Workday HCM Product Owner

We are seeking a seasoned and strategic Workday HCM Product Owner to lead the vision, roadmap, and delivery of our Workday Human Capital Management platform. This is a high-impact, senior role that sits at the intersection of HR, Technology, and Business Operations - serving as the primary driver of platform strategy, governance, and continuous improvement across the full Workday HCM suite.

The ideal candidate is a product-minded leader with deep Workday HCM expertise, a strong understanding of HR processes and people strategy, and the ability to influence executive stakeholders while managing a complex, multi-stakeholder product environment. This role requires equal parts strategic vision and hands-on platform knowledge.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Roadmap

Own and drive the Workday HCM product roadmap, prioritizing enhancements and initiatives in alignment with HR strategy, business needs, and platform capabilities

Serve as the primary voice of the business for Workday HCM, balancing competing stakeholder priorities with platform scalability and governance requirements

Evaluate and champion the adoption of new Workday features and modules released in bi-annual updates, leading impact assessments and deployment planning

Define product vision, success metrics, and business outcomes for each initiative, ensuring measurable value delivery

Governance & Demand Management

Establish and lead governance frameworks for intake, prioritization, and approval of Workday HCM enhancements and projects

Own and actively manage the product backlog, ensuring items are well-defined, properly sequenced, and aligned with organizational priorities

Develop and enforce change management standards and configuration governance processes across the platform

Partner with HR leadership, IT, and Finance to ensure cross-functional alignment on platform decisions

Platform Ownership & Configuration

Serve as the enterprise subject matter expert across core Workday HCM modules including Core HR, Recruiting, Onboarding, Talent & Performance, Learning, Compensation, Benefits, Absence, and Time Tracking

Translate business requirements into clear, actionable functional specifications and solution designs for the Workday configuration team

Lead UAT planning and execution, ensuring solutions meet business requirements before deployment

Oversee security role design and business process framework governance across HCM modules

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

Build and maintain strong partnerships with HR Business Partners, Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Payroll, Finance, and IT

Communicate product strategy, roadmap, and initiative status to executive leadership including CHRO and CPO

Translate complex platform capabilities and constraints into clear, non-technical language for HR and business stakeholders

Lead and facilitate working sessions, design workshops, and stakeholder reviews throughout the product delivery lifecycle

Team Leadership

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Workday HCM analysts, configuration specialists, and business analysts

Foster a culture of continuous improvement, user-centered design, and delivery excellence within the HR Technology team

Manage vendor and implementation partner relationships, ensuring accountability for quality and timelines

8-12 years of Workday HCM experience, with at least 3-5 years in a product ownership, product management, or platform lead capacity

Deep functional expertise across multiple Workday HCM modules - Core HR, Recruiting, Talent & Performance, and Compensation at minimum

Proven experience owning and managing a Workday HCM product roadmap in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment

Strong understanding of HR processes, HR data architecture, and people strategy across the full employee lifecycle

Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives from requirements through deployment, including UAT and change management

Experience managing governance frameworks, demand intake processes, and backlog prioritization

Excellent communication and executive presence - comfortable presenting to and influencing C-suite stakeholders

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to resolve ambiguity and drive decisions

Preferred Qualifications

Workday HCM Pro certification in one or more modules

Experience leading or supporting a full Workday HCM implementation or major module deployment

Familiarity with Workday Extend, Prism Analytics, or People Analytics

Experience with Workday integrations (EIB, Core Connectors, Studio)

Background in Agile/Scrum product delivery methodologies; Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or PMP a plus

Prior experience in a regulated industry (financial services, healthcare, life sciences) preferred

Experience in a global, multi-entity organization with international HCM requirements (multi-currency, localization)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Information Systems, Business Administration, or related field required

MBA or advanced degree a plus