Data Privacy and Security Counsel (US Federal) at Workday – USA.VA.Reston | Jobyssey

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

Your work matters here. At Workday Government, we focus on outcomes that serve a larger mission. Our work supports U.S. federal agencies as they modernize and transform the full employee lifecycle experience and finance operations—so they can operate with greater clarity, accountability, and trust. As a Fortune 500 company and a proven enterprise cloud platform, Workday brings modern technology, responsible AI, and secure infrastructure to some of the most complex environments in the world. The work isn’t theoretical. It’s operational. It’s high-impact. And it demands rigor, integrity, and long-term thinking.

From day one, you’ll be part of a team that values collaboration, follow-through, and doing the right thing—especially when the stakes are high. Our culture is grounded in integrity, respect, and shared responsibility. We challenge each other to think clearly, act thoughtfully, and build solutions that stand up to real-world demands. Here, curiosity is matched with accountability. Ambition is paired with trust. You’ll have the space to do your best work, the support to keep growing, and the backing of a company committed to long-term investment in both its people and the federal mission.

If you’re looking to apply your experience to meaningful, mission-driven work—alongside colleagues who take pride in building things that last—you’ll find that opportunity at Workday Government.

About the Role

This role will support one or more direct or indirect contracts with the U.S. Federal Government which, due to federal government security requirements, mandates that all Workday personnel working on the contracts be United States citizens (naturalized or native).

This role may require a security clearance at the TS/SCI w/CI Poly level. Applicants must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance. An active TS/SCI w/CI Poly is preferred.

Employees may be required to be on site at client locations in the DC, MD, and VA (DMV) area.

Responsibilities include

Serve as lead counsel on data privacy and cybersecurity matters, and advise business, product, and engineering teams on compliance obligations across the data lifecycle
Own the legal strategy for achieving and maintaining FedRAMP authorization and partner with security, compliance, and engineering teams throughout the assessment and Authority to Operate (ATO) process
Advise on requirements associated with Department of Defense (DoD) Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide (SRG) Impact Levels (IL2, IL4, IL5, and IL6), including data segregation, personnel screening, and physical/logical separation requirements
Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, data processing agreements, and government contract vehicles (including FAR/DFARS clauses) that reflect current federal, state, and international privacy and security law
Monitor and interpret emerging legal and regulatory developments in privacy and cybersecurity law, including CMMC, NIST 800-53, NIST 800-171, FISMA, and state and international privacy statutes, and translate them into practical guidance
Lead incident response efforts for data breaches and security incidents, coordinating with security, communications, and outside counsel to manage legal risk and notification obligations
Act as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on data governance, risk management, and the legal implications of new products, features, and government contracting opportunities

About You

You are a seasoned data privacy and cybersecurity attorney who thrives at the intersection of law, technology, and national security compliance. You bring deep, hands-on experience guiding organizations through FedRAMP authorization and DoD Impact Level accreditation, and you are comfortable translating complex technical security requirements into clear legal and business guidance. You are a pragmatic risk-manager who can move quickly in a fast-paced environment while maintaining rigorous attention to regulatory detail, and you enjoy building scalable processes that let compliance and business goals move forward seamlessly.

Basic Qualifications:

J.D. Degree and active membership in at least one state bar
8+ years of experience as a practicing attorney, with a substantial focus on data privacy and cybersecurity law
Demonstrated experience advising on or supporting FedRAMP authorization processes (Low, Moderate, or High)
Direct experience with Department of Defense Impact Levels (IL2 through IL6) and the DoD Cloud Computing SRG
Strong working knowledge of U.S. federal privacy and security frameworks, including FISMA, NIST 800-53, NIST 800-171, and CMMC

Other Qualifications:

Experience advising cloud service providers or government contractors on compliance with federal acquisition regulations (FAR/DFARS) related to data security
Familiarity with state, federal, and international privacy laws (e.g., CCPA/CPRA, state privacy statutes, GDPR) and their intersection with government contracting requirements
Experience leading or supporting data breach and security incident response, including regulatory notification analysis
Excellent contract drafting and negotiation skills, particularly for data processing agreements, security addenda, and government contract vehicles
Ability to communicate complex legal and technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple compliance workstreams simultaneously
Active or the ability to obtain a security clearance is a plus

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.VA.Reston

Primary Location Base Pay Range: $208,700 USD - $313,100 USD

Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $188,900 USD - $335,500 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.

Workday is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals during our application process, in order to perform one or more essential functions of their job, as well as regarding the use of AI tools for employment decision-making to any degree. Please see below for more details including how to request an accommodation as a qualified veteran, due to a disability or for religious reasons, or as otherwise provided under applicable law.

Workday prohibits taking adverse action against any candidate or employee for reporting a possible violation of this policy, requesting one or more work accommodations, exercising a privacy right, or cooperating in an investigation in accordance with applicable law. Any employee who retaliates against a candidate or employee for doing so may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, to the fullest extent allowable under applicable law.

If you require a reasonable accommodation, you may email [email protected], as far in advance as possible.

Are you being referred to one of our roles? If so, ask your connection at Workday about our Employee Referral process!

At Workday, we value our candidates’ privacy and data security. Workday will never ask candidates to apply to jobs through websites that are not Workday Careers.

Please be aware of sites that may ask for you to input your data in connection with a job posting that appears to be from Workday but is not.

In addition, Workday will never ask candidates to pay a recruiting fee, or pay for consulting or coaching services, in order to apply for a job at Workday.

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