Are you an experienced Workday Programme Manager who excels at leading complex global transformation programmes, aligning multiple workstreams and driving successful enterprise-wide outcomes?
We're seeking a Workday Programme Manager to lead a portfolio of Workday initiatives within a large-scale global transformation programme. This is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing multiple concurrent projects, ensuring alignment across stakeholders, managing programme governance and driving delivery excellence across a complex international environment.
About The Role
As the Workday Programme Manager, you will provide programme-level leadership across a portfolio of Workday implementation, optimisation and transformation initiatives.
Working alongside Project Managers responsible for individual Workday projects, you will oversee governance, programme health, stakeholder management and integrated delivery. You will also work in close partnership with the Payroll Programme Manager to ensure alignment across interconnected Workday and Payroll workstreams.
This role requires a combination of strategic programme leadership, stakeholder engagement and operational oversight, ensuring that complex global programmes are delivered successfully and transitioned smoothly into business-as-usual operations.
Programme Leadership
- Lead a portfolio of Workday implementation, optimisation and transformation projects.
- Provide strategic direction and oversight across multiple concurrent workstreams.
- Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope and within budget.
- Drive successful programme outcomes and long-term business value.
- Support the transition of delivered solutions into operational environments.
Programme Governance
- Establish and maintain effective programme governance frameworks.
- Monitor overall programme health, progress and performance.
- Track:
- Milestones
- Budgets
- Risks
- Issues
- Resource utilisation
- Delivery performance
- Ensure consistent application of delivery methodologies, processes and quality standards.
- Prepare and present programme reporting to senior stakeholders.
Cross-Functional Programme Management
- Partner closely with Payroll programme leadership to ensure alignment across workstreams.
- Manage dependencies between Workday and Payroll initiatives.
- Coordinate:
- Timelines
- Testing activities
- Data migration
- Deployment plans
- Cutover activities
- Identify and proactively manage programme risks and dependencies.
- Resolve cross-functional issues that could impact delivery.
Senior Stakeholder Management
- Act as a trusted advisor to executive stakeholders and programme sponsors.
- Build strong relationships across business and technology teams.
- Lead governance meetings and steering committees.
- Provide strategic guidance and programme recommendations.
- Ensure stakeholder alignment throughout the transformation programme.
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, mentor and support Project Managers across the programme.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and delivery excellence.
- Encourage continuous improvement and best-practice adoption.
- Promote knowledge sharing across programme teams.
- Support the development of high-performing delivery teams.
Essential Experience
- Significant experience leading large-scale global Workday programmes.
- Proven track record managing complex Workday implementations and transformations.
- Experience overseeing multiple concurrent projects and delivery teams.
- Experience operating within enterprise-scale transformation programmes.
- Strong background managing international and cross-functional stakeholder groups.
Workday Expertise
- Strong understanding of:
- Workday HCM
- Core Workday modules
- Workday deployment methodologies
- Enterprise HR transformation programmes
- Experience supporting large-scale Workday governance and delivery structures.
- Understanding of Workday implementation challenges and best practices.
Programme & Delivery Management
- Significant experience with:
- Programme governance
- Risk management
- Dependency management
- Financial management
- Resource planning
- Transformation delivery
- Strong ability to manage competing priorities across multiple workstreams.
- Experience developing executive reporting and programme dashboards.
Leadership & Communication
- Exceptional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
- Experience working with C-level executives and senior sponsors.
- Strong communication, negotiation and influencing abilities.
- Ability to build consensus across complex, matrixed organisations.
- Comfortable operating in high-pressure and fast-changing environments.
Desirable Experience
- Payroll transformation programmes.
- Payroll integrations within Workday environments.
- Global HR and payroll transformation initiatives.
- Experience working within international delivery organisations.
- Exposure to complex matrix structures and geographically distributed teams.
Success In This Role
Successful candidates will:
Deliver Workday programmes that achieve business objectives and transformation goals.
Maintain strong governance and delivery controls across multiple projects.
Successfully manage dependencies between Workday and Payroll workstreams.
Build effective relationships with executive stakeholders and sponsors.
Minimise programme risk through proactive planning and issue management.
Ensure successful adoption and transition into business-as-usual operations.
Drive continuous improvement and delivery excellence across the programme.
Why Join?
- Lead a high-profile global Workday transformation programme.
- Work with senior executive stakeholders across an international organisation.
- Drive strategic business change with significant organisational impact.
- Manage a diverse portfolio of complex projects and workstreams.
- Opportunity to shape programme governance and delivery practices.
- Flexible remote working with international exposure and stakeholder engagement.
If you're a seasoned Workday leader who enjoys navigating complex global programmes, aligning stakeholders and delivering transformational outcomes at scale, we'd love to hear from you.
Years of experience and salary levels are shown purely as a guide. We will only consider applications from candidates that can demonstrate the skills or experience required for the role.
Please be aware that while we would love to respond to every application we receive, due to high numbers we cannot guarantee this. We do however appreciate any time you invest into the application and will make sure to get in touch should anything in future more closely fit your skillset.