Workday Programme Director; Client-Side Transformation Lead hybrid

Location: London (City) hybrid, 2-3 days per week on site
Start: September 2026 (subject to onboarding and client approval)

We are supporting a leading global insurance organisation undergoing a major enterprise HR transformation and are seeking an experienced Workday Programme Director to provide client-side leadership of a complex global Workday implementation.

This is not a Workday configuration, product ownership or HR systems management role.

We are looking for a senior programme leader who can take ownership of a live transformation programme, manage system integrators and delivery partners, establish programme cadence, own governance, and drive delivery momentum across multiple work streams.

You will operate as the senior client-side authority for programme delivery, ensuring the programme remains on track, risks are proactively managed, decisions are made at pace, and delivery partners are held accountable.

The successful candidate will be comfortable operating independently, challenging assumptions, proposing solutions, and influencing senior stakeholders without requiring detailed direction.

Within the first few weeks, you will be expected to:

• Establish clear delivery priorities and programme cadence.

• Assess current delivery risks and dependencies.

• Challenge and validate delivery plans.

• Drive accountability across Deloitte and other programme partners.

• Lead governance forums and executive reporting.

• Provide recommendations rather than simply status updates.

• Anticipate issues before they become risks.

• Create clarity, structure and momentum across a fast-moving programme.

• Take overall client-side accountability for successful programme delivery.

• Drive all aspects of programme execution from mobilisation through deployment and stabilisation.

• Establish and maintain realistic delivery plans, milestones and dependencies.

• Ensure work streams remain aligned to programme objectives.

• Act as the primary client-side counterpart to Deloitte and other delivery partners.

• Hold vendors and system integrators accountable for delivery commitments.

• Challenge scope, timelines, assumptions and resource plans where required.

• Escalate and resolve delivery issues quickly and effectively.

• Establish and lead Steering Committees, Programme Boards and governance forums.

• Drive risk, issue, decision and dependency management.

• Provide concise executive reporting focused on key decisions and delivery outcomes.

• Engage effectively with C-suite stakeholders across HR, Technology and Operations.

• Own programme RAID logs, governance frameworks and reporting mechanisms.

• Maintain focus on critical-path activities and immediate delivery priorities.

• Ensure programme readiness across design, build, testing, deployment and transition.

• Drive corrective action when delivery milestones are at risk.

• Oversee programme budgets, forecasts and resource plans.

• Track benefits realisation and programme value.

• Manage commercial discussions with delivery partners where required.

We are specifically looking for individuals who have:

• Extensive experience leading large-scale Workday programmes as the accountable Programme Director or Client-Side Programme Lead.

• Proven track record delivering complex global HR transformation programmes involving multiple work streams, geographies and stakeholders.

• Strong understanding of Workday HCM and broader HR transformation journeys.

• Extensive experience managing large system integrators, consulting partners and third-party delivery organisations.

• Demonstrable experience establishing and running programme governance at Executive…