Workday Systems Manager

Job Title: Workday Systems Manager Location: Hybrid Working pattern which can vary between 2-4 days per week onsite in London Salary: £110,000 – £130,000 per annum + Bonus + Benefits Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent Eligibility: Applicants must have the right to work in the UK – sponsorship is not available. Overview Focus on WD are proud to be partnering with a superb Workday end-customer who are preparing for their imminent Workday go-live. As they move into this pivotal post-implementation phase, the business is seeking a strategic, hands-on, and highly experienced Workday leader to join in a permanent capacity as Workday Systems Manager. This is a key leadership role responsible for owning the Workday platform across the full HCM suite. The successful candidate will drive user adoption, optimize system performance, and steer the long-term Workday and People Systems roadmap. You will be instrumental in delivering ongoing value from the platform while embedding Workday deeply into the organisation’s operational DNA. Key Responsibilities Strategic Ownership: Lead the overall Workday and People Systems strategy, aligning with business priorities and delivering ongoing innovation and value. Workday Platform Lead: Act as the SME across all Workday modules including HCM, Recruiting, Compensation (Core & Advanced), Learning, Benefits, Absence, and Talent & Performance. Roadmap Delivery: Drive the execution of the Workday roadmap through Phase 2 and beyond, ensuring continued growth, system enhancement, and business alignment. Platform Stabilisation: Guide the organisation through post-go-live stabilisation, ensuring data integrity, user adoption, and process optimisation. Leadership: Lead and support a small Workday team, fostering capability development and operational excellence. Continuous Improvement: Identify and implement enhancements to optimise Workday functionality, improve UX, and support wider business efficiency. Cross-Functional Engagement: Collaborate closely with HR, IT, Finance, and senior leadership to ensure Workday supports and accelerates strategic objectives. Change Management: Champion Workday within the organisation, promoting adoption, delivering training, and leading change initiatives. Key Requirements Workday Expertise: Deep experience across the Workday HCM suite, with proven ability to design, configure, and manage complex business processes. Leadership Experience: 5+ years in a senior Workday or HRIS leadership role, ideally within a global or complex organisation. Strategic Thinking: Demonstrated success in shaping and delivering long-term platform strategy and roadmap. Modular Strength: Proven hands-on experience across Workday modules including HCM, Recruiting, Learning, Absence, Talent, Compensation (Core & Advanced), and Benefits. Change & Adoption Focus: Experience driving post-go-live transformation, user engagement, and ongoing system optimisation. Stakeholder Influence: Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to manage and influence stakeholders at all levels. Autonomy & Collaboration: Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively to lead initiatives and deliver results. Why Join? Be at the helm of a major Workday transformation in its most impactful stage – post go-live optimisation and roadmap execution. Work in a visible, strategic role reporting into senior leadership with full ownership of the platform. Enjoy a flexible hybrid working model (3-4 days per week in the London office). Join a supportive culture committed to innovation, efficiency, and people-first technology strategy. Compensation & Benefits Salary: £110,000 – £130,000 per annum Discretionary performance-based bonus Excellent benefits package including Private Medical, Life Assurance. 25 Days Annual Leave, plus bank holidays & christmas shut down period Flexible hybrid working About Focus on WD At Focus on WD , we specialise exclusively in recruitment for the Workday ecosystem . It’s what we do, and we do it well. Our in-depth knowledge, industry insight, and singular focus set us apart and enable us to connect the best Workday talent with the most exciting opportunities across the UK and Europe. https://focuscloud.org/