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 Leadto 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 experiencein 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 Learningexperience.
- 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 runningand 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 Workdaythroughout the engagement.
Why This Role?
- Work with ahousehold-name UK organisation.
- Excellent brand/logo exposure for your CV.
- SeniorWorkday Functional Lead / Solution Architect-levelposition.
- 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 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.
