COE Delivery & Transformation Lead - People Technology (12M FTC)

Why we're hiring:

WPP is undertaking a major global People Technology transformation to deploy Workday HCM across the organisation, simplifying the People landscape, improving data consistency, strengthening core People capabilities, and enabling scalable adoption of AI- and data-led insights.
The move from multiple local HR systems to a centrally governed global platform represents a significant shift in ways of working across markets, functions, and agencies.

The COE Delivery & Transformation Lead is responsible for leading the design, delivery, and transformation of key People Centre of Excellence (COE) capabilities through Workday. The role will partner with senior business leaders, HR COEs, People Technology, and external partners to define future-state processes, drive technology-enabled transformation, and deliver strategic initiatives across Recruitment, Total Rewards, Performance Management, Learning, and other talent-related functions.

This individual will act as both a transformation leader and programme delivery lead, ensuring business objectives are translated into scalable and sustainable solutions while delivering measurable organisational outcomes.

What you'll be doing:

• Lead the transformation of People COE functions through the effective use of Workday and supporting technologies.
• Partner with HR and business leaders to define future-state processes
• Drive standardisation, simplification, and optimisation of people processes across global markets.
• Challenge existing ways of working and identify opportunities to improve employee and manager experiences.
• Facilitate strategic workshops and design sessions with executive and senior stakeholders to align on vision, scope, priorities, and outcomes

Workday Delivery Leadership

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of Workday modules including:
• Workday Recruiting
• Workday Learning
• Workday Performance Management
• Workday Compensation and Total Rewards
• Workday Talent and Succession (desirable)
• Ensure solutions are aligned with business requirements, industry best practices, and Workday capabilities.
• Oversee solution design, configuration, testing, deployment, change management, and hypercare activities.
• Collaborate with implementation partners and internal delivery teams to ensure successful outcomes.

Programme & Project Management

• Manage complex transformation initiatives from inception through delivery.
• Develop project plans, delivery roadmaps, governance structures, budgets, and resource plans.
• Track milestones, risks, dependencies, and issues, ensuring timely escalation where appropriate.
• Provide regular status reporting and progress updates to programme sponsors and executive stakeholders.
• Drive delivery accountability across multiple workstreams and vendors.

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with senior HR, People Technology, Finance, and business leaders.
• Influence decision-making through data-driven recommendations and clear communication.
• Facilitate steering committees, design workshops, leadership reviews, and programme governance forums.
• Manage conflicting priorities and drive alignment across global stakeholder groups.

Change & Adoption

• Ensure organisational readiness for new processes and technology solutions.
• Partner with Change Management and Communications teams to support adoption and engagement activities.
• Develop transition plans and support business teams through change.
• Measure and report on adoption, utilisation, and business outcomes.

What you'll need:

• Significant experience leading large-scale HR transformation and technology programmes.
• Proven delivery experience across multiple Workday modules, including:
• Recruiting
• Total Rewards / Compensation
• Performance Management
• Strong understanding of Talent, Learning, Performance, and Reward operating models.
• Experience managing global implementations across multiple regions and stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrated success facilitating workshops and influencing senior executives.
• Experience working with system integrators, consulting partners, and third-party vendors.
• Strong programme and project management expertise with a track record of delivering complex initiatives on time and within budget.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Project management certification (PMP, Prince2, Agile, Scrum or equivalent) desirable.
• Workday certification or extensive Workday implementation experience preferred.
• Experience within a multinational or matrixed organisation preferred.

Who you are:

You're open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are open-minded: to new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You're optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures or our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You're extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

 

What we'll give you:

Passionate, inspired people – We aim to create a culture in which people can do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?

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