles ask you to maintain a system someone else built. This one asks you to come in with fresh eyes, assess honestly, fix what needs fixing, build what’s missing, and help the team around you understand and own the system when you’re done. It is technically challenging, organizationally visible work with real consequences for a fast-moving company. If you are an HRIS professional who takes accuracy seriously, loves process improvement, and wants to do meaningful UKG Ready work with full leadership support — this is the engagement for you.