Principal Product Owner, Workday

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic vision, roadmap, and prioritization for Workday capabilities, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and governance frameworks.
• Serve as the primary liaison between business process owners, Workday configuration teams, and technical integration partners to ensure cohesive solution delivery.
• Manage the product backlog, defining epics, features, and user stories that support process optimization, automation, and data transparency.
• Collaborate with HR, Finance, and Institutional leadership to define KPIs, success metrics, and business outcomes for Workday initiatives.
• Champion change management and user adoption, ensuring effective communication, training, and stakeholder engagement for each release.
• Engage with Workday Success Managers, user groups, and industry peers to identify best practices and future platform opportunities.

Competencies

• Strategic Thinking and Alignment
• Stakeholder Collaboration and Influence
• Product Management and Agile Delivery
• Analytical and Data-Driven Decision Making
• Communication and Change Leadership
• Continuous Improvement and Innovation

Skills

• Workday configuration knowledge (HCM, Finance, Prism, Extend, or Journeys)
• Agile product management, backlog grooming, and sprint planning
• Requirements analysis and process mapping
• Strong communication, facilitation, and executive presentation skills
• Data visualization and KPI development using Workday reporting tools
• Vendor and stakeholder relationship management

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Information Systems, Business Administration, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Experience: 8+ years of Workday experience, including 4+ years as a Product Owner, Product Manager, or Platform Strategist.
• Proven success leading enterprise-level Workday initiatives across HCM, Finance, or Extend.
• Experience in higher education or complex, matrixed organizations preferred.

Preferred Experience Requirements

• Education: Master's Degree in Business Administration, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Experience: Leadership experience in enterprise digital transformation or ERP modernization programs.
• Proven success developing and executing product roadmaps aligned to organizational strategy.

Certifications

• Workday Pro Certification(s) in one or more modules (HCM, Skills Cloud, Journeys, Extend, or Reporting/Prism) preferred.
• Agile Product Owner or Scrum certification (e.g., CSPO, SAFe PO/PM) a plus.
• Multiple Workday Pro Certifications or equivalent platform specialization.
• Agile or ITIL certification preferred.