Senior Director, Software Development Application - HCM & WFM Development

Workday, Inc.; Pleasanton, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 232,000 - 422,000; Full time

Job summary

Workday, Inc. is seeking a Senior Director of HCM Engineering to lead a 100+ person software organization. You will set technical direction, partner with product and platform teams, and drive delivery of the Workday HCM vision. Strong leadership and decision-making skills are essential.

You will influence senior leadership, scale teams, and foster innovation while aligning with the company’s core values and long-term goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in CS/Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years leading software development teams and 15+ years in software engineering.
• Experience guiding architecture for enterprise platforms.

Responsibilities

• Develop and communicate a strategic roadmap for HCM Engineering.
• Lead and grow an organization of 100+ engineers and leaders.
• Collaborate with product, platform, and support teams to define requirements.
• Drive on-time, high-quality delivery of features and enhancements.
• Build relationships with customers and partners to stay ahead of trends.

Skills

Decision making

Engineering leadership

People management

Influencing skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Job description

**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**How do you know you’ve found the right place to work? At Workday, we live our core values every day: Employees, Customer Service, Innovation, Integrity and Fun. We work hard, and we’re serious about what we do. But we like to have fun, too. We put people first, celebrate diversity, drive innovation, and do good in the communities where we live and work. We help the world’s largest organizations adapt to what’s next by bringing finance, HR, and planning into a single enterprise cloud. The mission for HCM is to reinvent how workers, managers and administrators interact with Workday. We are turning Workday's unmatched global data footprint into a living intelligence layer. HCM is the heartbeat of Workday with revenue in excess of $3B and over 6,000 customers. •. Transparency, for the candidate who can see accurate pay ranges when they're looking for new opportunities. •. Engagement, for the employee who wants to interact with a holistic rewards experience. •. Insight, for the manager looking to make fair and informed comp decisions. •. Flexibility, for the business leader who's keeping pace with changing world Come be a part of this transformation of HCM and help shape the future of Workday!**About the Role**As the Senior Director of HCM Engineering, you will lead and serve a 100+ organization of software engineers and engineering leaders who are building the future of Workday HCM. You will set the technical and organizational direction for this team as it delivers on the vision to reinvent how workers, managers and administrators interact with Workday.You will be joining a leadership team that embodies Workday's values and leadership principles, and you will play a central role in shaping how this product area evolves.Responsibilities:* Develop and communicate a strategic roadmap for HCM Engineering, aligned with business goals and the broader HCM product vision* Lead and grow an organization of high-performing engineering teams responsible for delivering and supporting Workday HCM.* Collaborate with product management, Agent Factory, platform and customer support teams to define product requirements and ensure timely, high-quality delivery of features and enhancements* Champion the product vision and partner with product management and other key teams to deliver on product goals* Coordinate delivery across multiple teams, providing estimates and assessments for proposed development efforts and ensuring on-time, high-quality outcomes* Build and maintain relationships with customers, partners, and industry experts to stay informed about the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in HCM.* Grow and develop your teams — supporting workmates in building their careers, leveraging their strengths, and achieving their aspirations**About You******Basic Qualifications:***** 8+ years of experience leading and developing large software development engineering organizations, including managing Directors and Senior Managers* 10+ years of experience managing software development engineering teams, building high-performing teams, and driving software development outcomes* 15+ years of experience in software development engineering, defining and implementing technical strategies for complex software products and platforms* Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related discipline; Master's degree preferred, or equivalent practical experience****Other Qualifications:***** Mastery of **Decision Making** in the context of leading global engineering organizations — you evaluate complex, high-impact options with clarity, balancing risk assessment and long-term technical strategy to drive sound organizational decisions* Recognized expertise in **Engineering Leadership****,** with the ability to provide visionary direction and inspire innovation across a large engineering organization — you set the tone for technical excellence and foster an environment where teams do their best work* Exceptional **Influencing Skills**, with experience driving organizational transformation and strategic technical adoption across senior leadership, cross-functional partners, and engineering teams — you build alignment through trust, clarity, and credibility* Mastery of **People Management**principles, with a demonstrated ability to build and scale inclusive, high-performing software development organizations — you know how to motivate teams, develop engineering leaders, resolve challenges constructively, and foster a culture of continuous learning* Deep expertise in **Software Development** and its strategic application, with experience guiding the architecture and delivery of complex, enterprise-scale platforms — you understand how to translate business and product goals into sound engineering strategies that drive innovation and results* Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to deliver clear, compelling presentations to executive leadership and external partners and to adapt your style to different audiences**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.CA.PleasantonPrimary Location Base Pay Range: $281,600 USD - $422,400 USDAdditional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $231,800 USD - $422,400 USD