Sr. Program Manager - Workday Implementation - Contract - 18 months +

NO THIRD PARTIES PLEASE. Resource 1 is seeking a Senior Program Manager to lead an active Workday implementation and business transformation program for our client in higher education.

The program is currently in the configuration phase and is targeting a July 2027 go-live, followed by hypercare, stabilization, and ongoing support through the end of 2027. This is a highly visible role responsible for coordinating multiple functional and technical workstreams, managing program dependencies and risks, and ensuring the organization remains on track for implementation, testing, training, deployment, and go-live.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced program leader with strong Workday and/or ERP implementation experience, exceptional organizational and stakeholder-management skills, and the ability to quickly step into an active program and provide structure, accountability, and momentum.

Key Responsibilities

• Assume leadership of an active Workday implementation and quickly establish an understanding of program status, priorities, risks, dependencies, and timelines.
• Coordinate multiple functional and technical workstreams across the implementation.
• Drive the program toward the planned July 2027 go-live and subsequent hypercare and stabilization activities.
• Manage cross-functional dependencies involving Workday configuration, integrations, testing, training, change management, and operational readiness.
• Work closely with business stakeholders, technical teams, implementation partners, and vendors to ensure timely execution.
• Monitor program milestones, deliverables, risks, issues, dependencies, and resource requirements.
• Facilitate program meetings, working sessions, status reviews, and executive-level discussions.
• Identify potential issues and dependencies and drive resolution and escalation.
• Support end-to-end testing, training, cutover, deployment, go-live, and post-production stabilization.
• Partner with change-management teams to ensure appropriate organizational readiness and adoption.
• Maintain program documentation, reporting, action items, and decision tracking.
• Provide leadership with clear visibility into program health, risks, decisions, and areas requiring attention.
• Help transition implementation activities and knowledge from external partners to internal teams as the program progresses.

Required Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience leading complex technology programs or enterprise transformation initiatives.
• Significant experience managing ERP implementations or major enterprise application transformations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and complex dependencies.
• Strong stakeholder-management, communication, facilitation, and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to work effectively with business leaders, technical teams, vendors, and implementation partners.
• Strong understanding of enterprise application implementations and the relationship between functional, technical, integration, testing, and change-management activities.
• Ability to quickly assess an in-flight program and establish structure, priorities, and accountability.
• Strong problem-solving and risk-management capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience managing a Workday implementation.
• Experience with Workday HCM, Finance, Payroll, or related modules.
• Experience leading an ERP implementation through configuration, testing, training, go-live, and stabilization.
• Experience working in higher education or similarly complex, decentralized organizations.
• Experience managing implementation partners and multiple concurrent vendors.
• Experience with enterprise transformation and business-process change.
• PMP, PgMP, or other relevant program/project management certification.

Interview Process

• The initial interview will be conducted virtually, followed by an in-person interview in Chicago location.