Workday Data Lead - EMEA Based (remote role) - Contract /FTC 12 months

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities.

Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 115,000 accomplished people in 110 countries. WPP has headquarters in New York, London and Singapore and a corporate presence in major markets worldwide.

We create transformative ideas and outcomes for our clients through an integrated offer of communications, experience, commerce, and technology.

WPP and our award-winning agencies work with most of the world's biggest companies and organisations – from Ford, Unilever and P&G to Google, HSBC, and the UN. Our clients include 61 of the FTSE 100, 307 of the Fortune Global 500, all 30 of the Dow Jones 30 and 62 of the NASDAQ 100. WPP are the leader in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index and 20th in the FTSE 100 rankings for Women on Boards.

Why we're hiring:

Our WPP HCM Data Team is building the foundation for how WPP and its agencies deliver operational and People solutions to enable delivery of HR services to our colleague population of over 100,000 people worldwide. Our team are seeking a Workday Data Lead to join them in this newly created role.

Based in WPP’s incredible offices on London’s enviable Southbank, you’ll be working within the ERP Transformation Team alongside our Finance, IT, Data & Operations teams. We are undergoing a large transformation across our Finance and People functions and the ERP Transformation team has a multi-year roadmap of releases across the globe. We need a Data Lead to help us drive and deliver data activities within one of our Workday HCM releases.

The ERP transformation is in support of a holistic, sustainable and scalable People Operating Model enabled by Workday HCM and other technology solutions, alongside new ways of working in our service delivery model, including payroll harmonization. It’s a truly exciting time to join us !

What you'll be doing:

Reporting into the Global People Data Solution Product Owner, you will

• Work with the programme data leadership to review the programme data strategy and refine as required for the release.
• Work with the release lead to review and identify the in-scope systems for source data to be migrated to Workday and the data footprint within the in-scope agencies. 
• Collaborate with the functional and integration teams to understand requirements and ensure alignment of the data migration scope with the solution.

• Devise data validation strategy and test cases and lead validation of data loaded into Workday, including collaboration with Agency and SI partners to determine approach to remediation of data quality and availability issues. 

• Lead data profiling and put together metrics to report on data quality and gaps. Devise strategy to improve quality of data across prototypes. 
• Work with the OpCo and their local teams to ensure programme timelines and objectives are being met and risks managed. 

• Continuously improve data extraction templates and methods to simplify process and improve data quality and turnaround times.  

• Ensure complete collaboration as the Release Data Team including both IT, business and 3rd party to ensure that activities are operated with the right quality and to schedule. 
• Provide expertise on data migration to deal with the complexity and scale of the legacy landscape.
• Manage the release data team (WPP, SI, Agency) and all plan activities, providing accurate and timely reporting and appropriate escalation of any risks and issues.

What you'll need:

• Previous experience (3+ years’) in a global Workday implementation
• Analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills 
• HCM / People Data Experience
• Experience in architecting and influencing ERP led transformation programs within complex organizations. 
• Background in large data conversion projects, with multiple data sources from varying data models utilizing SAP/Oracle/Workday/similar as target or source. 
• Strong communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills – to present data concepts in a meaningful way 
• Successful project data stream experience within a large, complex multi-site/ supplier environment and able to demonstrate a range of concluded projects/ programmes 
• A strong background in driving efficiency of data activities in an organisation of relevant size, complexity and scale 
• Experience of leading diverse teams working across multiple geographies
• Confidence in challenging situations, able to inform senior management and work under pressure 

Who you are:

You're open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are accepting: of new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You're optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures or our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You're extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

What we'll give you:

Passionate, inspired people – We promote a culture of people that do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?

PLEASE NOTE IF UK BASED CONTRACT WILL BE INSIDE IR35

WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal.

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