Workday Communications Specialist

Job Summary

The Communications Specialist plays a critical role in the successful implementation of the Workday project which entails replacing our 30-year-old legacy system Banner with a cloud-based ERP, Workday, in the areas of Human Resources and Finance. This role is central to ensuring the successful adoption of Workday across the institution by leading the execution of a community wide communications plan for a multi-year enterprise transformation.

This position is joining Oberlin at a pivotal moment, helping shape how the institution transitions from a legacy ERP system to a modern platform that will support the College for decades to come. This is a full‑time, 1‑year renewable position reporting to the Director of IT Project Management.

• Communication Strategy & Planning
  Develop and manage the overarching project communication plan, aligned with key project milestones. Identify stakeholders and develop targeted, audience‑specific communication strategies for faculty, staff, and administrative units. Collaborate with the Change & Adoption Manager to ensure communications support broader organizational readiness goals.
• Communication Execution
  Execute the project communication plan by writing, editing, and designing a wide range of materials including campus‑wide emails, newsletters, FAQ documents and website content. Ensure alignment with Oberlin’s campus culture and the overall project strategy and messaging. Translate technical Workday terminology into language that resonates with the campus community.
• Training Development & Documentation
  Collaborate with the Change & Adoption Manager to develop training documentation, videos and course content aligned with Workday business process changes.
• Training Delivery
  Manage training resources, assign online training, and deliver in‑person training related to Workday and other CIT‑supported systems.
• Engagement & Feedback
  Ensure training effectiveness through feedback loops, user assessments, and continuous refinement of materials.
• Project Team Collaboration
  Participate in project team meetings to stay up to date on progress and business process changes. Work closely with the project team to identify potential risks to user acceptance and contribute to governance.
• Change Champion Network
  Work with a group of “Workday Champions” across campus to guide communications.
• Metrics & Reporting
  Develop dashboards and reporting mechanisms to track engagement with communication and training resources.

• High levels of user adoption and engagement across campus
• Successful training completion and user readiness prior to go‑live
• Minimal disruption during go‑live and strong post‑go‑live stabilization
• Positive user experience and confidence in Workday
• Strong alignment and engagement with campus stakeholders and leadership

• Exceptional writing skills with strong attention to detail, editing, and tone
• Ability to work independently and deliver high‑quality solutions
• Ability to prioritize and perform multiple tasks in a dynamic, fast‑paced team environment
• Creativity in building communication and training assets
• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently while meeting deadlines
• Outstanding organizational and planning abilities
• Effective team player proficient in cross‑functional collaboration
• Strong ability to influence stakeholders, manage resistance, and drive adoption in a complex environment

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, organizational development, or similar field
• Minimum 2 years in a training, communications, or change management role
• Minimum 1 year experience with Workday HCM & Finance
• Experience in managing internal communications, including leadership forums, newsletters, and intranet sites
• Experience in managing change through sponsorship management, communication, and training plans
• Knowledge of IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks such as ITIL
• PROSCI or ACMP Change Management certification

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.