Workday HCM Lead

WDBeacon; Farmers Branch (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

WDBeacon seeks a Workday HCM Lead to steer strategy, implementation, and ongoing optimization of the Workday platform across HR, payroll, time tracking, and related modules. You will own the program roadmap, governance, budgeting, and cross-functional delivery with stakeholders and external partners.

You will lead end-to-end delivery, manage vendor relationships, ensure compliance and data governance, and mentor the Workday team to achieve adoption, performance, and value realization in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Business Administration, HR, Finance, or related field.
• 8–10 years of progressive Workday or large-scale ERP program management experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional technology programs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee execution of strategic Workday initiatives.
• Track and report on program progress and performance.
• Maintain governance, risk, and compliance practices.
• Manage relationships with internal teams and external vendors.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Agile/Scrum

Communication

Mentoring

Change management

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Jira

ServiceNow

Workday

Job description

The Workday HCM Lead serves as the strategic leader responsible for the overall strategy, implementation, optimization, governance, and ongoing management of the Workday platform. This role ensures that Workday applications effectively support organizational business objectives, deliver value, and maintain high standards of performance, compliance, and user adoption. The Workday HCM Lead acts as the central point of accountability for program roadmap execution, stakeholder alignment, vendor management, budgeting, and cross-functional delivery.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Program Strategy & Roadmap

• Develop, maintain, and communicate the multi-year Workday program roadmap, aligning enhancements with
• business strategy, regulatory requirements, and enterprise priorities.
• Serve as the primary program owner for all Workday modules (HCM, Payroll, Time Tracking, Recruiting, Talent, Learning, Financials, Procurement, Projects, etc.).
• Translate business needs into prioritized initiatives, features, and deliverables. Develop and manage the annual budget for the Workday program, including licensing, enhancements, upgrades, and maintenance.

2. Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Act as the primary liaison between business stakeholders (HR, Finance, Operations), IT teams, executive leadership,and external Workday partners.
• Facilitate intake, evaluation, prioritization, and governance of enhancement requests and program initiatives.
• Provide regular executive-level reporting on program status, risks, issues, budget, and value realization.
• Manage vendor relationships, contracts, licensing compliance, and procurement processes.

3. Program Delivery & Execution

• Oversee end-to-end delivery of Workday initiatives, including configuration, integration, testing, deployment, and change management.
• Coordinate with functional analysts, integration teams, and implementation partners to ensure on‑time, on‑budget delivery.
• Lead release management activities, including impact analysis and adoption planning for Workday updates.
• Drive continuous improvement of platform performance, usability, and reliability.

4. Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Establish and enforce program governance processes, including change control, release management, and configuration standards.
• Ensure compliance with internal controls, audit requirements, data privacy, and security policies.
• Partner with Security, Compliance, and Legal teams on access controls, segregation of duties, and data governance.
• Support internal and external audits with documentation and traceability.

5. Operational Excellence & Team Leadership

• Monitor key program metrics, including adoption, stability, service levels, and business value.
• Maintain program documentation, SOPs, and knowledge assets.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to Workday team members.
• Promote operational excellence and best practices in platform management.

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Ensures the Workday platform aligns with organizational priorities and delivers measurable value.
• Maintains strong governance, compliance, and risk management practices.
• Drives effective stakeholder communication and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Manages program resources, budgets, and timelines effectively.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversees execution of strategic Workday initiatives.
• Tracks and reports on program progress and performance.
• Supports change management and platform optimization efforts.
• Maintains strong relationships with internal teams and external vendors.

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Business Administration, Human Resources, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 8–10 years of progressive experience in Workday or large‑scale ERP program management, implementation, or optimization.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross‑functional technology programs.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, with the capacity to influence without direct authority.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to manage and mentor technical teams.
• Deep knowledge of Workday architecture, modules, release management, and SaaS best practices.
• Experience working in governed or regulated environments.
• Proficiency with Agile/Scrum, Jira, ServiceNow, or similar tools (preferred).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Primarily office‑based with occasional travel for meetings or training
• Ability to work in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment with multiple priorities.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Office environment
• Occasional evening or weekend availability for releases or urgent matters.
• Collaborative environment supporting critical enterprise systems.

DISCLAIMER:

The job description is designed to outline the essential functions, responsibilities, and qualifications of the role. It is not an exhaustive list of duties and may evolve based on business needs.