Principal Program Manager

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 Business Technology Program Management Office (BT PMO) drives consistency, operational rigor, and delivery excellence across Workday’s most important technology initiatives. We partner across engineering, operations, applications, and business platforms to ensure execution is connected to measurable results.

As we continue to scale, we are strengthening program leadership to ensure the successful delivery of large, cross-functional initiatives that directly enable Workday’s strategic priorities.

Our values guide how we work every day: we are drivers of outcomes, trusted partners with a strong say/do ratio, and we operate with integrity, transparency, and adaptability—always keeping the big picture in mind.

About the Role

Workday is seeking a Principal Program Manager to lead complex, high-visibility programs and initiatives within Business Technology. The role will focus on orchestrating cross-functional execution, ensuring alignment with business priorities, and driving measurable outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, execution, and delivery of complex, cross-functional programs with significant executive visibility and business impact.

• Translate strategy into clear execution plans with defined outcomes, milestones, and success metrics.

• Anticipate risks and dependencies; proactively resolve issues to keep programs on track.

• Establish governance, reporting, and decision-making structures that create clarity and accountability.

• Partner with engineering, data, and business teams to ensure program objectives are achieved, including compliance, data quality, and platform scalability.

• Use dashboards and metrics to monitor progress, provide transparency, and drive continuous improvement.

• Serve as a trusted partner to senior leaders, ensuring alignment, clarity, and progress against commitments.

About You

Basic Qualifications

• 10+ years of program management experience leading large-scale, cross-functional initiatives with measurable business outcomes.

• 8+ years in SaaS, enterprise technology, or related industries.

• Experience leading Enterprise Data or compliance-driven programs (e.g., governance, retention, analytics, or cloud migration).

• Proven success in establishing governance, decision-making frameworks, and operating rhythms for complex programs.

• Relevant certifications in program/project management (PMP, PgMP, CSM, or equivalent) required, or equivalent demonstrable expertise in program management frameworks.
   

Other Qualifications

• Ability to influence and align senior stakeholders across diverse functions.

• Skilled at executive communication, storytelling with data, and simplifying complex topics.

• Strong judgment and decision-making skills in high-stakes situations.

• Comfort navigating data-related dependencies, such as data quality, integrations, and regulatory compliance.

• Experience driving both strategic and technical initiatives from inception to outcomes.

• Adaptable and resilient; able to flex to changing priorities while maintaining focus on results.

• Track record of mentoring, coaching, or enabling program management talent.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business, Technology, or Management (or e