Director, Global Emerging Talent Programs

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

The Emerging Talent Programs team is a dynamic, mission-driven group within Workday's Global Talent Acquisition organization dedicated to building highly specialized talent pipelines that fuel Workday's growth and long-term success. Our portfolio spans multiple programmatic areas — Early Careers (including pre-intern pipeline, our Internship Program, and our unique post-internship program, Generation Workday), Military/Veteran hiring, Federal hiring, and Accessibility — each led by dedicated program leaders and support staff who bring deep expertise and passion to their work.
This year, the team is focused on maintaining momentum across our Early Careers programs, scaling our Military/Veteran and Federal recruiting efforts, and ensuring that our hiring practices are accessible to all. There is also an exciting opportunity to innovate and reimagine emerging talent programs to include additional areas to serve the business (e.g. flex work, apprenticeships, non-traditional career paths, etc.)
What makes this team special is the close-knit, connected, and highly collaborative way we work together and with our business and talent partners. We are service-oriented leaders who are passionate about building best-in-class partnerships and delivering meaningful outcomes for the people and communities we serve.

About the Role

As the Director, Global Emerging Talent Programs, you will architect, develop, and scale Workday's emerging talent strategy. You will own the overarching global vision and operational execution of a portfolio of high-impact talent acquisition programs, including Early Careers (Internship Program and Generation Workday), Military/Veteran hiring, Federal hiring, and Accessibility. You will collaborate directly with business and talent acquisition partners to drive long-term organizational capability and program performance that supports business needs.

Global Leadership and Portfolio Governance

• You will define a multi-year global roadmap for key programmatic talent streams. You will lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing team of individual contributors, providing career development, performance management, and direction across distinct portfolio tracks.

• You will build unified global operational frameworks and playbooks, and serve as a core member of the Global Talent Acquisition COE Leadership Team.

Partnership and Business Advising

• You will serve as a trusted advisor to business and talent acquisition partners, developing the right program approach for each partner while regularly reporting on performance, while delivering market intelligence and insights to drive better outcomes.

• You will cultivate high-level external partnerships across each program area to accelerate talent pipelines, scale reach and awareness, and deliver best-in-class insight and delivery.

• You will also partner with many cross-functional partners such as Finance, Legal, Global Mobility, Total Rewards, and Compliance teams to ensure smooth and effective execution.

Innovation, Planning, and Operations

• You will innovate, develop, and implement dynamic emerging talent practices aligned with Global TA priorities — including establishing a compelling brand, creating standardized hiring practices, building a differentiated candidate experience, and cultivating a performance-driven organization.

• You will own and manage the comprehensive global budget for all programmatic talent streams, driving cost-effective resource allocation.

• Through your program leadership, you will influence workforce planning efforts to ensure the business meets its hiring plans.

• You will efficiently scale global emerging talent programs using measurable KPIs to meet organizational goals.

Team Development

• You will coach and develop your team, inspiring and empowering a high-performing group of professionals that will set the standard for program development and execution, while living to Workday’s values and mission.

About You

Basic Qualifications:

• 12+ years of relevant experience in talent acquisition, emerging talent programs, or a related field

• 7+ years of experience leading and fostering high-performing teams

• 3+ years of experience leading and developing management leaders (managers of managers)

Other Qualifications:

• Experienced in program management, including the coordinated management of multiple, related programs to achieve business objectives. You can successfully deliver complex initiatives, efficiently allocate resources across multiple work streams, and realize organizational goals through effective management of interdependencies, risks, and benefits.

• Deep understanding of talent acquisition and emerging talent programs, including developing effective recruitment campaigns, improving the candidate experience, reducing time-to-hire, and ensuring the organization attracts and retains the best talent to meet its goals.

• Skilled in leadership, with the ability to guide, influence, and direct a team toward achieving shared goals. You are experienced in team building, fostering a positive work environment, driving organizational change, and inspiring and motivating others.

• Experienced in stakeholder management, including identifying key partners, understanding their needs and expectations, developing effective communication approaches, and managing conflicts or issues that may arise. You can build meaningful relationships with partners and facilitate engagement in decision-making processes.

• Skilled in strategic and portfolio planning, including defining multi-year roadmaps, setting and achieving organizational goals, improving operational efficiency, managing change, and driving growth and innovation across a portfolio of programs.

• Understanding of headcount and workforce planning, including managing and influencing hiring plans to ensure predictable, well-managed talent pipelines aligned to business needs and budgets.

• Proficient in data insights and analytics, with the ability to translate complex data into understandable and practical information. You can identify trends and patterns in data, make data-informed decisions, optimize operations, and develop strategies for growth or improvement based on the insights derived from the data.

• Experienced in process improvement, including identifying, analyzing, and enhancing existing business processes to meet new standards or goals. You can use analytical tools to measure performance and identify areas for enhancement, reduce operational costs, improve satisfaction, and increase productivity.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to adapt your style to different audiences and collaborate effectively across teams.

Workday Pay Transparency Statement

The annualized base salary ranges for the primary location and any additional locations are listed below.  Workday pay ranges vary based on work location. As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Workday Bonus Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus, as well as annual refresh stock grants. Recruiters can share more detail during the hiring process. Each candidate’s compensation offer will be based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, geography, experience, skills, job duties, and business need, among other things. For more information regarding Workday’s comprehensive benefits, please click here.

Primary Location: USA.CA.Pleasanton

 

Primary Location Base Pay Range: $213,900 USD - $320,900 USD

 

Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $180,600 USD - $320,900 USD

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.

Pursuant to applicable Fair Chance law, Workday will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Workday is an Equal Opportunity Employer including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

At Workday, we are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive hiring experience where all candidates can fully demonstrate their skills. If you require assistance or an accommodation at any point, please email accommodations@workday.com.

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