Director, Workday/HRIS

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, which manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Director, Workday/HRIS based in the United States.

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Director of Workday/HRIS to lead the development, optimization, and governance of an enterprise-wide HR and Payroll technology ecosystem. In this senior leadership role, you will oversee the Workday platform, ensuring its capabilities support organizational growth, operational efficiency, and an enhanced employee experience. You will combine strategic technology leadership with hands-on technical expertise, driving complex implementations, system improvements, and process automation. Working closely with HR, Finance, Payroll, IT, and business leaders, you will translate organizational needs into scalable and secure technology solutions. You will also champion the adoption of artificial intelligence and automation to simplify workflows, improve data accuracy, and increase productivity. This is an excellent opportunity to shape enterprise HR technology strategy, develop a high-performing technical team, and drive meaningful digital transformation within a fast-growing organization.

• Own and lead the overall Workday strategy, technology roadmap, architecture, governance, and operational performance, ensuring alignment with business priorities and long-term organizational objectives.
• Oversee the full Workday ecosystem, including Core HCM, U.S. and Canadian Payroll, Benefits, Advanced Compensation, Talent Management, Recruiting, Learning, Time Tracking, and Absence Management.
• Develop a scalable platform management strategy that balances innovation, system optimization, operational stability, technical debt reduction, and adoption of new Workday capabilities.
• Act as a trusted technical and functional advisor to HR, Finance, Payroll, IT, and business leadership, providing guidance on platform architecture, solution design, system dependencies, and operational implications.
• Lead complex Workday projects throughout their lifecycle, from requirements gathering and discovery to solution design, configuration, testing, deployment, and post-implementation support.
• Translate business requirements into functional and technical specifications while identifying opportunities to simplify processes and improve existing workflows.
• Design, configure, and optimize Workday business processes, condition rules, calculated fields, security settings, organizational structures, and other platform capabilities.
• Troubleshoot complex system issues, perform root-cause analysis, and implement sustainable solutions that balance technical requirements, business value, scalability, and user experience.
• Establish and maintain testing strategies covering functional testing, regression testing, and user acceptance testing, ensuring reliable deployments and accurate technical documentation.
• Develop and continuously improve Workday governance, change management, release management, and service delivery processes, including request intake, prioritization, impact assessments, approvals, testing, deployment, and incident management.
• Maintain a prioritized portfolio of system enhancements, remediation initiatives, and optimization opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce manual work, strengthen controls, and enhance data quality.
• Establish proactive monitoring, audit procedures, and performance indicators to measure platform reliability, service quality, delivery effectiveness, data integrity, and business value.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to standardize Workday processes while accommodating legitimate operational, organizational, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead the evaluation, implementation, and optimization of Workday-native artificial intelligence capabilities, including Sana, and develop a roadmap for integrating AI and automation into HR and Payroll operations.
• Identify and prioritize automation opportunities that reduce repetitive administrative tasks, improve accuracy, increase productivity, and enhance employee self-service.
• Partner with HR, Accounting, IT, Security, and other stakeholders to ensure AI-driven solutions meet governance, security, operational readiness, and responsible-use requirements.
• Drive adoption of AI and automation initiatives through solution design, stakeholder engagement, training, and change management, measuring success through productivity gains, time savings, accuracy, and user adoption.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Workday professionals responsible for system administration, configuration, business analysis, and technical support.
• Establish clear team responsibilities, performance expectations, development plans, and delivery standards while encouraging knowledge sharing, cross-training, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain hands-on technical involvement in solution design, quality assurance, complex troubleshooting, and implementation activities while strengthening the team's technical capabilities.
• Manage relationships with Workday consultants, implementation partners, and managed service providers, ensuring clear responsibilities, effective performance management, and cost efficiency.
• Reduce unnecessary third-party dependencies by strengthening internal expertise and optimizing external support arrangements.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and solution-oriented culture while partnering with cross-functional teams to improve workforce data accuracy, consistency, and integrity.
• Oversee Workday security architecture, role-based access controls, segregation of duties, integrations, and downstream data flows to maintain secure, reliable, and compliant systems.
• Support internal and external audits through effective documentation, reporting, analytics, control management, and system governance.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting, Project Management, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 10 years of progressive professional experience in HRIS, HR and Payroll technology, enterprise systems, or a related technology discipline.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Workday in a complex, multi-module enterprise environment.
• At least 3 years of experience leading Workday teams, technical professionals, or complex cross-functional technology initiatives.
• Strong expertise in Workday platform strategy, architecture, configuration, and optimization, including business processes, condition rules, calculated fields, security, and organizational structures.
• Comprehensive understanding of HR and Payroll processes, enterprise data structures, system integrations, reporting, security, and application governance.
• Proven ability to translate complex business requirements into scalable, efficient, and technically sound Workday solutions.
• Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis capabilities, with the ability to evaluate alternative solutions and make informed technical recommendations.
• Experience managing complex technology projects, including implementation planning, testing strategies, release management, change management, and production deployments.
• Strong understanding of enterprise governance, data integrity, security controls, regulatory compliance, and audit requirements.
• Knowledge of artificial intelligence, workflow automation, and emerging Workday-native technologies, with the ability to identify practical opportunities for innovation.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, including experience coaching, mentoring, developing, and managing technical teams.
• Experience managing external consultants, technology vendors, implementation partners, and managed service providers.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills, with the ability to balance strategic priorities, operational responsibilities, and hands-on technical execution.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication abilities, including the capacity to explain complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences.
• A practical, proactive, and execution-oriented mindset, with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to anticipate organizational needs.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving business environment while maintaining high standards of quality, accountability, and collaboration.

Benefits:

• Remote working flexibility: Opportunity to work remotely from within the United States.
• Career development: Lead enterprise-wide HR technology initiatives and influence the long-term digital transformation strategy.
• Leadership opportunities: Build, mentor, and develop a dedicated team of Workday and HRIS professionals.
• Strategic impact: Play a key role in shaping HR and Payroll technology, improving operational efficiency, and driving organizational growth.
• Technology innovation: Work with advanced Workday capabilities, artificial intelligence, and automation initiatives.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Partner with senior leaders and multidisciplinary teams across HR, Finance, Payroll, IT, and business operations.
• Professional growth: Expand your expertise in enterprise systems, HR technology strategy, platform governance, and digital transformation.
• Inclusive workplace: Join an organization that values diversity of thought, professional experience, collaboration, and equal employment opportunities.