Workday Program Director

Posting Number SF01990

Job Title Workday Program Director

Position Number 109794

FTE 1.00

FLSA Exempt

Position Type Professional Staff

Union Non-Union Non-Classified Staff

Pay Grade Level Grade Level: 18

Pay Grade Range Anticipated Hiring Salary Range: $155,000 – $175,000

Status Calendar Year, Full-time, Limited

Department Human Resources

Contact(s)

Please note: Job applications must be submitted directly online only at: (https://jobs.uri.edu)

Contact Phone/Extension

Contact Email

Physical Demands

Campus Location Kingston

Grant Funded No

Extension Contingency Notes

This is a full time, calendar year appointment limited to three years (June 30, 2028)

with possible extension.

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Job Description Summary

The search will remain open until the position has been filled.

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About URI:

The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs and is the State’s flagship public research university, as well as the land grant and sea grant university, for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston, and the Bay Campus is located in Narragansett. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community. URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston and New York City.

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Please Note: After an initial onboarding period, this role will be eligible for a HYBRID WORK SCHEDULE with one or more days per week OFFSITE.

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BASIC FUNCTION:

The inaugural Workday Program Director will lead a team in the implementation and management of the Workday platform at the University of Rhode Island. This will include the HCM (Human Capital Management), Financials, and all other modules the university elects. This leadership role will oversee the entire project lifecycle—from planning and deployment to optimization and ongoing system governance. As the University’s first dedicated leader for Workday, the Program Director will play a critical role in establishing the foundation for the system’s long-term success, aligning Workday capabilities with the institution’s strategic objectives.

The ideal candidate is a visionary leader with expertise in large-scale Workday implementations, strong project management skills, and a dedication to driving transformational change in a higher education environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide strategic leadership for the University’s implementation and optimization of Workday, ensuring alignment with institutional goals.

Engage campus partners including the President’s Executive Council through a strategic communications plan to build consensus and promote system adoption.

Oversee Workday design and configuration, Finance and HR reporting, integrations and project management.

Identify opportunities to streamline processes and maximize efficiencies using Workday functionality.

Manage Workday and other vendor relationships; develop and maintain strong relationships, leveraging expertise to enhance outcomes.

Lead change management efforts to prepare the university community for the transition to Workday, fostering user adoption and minimizing disruption.

Establish a sustainable system governance structure to oversee ongoing Workday updates, enhancements, and maintenance.

Oversee project scope, operating budget, resources, risks, and ensure timely delivery.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Perform other duties as required.

LICENSES, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT:

Personal computers, printer, word processing, database management and spreadsheet software.

Required Qualifications

REQUIRED:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (i.e., project or program management, human resources, finance, technical management, etc.).
• Minimum ten years of relevant experience at the Project / Program / HR / Finance / Technical leadership level.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing large teams with successful results.
• Demonstrated strategic leadership skills and ability to exercise sound, ethical judgment.
• Demonstrated effective change management and program management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively consult with clients to understand issues and resolve related problems.
• Demonstrated success cultivating relationships with a diverse array of constituents, both internally and externally.
• Demonstrated evidence of successful business process improvement and proactive solutioning.
• Demonstrated success in leading ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) or HCM implementations within higher education or other complex organizations.
• Demonstrated experience with and understanding of Workday.
• Demonstrated core competencies of analytical thinking, consulting, and strategic planning.
• Demonstrated change management, problem solving, and program management skills.
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency in written communication skills.
• Demonstrated team building skills (including proven ability to build consensus in order to achieve organizational goals).
• Demonstrated technical adeptness in multiple areas and knowledge of financial and HR processes.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse groups/populations.

Preferred Qualifications

PREFERRED:

1. Demonstrated experience implementing Workday Financials/HCM.

2. Workday certifications in relevant modules.

3. Demonstrated leadership experience in a higher education environment.

4. Demonstrated proficiency with Agile or other project management methodologies.

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The University of Rhode Island is an equal-opportunity employer committed to the principles of affirmative action. It is the policy of the University of Rhode Island to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability.

Environmental Conditions

This position is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Posting Date 04/11/2025

Closing Date

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please attach the following 3 (PDF) documents to your online Employment Application:

(#1) Cover letter.

(#2) Resume.

(#3) Other Document – References – the names and contact information of three professional references. (Note: this document is required even though references may be listed on the application).

Quicklink for Posting https://jobs.uri.edu/postings/15036

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