Workday HCM Functional Lead
Contract: Full-Time Contract
Duration: 3-4 months initially, with scope for extension
Start Date: September 2026
Location: UK - ideally within commuting distance of London
Day Rate: Competitive, Outside IR35
The Opportunity We are seeking an experiencedWorkday Functional Lead to join a high-profile transformation programme with ahousehold-name UK organisation .
This is an excellent opportunity to work with a prestigious brand and deliver meaningful impact across the Workday estate. The successful candidate will operate atFunctional Lead / Solution Architect level , providing senior functional leadership across system realisation, adoption, stabilisation and ongoing optimisation.
With a strong blend ofWorkday deployment and BAU experience , you will be comfortable operating strategically with senior stakeholders while also having the functional depth to drive solutions through to successful delivery.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide senior functional leadership across the Workday HCM landscape.
- Lead functional activities throughsystem realisation, deployment, adoption, stabilisation and optimisation .
- Act as the key functional point of contact between business stakeholders, Workday teams and technical/project delivery teams.
- Shape and validate Workday solutions in line with business requirements and best practice.
- Provide expert guidance across configuration, business processes and functional design.
- Support the resolution of complex functional issues and drive continuous improvement across the Workday platform.
- Lead workshops and discussions with senior business and HR stakeholders.
- Translate business requirements into pragmatic, scalable Workday solutions.
- Support governance, decision-making and solution assurance across the programme.
- Ensure successful transition from deployment intoBAU and ongoing optimisation .
- Champion Workday adoption and help maximise the value of the platform.
Required Experience
- 6+ years of Workday experience in senior functional roles.
- Strong experience across bothWorkday deployment and BAU environments .
- Proven experience operating as aWorkday Functional Lead, Senior Functional Consultant or Solution Architect .
- Strong hands-on functional expertise across:
- Workday HCM
- Workday Absence
- Workday Compensation
- Experience taking Workday solutions through implementation/deployment and into stabilisation and BAU.
- Strong understanding of Workday functional architecture, business processes and solution design.
- Proven ability to work with and influencesenior stakeholders .
- Excellent communication, workshop facilitation and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to operate at both strategic and detailed functional levels.
- Strong problem-solving and analytical capability.
Desirable
- Workday Learning experience.
- Experience within a large, complex UK enterprise environment.
- Experience supporting Workday adoption and organisational change.
- Experience with Workday optimisation and continuous improvement programmes.
- Previous experience working for a major household-name organisation.
The Person We are looking for someone who canhit the ground running and provide immediate senior-level functional leadership.
You will be confident challenging and advising senior stakeholders, comfortable navigating complex Workday environments, and capable of moving seamlessly between high-level solution design and detailed functional discussions.
You will bring a pragmatic, delivery-focused approach, with the credibility to operate as thefunctional authority for Workday throughout the engagement.
Why This Role?
- Work with ahousehold-name UK organisation .
- Excellent brand/logo exposure for your CV.
- SeniorWorkday Functional Lead / Solution Architect-level position.
- Opportunity to influence a major Workday estate beyond initial deployment.
- Initial3-4 month contract with scope for extension .
- Competitive day rate, Outside IR35
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Workday HCM Functional Lead in London employer: Focus on WD
As a leading employer in the UK, we offer an exciting opportunity for a Workday People Systems Manager to thrive in a hybrid work environment that promotes flexibility and work-life balance. Our culture fosters collaboration and continuous improvement, providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development within a supportive team of experts. With competitive salaries and benefits, we are committed to empowering our employees to shape and optimise our Workday platform, making a meaningful impact on our organisation's success.
