Director, People Business Partner

Your work days are brighter here.

We're obsessed with making hard work pay off, for our people, our customers, and the world around us. As a Fortune 500 company and a leading AI platform for managing people, money, and agents, we're shaping the future of work so teams can reach their potential and focus on what matters most. The minute you join, you'll feel it. Not just in the products we build, but in how we show up for each other. Our culture is rooted in integrity, empathy, and shared enthusiasm. We're in this together, tackling big challenges with bold ideas and genuine care. We look for curious minds and courageous collaborators who bring sun-drenched optimism and drive. Whether you're building smarter solutions, supporting customers, or creating a space where everyone belongs, you'll do meaningful work with Workmates who've got your back. In return, we'll give you the trust to take risks, the tools to grow, the skills to develop and the support of a company invested in you for the long haul. So, if you want to inspire a brighter work day for everyone, including yourself, you've found a match in Workday, and we hope to be a match for you too.

About the Team

This position involves leading the delivery of proactive and strategic HR support to our leadership teams in Chennai, Mumbai, and Pune. The successful candidate will work closely with executive leaders to facilitate the growth and expansion of our business in India, acting as the primary point of contact for HR matters as we scale.

About the Role

Are you a Director, People Business Partne r who is a natural problem-solver and relationship builder, passionate about people and their impact on business success? In this pivotal role, you will lead the talent strategy for your client groups.

You will also lead, mentor, and develop direct and indirect reports , fostering their growth and ensuring high performance. You'll be a role model, holding yourself and others accountable for understanding and consistently practicing our values.

This role requires a unique blend of strategic HR expertise, strong business acumen, and exceptional leadership, with the ability to influence stakeholders across the entire People & Purpose (P&P) ecosystem and within the broader business leadership.

Key responsibilities include:

• Strategic HR Planning: Gain a deep business understanding of our products/services, the business operating model, financials, how important decisions are made, and our competitive landscape. Translate this business knowledge into a talent strategy that enables organizational success for our India workforce overall.
• Advising and Coaching: Serve as a consultant to leadership on human resource related issues. Coach leaders to enhance their abilities, working towards a highly engaged workforce, encouraging cross-functional relationships, and building bench strength at all levels.
• Influence and provide strategic guidance to VPs and executive leadership on critical people matters, organizational design, and talent initiatives.
• Organizational Change : Lead organizational changes within the department providing strategic input on business direction, resource planning and internal communication.
• Talent Management: In partnership with our business aligned Talent Experience partners, lead talent management and leadership planning strategies and processes to develop world-class executive talent. Actively help your managers and direct reports by creating the condition where employees meet their career goals, set clear contribution goals that align to organization and career objectives, be recognized and compensated consistent with their contribution, cultivate productive connections, and assess and grow their capabilities
• Culture and Belonging: Align performance management and reward strategies to create a culture of high performance and innovation within and across the business groups. Execute and ensure that you and our managers actively practice the Workday People Manager Expectations.
• Employee Engagement: Be a business champion to drive and use employee engagement initiatives that elevate and sustain high levels of employee engagement.
• HR Partnership & Execution: Engage and collaborate with the global HR team, including the People Partner team, HR Operations and Functional Centers of Excellence teams. Provide leadership and guidance to implement core HR policies, programs and practices vital to drive strategic objectives.
• Functional Objectives & Project Delivery: Establish functional objectives (development sprints, product features, functional projects) by defining work plans and assigning and holding individuals and teams accountable to results. Assure projects are delivered within budgets, schedules, work plans and other committed performance requirements. Help develop, modify and execute Workday methods and practices that enable their team/function and may also have company-wide effect

About You

Basic Qualifications:

• 15+ years of progressive HR experience, including strategic people business partnering with a focus on talent strategy.
• Enterprise experience, supporting one or more executives (VP+ level)
• 5+ years of direct people management experience.
• Degree in business or a related field, or equivalent relevant number of years of work experience

Other Qualifications:

• Experience working with business operations and related functions in a fast-growing organization
• Strong business acumen, understanding financial conditions, with an ability to link the HR and business strategy, and identify ways to improve business performance
• Ability to quickly build relationships and credibility with executives
• Ability to be flexible and forward-thinking within a high growth organization
• Proven ability to tailor his/her communication style to work well with diverse stakeholders; effective at influencing, facilitating, and problem solving
• Skilled at identifying and assessing organisational programs and change capabilities, building what's required, shaping, supporting and reinforcing culture
• Proven experience in the following areas: leadership coaching and development, talent/performance management, high potential identification and development, diversity and inclusion programs, workforce and succession planning and development of recognition/engagement programs
• Demonstrated ability to strategically influence and advise VPs and executive leadership, challenging status quo and driving impactful people strategies across the P&P ecosystem
• Seriously passionate about this work

Our Approach to Flexible Work

With Flex Work, we're combining the best of both worlds: in-person time and remote. Our approach enables our teams to deepen connections, maintain a strong community, and do their best work. We know that flexibility can take shape in many ways, so rather than a number of required days in-office each week, we simply spend at least half (50%) of our time each quarter in the office or in the field with our customers, prospects, and partners (depending on role). This means you'll have the freedom to create a flexible schedule that caters to your business, team, and personal needs, while being intentional to make the most of time spent together. Those in our remote "home office" roles also have the opportunity to come together in our offices for important moments that matter.

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