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Head of Global People Relations at Workday in USA, CA, Pleasanton
Job Description
Head of Global People Relations
Location: USA, CA, Pleasanton · Flex
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
Our People & Purpose organization fosters high-performing teams and exceptional workplace experiences. We are pioneering the next era of People Operations by integrating agentic AI, intelligence at scale, and Human-Centered design. Grounded in trust, fairness, and our core commitment to employees, we deliver global support that continuously elevates both organizational health and business performance.About the Role
As the Head of Global People Relations, you will lead the strategic evolution of our People Consultant, Employee Relations, and Risk & Compliance organizations - a global team of 40 domain experts - into an AI-first, data-driven engine. You will re-engineer core processes—from performance management and coaching to employee relations and risk mitigation—by harnessing our agentic technology. Balancing continuous automation with empathy and legal rigor, you will build a global framework where employee trust remains our paramount metric.
Strategic Priorities & Key Responsibilities:
Agentic & AI-First Transformation
Re-wire end-to-end People Relations workflows using agentic automation to scale advisory services, performance coaching support, and intake systems seamlessly across all operating regions.
Modernized ER & Investigations
Oversee global Employee Relations and People Consulting teams, embedding AI-driven triage and standardized quality frameworks while maintaining absolute fairness, objectivity, and empathy.
Risk, Compliance & Governance
Direct global compliance strategy, Labor Relations, and automated risk models to navigate evolving international employment laws and data privacy standards.
Strategic Intelligence & Insights
Transform case data and workplace sentiment into scalable, and actionable intelligence, creating a virtuous cycle of organizational improvement for leaders and employees globally.
Trust & Responsible AI Guardianship
Establish and reinforce responsible AI frameworks for Global People Operations, ensuring every AI or automated system upholds employee trust, non-bias, and company core values.
People Leadership & Development
Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing global team of People Consultants, ER specialists, and Risk & Compliance experts; foster continuous capability building, a culture of trust, and clear career growth pathways.
Key Stakeholder Ecosystem & Relationship Capital
To drive transformation and align cross-functional priorities, this leader will actively build trust and strategic influence across key global stakeholders:
Legal & Employment Law: Partner to navigate complex employment regulations, investigations, workplace privacy, and ethical AI compliance frameworks.
HR Business Partners (HRBPs) & Talent Experience: Align People Relations strategy with broader organizational talent strategy, leadership coaching, and performance management enablement.
People Analytics & HR Technology / Systems: Collaborate to architect data pipelines, predictive models, and agentic AI integrations into daily People operations.
Business Unit & Regional Executive Leaders: Serve as a trusted advisor to senior business executives across AMER, EMEA, and APJ to drive consistent workplace practices and de-risk organizational change.
Works Councils, Labor Unions & Employee Representative Bodies: Build collaborative, transparent relationships across international jurisdictions to navigate global labor relations smoothly.
About You
Basic Qualifications:
Enterprise Leadership: 12+ years of progressive executive experience leading global Employee Relations, HR Risk & Compliance, and People Consulting organizations across Americas, EMEA, and APJ
Other Qualifications:
AI & Process Re-engineering: Proven track record of leveraging AI platforms, agentic workflows, or digital transformation models to modernize enterprise workflows at scale.
Data & Strategic Acumen: Demonstrated ability to build People Analytics capabilities that translate operational performance management and ER data into business-critical organizational insights.
Legal, Responsible AI, and Regulatory Mastery: Subject matter expertise in global labor standards, employment law, and ethical HR governance.
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
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.
Workday is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals during our application process, in order to perform one or more essential functions of their job, as well as regarding the use of AI tools for employment decision-making to any degree. Please see below for more details including how to request an accommodation as a qualified veteran, due to a disability or for religious reasons, or as otherwise provided under applicable law.
Workday prohibits taking adverse action against any candidate or employee for reporting a possible violation of this policy, requesting one or more work accommodations, exercising a privacy right, or cooperating in an investigation in accordance with applicable law. Any employee who retaliates against a candidate or employee for doing so may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, to the fullest extent allowable under applicable law.
If you require a reasonable accommodation, you may email accommodations@workday.com, as far in advance as possible.
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