HR Systems Manager

HR Systems Manager

Reports to: Workday Optimization Lead

Job Summary

The Francis Crick Institute (the Crick) is a partnership between the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer Research UK (CRUK), the Wellcome Trust, University College London (UCL), Imperial College London and King’s College London. It is a registered charity whose purpose is to conduct biomedical research into all aspects of human health and disease.

The Crick went live with Workday in February 2021 for HR and Finance, and we now require a HR Systems Manager to join the team. Reporting into to the Workday Optimization Lead for HR, this brand-new role will be responsible for the day to day management and maintenance of Workday within HR. Working closely with colleagues across Finance and IT, this role will also provide Workday expertise and share best practice ideas actively with our Workday Operational Management Group.

This role is key to the success, perception and utilization of Workday at the Crick. The HR Systems Manager will support the Workday Optimization Lead on the continuous development of Workday, and in the strategic planning of the long-term evolution of the system, which will include strengthening relationships with colleagues in HR, IT and the wider organisation.

To be successful in this role, the post holder must be able to work efficiently, accurately and be a ‘self-starter’ when it comes to managing their own workload in a dynamic and changing environment.

Key Responsibilities

In this role you will:

• Support all functional aspects of Workday HCM, and the day to day management and maintenance of this, including but not limited to purging data, using mass operation management, reassignment of unassigned tasks and managing tenant access
• Configure, test, validate and implement changes to business processes as part of BAU, Optimization, Continuous Improvement and Cross-Functional activity
• Support the Workday Optimization Lead to review, test and implement changes as part of the six monthly Workday New Release cycle
• Work with the Workday Optimization Lead to coordinate and drive automation and process improvements across Workday, and identify areas of improvement to ensure we are using the system effectively, and suggest further system changes and enhancements as appropriate
• Carry out periodic system checks including utilisation reviews, and making recommendations on potential issues or possible improvements
• Oversee the creation and maintenance of relevant data structures and plans in Workday (such as Supervisory Organizations and Absence, Compensation & Benefit plans)
• Use the Workday EIB tool to mass load data as and when there is a need for this
• Be a champion for data integrity and ensure our HR Functional Leads are regularly reviewing the data for which they are responsible
• Monitor and implement changes to improve the data integrity in systems, including coordination and management of system audits
• Maintain the set-up of delegations in Workday, in conjunction with Finance ensuring any changes are in line with policy and process
• Document and maintain system and processes, procedures and user guides relating to HR systems and reporting services
• Ensure the confidentiality of the data and ensure the firm maintains its compliance with relevant legislation, including the Data Protection Act, GDPR and other regulatory requirements

You will provide support by:

• Monitoring queries being raised by Functional Leads and the wider HR team and end-users. Taking responsibility for the management and successful resolution of all BAU system issues raised, as well as the investigation and implementation of fixes where possible
• Logging tickets with our AMS provider and Workday directly where necessary and overseeing these to conclusion while ensuring correct change management / testing protocol is followed and user guides updated
• Covering the HR Systems Administration and Reporting Manager to create and edit custom reports, alerts and embedded analytics when required
• Undergoing continual training to increase knowledge of Workday
• Carrying out Systems admin in the absence of the HR Systems Administration and Reporting Manager for all other HR systems
• Maintaining the security framework, including the creation of new security groups and assignment of roles
• Having a working knowledge of integrations and system dependencies to be able to diagnose, support and implement issues and solutions

You will collaborate with teams at the Crick by:

• Working with other teams such as Finance, IT and Service Delivery, actively engaging in our internal Workday Operational Management Group and leading/chairing the group on a rotating basis
• Partnering with IT to recommend changes to data structures, feeds and infrastructure
• Participation in monthly HR Functional Leads meeting
• Supporting with the review and documentation of user guides, training materials and process maps for End-Users, Managers and the internal HR team. Providing guidance to enhance and retain their knowledge of how to execute processes within Workday
• Liaising with the Workday Optimization Lead on configuration changes, ensuring appropriate governance methodology is followed, and representing HR at Change Advisory Board Meetings

Skills & Experience

The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: bold, imaginative, open, dynamic and collegial, in addition to the following:

Essential:

• A good understanding of HR best practice across employee lifecycle processes
• Appropriate experience using Workday and a track record in the design and continuous improvement of HR processes
• Extensive knowledge of Workday core HCM, including Reporting and Security
• Excellent understanding of the configuration of business processes, including the management of business process policies, notifications and rule-based configuration
• Exposure to Workday data management processes such as EIBs uploads and object transporter
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to interact with colleagues at all levels
• Ability to accurately collect information to understand and assess business needs and requirements
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to prioritise workload and provide timely follow-up and resolution
• A logical approach to problem solving
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks and projects
• A proactive attitude
• A proven ability to learn technology quickly, and principally through self-training
• Experience of using ServiceNow or similar service management software
• Knowledge and previous experience of successful cross-functional working on both HR and Finance processes

Desirable:

• Previous experience of all or some exposure with Workday Recruitment, Compensation, Benefits, Payroll, Time-Tracking, Absence, Talent & Performance and Learning
• Workday pro accreditation in Core HCM and/or reporting
• Previous experience of working in an academic or research environment

­­