Job Description & Details
This is a heavy-hitting PeopleSoft HCM architecture contract based in Arlington, VA, focused on leading enterprise-scale modernization and potential cloud migration initiatives. You will be walking into a complex ecosystem covering everything from Core HR and Global Payroll to Absence Management and Talent Acquisition, where your main job is to untangle technical debt and map out the future state.
What You'll Actually Be Doing
Expect your days to be split between high-level strategic roadmap planning and deep technical oversight of PeopleSoft upgrades, PUM implementations, and integrations. You'll work directly with HR, finance, and executive leadership to run workshops, define API-first integration strategies using REST and Integration Broker, and mentor cross-functional teams of developers and cloud engineers. The real challenge here is balancing legacy system realities with modern cloud architectures, whether that means prepping for OCI, optimizing existing PeopleSoft environments, or plotting a long-term Oracle Cloud HCM migration.
The Core Tech Stack
You need absolute mastery over the PeopleSoft toolset, including PeopleTools, Application Designer, Integration Broker, and Security Administration, alongside proven experience with complex PUM updates and upgrades. Just as critical is your fluency in enterprise integration patterns and cloud ecosystems, specifically leveraging middleware, REST APIs, and Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC) to connect HR data with broader financial and identity management platforms.
Interview Expectations
When you sit down with the hiring team, expect them to test your architectural pragmatism by asking how you would evaluate whether an enterprise should upgrade their existing PeopleSoft instance versus doing a complete lift-and-shift to Oracle Cloud HCM. They want to hear how you weigh technical debt, customization complexity, cost, and business disruption in your decision-making. They will also likely drill down into your experience with complex payroll and benefits integrations, so be ready to walk them through a specific scenario where you troubleshot a high-stakes integration failure under a tight timeline.
Application Advice
To get past the ATS, your resume needs to immediately highlight your dual background in deep PeopleSoft administration and high-level enterprise architecture leadership. Make sure explicit keywords like PeopleTools, Integration Broker, PUM implementation, and technical debt analysis appear right at the top in your experience bullets, and frame your past projects around measurable outcomes like successful cloud migrations or large-scale transformation roadmaps rather than just task lists.