Program Manager, Workday & HR Technology

City Irvine State California Job  Location Irvine Regional Office (Derian)
Position Type Regular The  Program Manager, Workday HR Technology will play a pivotal role in transforming how Essex leverages technology to support its people and business. Reporting to the Director, HR Technology, this highly visible role will lead strategic Workday initiatives that enhance the employee experience, drive operational efficiency, and support a growing real estate portfolio across California and Washington. Partnering closely with HR, IT, Finance, Operations, and executive stakeholders, you'll spearhead innovative HR technology solutions that enable a dynamic, geographically distributed workforce while influencing the future of HR systems T YOU WILL DO:

Lead end-to-end Workday implementation and enhancement projects across HCM, Payroll, Learning, Talent, Recruiting, Compensation and Time & Absence modules, tailored to support corporate, and operations staff.

Serve as primary liaison between HR, Payroll, Finance, Operations, and IT stakeholders, plus third-party implementation partners.

Coordinate HR system support for property acquisitions, dispositions, and portfolio changes — including new entity setup, employee transfers, and org restructuring as the portfolio evolves.

Project manage and oversee integrations between HR systems (i.e., Workday) and third-party vendors.

Develop and maintain project plans, budgets, timelines, and status reports; facilitate steering committee updates for executive/ownership stakeholders.

Manage bi-annual Workday releases and assess impact on operations and corporate business processes.

Lead UAT cycles with stakeholders and end users, accounting for varying levels of system access and technical proficiency.

Maintain vendor relationships and projects.

Identify opportunities to streamline HR and Payroll processes across the organization through HR Technology solutions.

Support change management for HR Technology initiatives. Partner with COEs on communication planning and adoption strategy, and coordinating training delivery with the technical team to support end users across the organization.

Maintain the HR Technology-related communications and documentation on the HR intranet page, ensuring content stays current and easily accessible to end users.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university (B.A./B.S.) is required.
5+ years of project/program management experience, with 3+ years managing HRIS- specific projects.

Experience supporting multi-entity, multi-state organizations with decentralized or field-based work forces (real estate, hospitality, retail, or similar preferred)
Strong understanding of Workday's organizational structure, security model, business process framework, and reporting/Prism tools

Experience with PM methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid) and tools (Smartsheet, MS Project, Jira, Asana)
Strong business acumen with the ability to understand how HR technology supports organizational goals.

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts in a clear and concise manner.

A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with attention to detail.

Ability to build strong partnerships with HR, Payroll, IT, and business stakeholders.

Drive for continuous improvement and innovation in HR systems and processes.

WHAT THE JOB REQUIRES:

Ability to work Monday through Friday. Role may be hybrid or remote based on proximity to an Essex corporate office; candidates must reside in California or Washington. In-person work may be required at corporate offices in Woodland Hills, Irvine, Bellevue, or San Mateo, in accordance with Essex’s hybrid policy, which may change at the company’s discretion.

Work involves extended periods at a desk using standard office equipment (e.g., computer, phone, printer), with minimal physical exertion.

Occasional travel may be required for meetings, training, or conferences.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE TABLE:

Ability to manage multiple, time sensitive HR system projects throughout the year, based on current priorities.

A strategic mindset to leverage HR Technology to meet the needs/requirements of our corporate and…