Workday Specialist

University of Otago; Dunedin; On-site; NZD 97,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Otago is seeking a Workday Specialist to support the Our People Pathway implementation, delivering new Workday capabilities across HR data, processes and technology. You will work with business and technical teams to translate requirements into practical Workday solutions.

The role involves leading functional design, facilitating workshops, and supporting data migration, testing and change readiness across a multi‑year programme based in Ōtepoti/Dunedin.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering Workday implementations or digital transformations.
• Strong functional knowledge of one or more Workday modules.
• Experience facilitating workshops with business and technical stakeholders.
• Experience supporting testing, issue resolution and quality assurance.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Workday certification and experience in large organisations is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead functional design across Workday modules and processes.
• Facilitate workshops to define future-state processes and capture requirements.
• Translate business needs into Workday designs and configuration docs.
• Review configuration and workflows to meet business and programme goals.
• Provide expert advice on Workday capabilities and best practices.
• Support data migration, testing and QA across implementation lifecycle.
• Collaborate with stakeholders, Digital Services and partners to ensure delivery.

Skills

Workday experience

Workday modules

Workshop facilitation

Testing & QA

Stakeholder communication

Workday certification

Job description

University of Otago – North Dunedin, South Island

OFFICE OF TRANSFORMATION AND IMPROVEMENT | TE TARI WHAKAUMU ME TE WHAKAPAI AKE

OPERATIONS DIVISION | TE WĀHANGA WHAKAHAERE

The University of Otago is transforming how we support our people.

Our People Pathway (OPP) is a major programme delivering a new Human Resources Information Management (Workday) system across the University. We are seeking a Workday Specialist to support delivery of this high-impact programme.

The role | Te mahi

This role sits within Our People Pathway, the University's Workday implementation programme, supporting the delivery of new people, process, data and technology capability across the University. Working across business and technical teams, you will provide functional Workday expertise, support solution design, and help translate business needs into practical Workday solutions.

This is an opportunity to contribute to a significant enterprise transformation that will improve how staff experience core HR services.

Work will include:

• Leading functional design across Workday modules and associated business processes.
• Facilitating workshops to define future-state processes, capture requirements and support decision-making.
• Translating business requirements into Workday functional designs and configuration documentation.
• Reviewing and validating configuration and workflows to ensure solutions meet business needs and align with programme objectives.
• Providing expert advice on Workday capabilities, best practice and process improvement opportunities.
• Supporting data migration, testing and quality assurance activities across the implementation lifecycle.
• Working collaboratively with stakeholders, Digital Services and the implementation partner to support delivery, change readiness and transition to business-as-usual operations.

We are looking for a Workday Specialist who can bring expertise and practical thinking to complex work and work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.

To succeed in this role, you will bring:

• Proven experience delivering Workday implementations, enterprise system projects or digital transformation initiatives.
• Strong functional knowledge of one or more Workday modules and associated business processes.
• Experience facilitating workshops and supporting solution design with business and technical stakeholders.
• Experience supporting testing, issue resolution and quality assurance within a project or implementation environment.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts clearly and influence decision-making.
• Workday certification and experience working in large, complex organisations would be an advantage.

Transformation and Improvement support the University’s success through strong programme delivery and business process improvement.

This multi-year programme spans HR, Digital, Finance and the wider University, offering the opportunity to contribute to a complex, high-profile transformation.

This is a full-time (37.5 hours per week), fixed-term position for two years based in Ōtepoti, Dunedin.

The appointment range for this role is $96,587 to $105,532 per annum. Top of the range is $114,474.

The University of Otago is a workplace that values and utilises diverse and inclusive thinking, people and behaviours. This means that the contributions of staff with diverse backgrounds, experiences, skills and perspectives are valued and respected.