Director, HR Systems (Job ID: 2025-3752)

The Brookings Institution • Washington, DC

69d • Hybrid

About The Position

Join one of the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tanks! The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level. We bring together leading experts in government and academia from all over the world, rooted in open-minded inquiry and representing diverse points of view, who provide the highest quality research, policy recommendations, and analysis. Research topics cover a full range of public policy issues in economics, foreign policy, development, governance and metropolitan policy. With fair and transparent business practices, clear communication, mutual respect, and a collaborative atmosphere that offers both professional and personal development opportunities, Brookings offers an inclusive and welcoming workplace that values the efforts of all contributors. Brookings' Human Resources (HR) department actively develops and implements HR best practices aligned with organizational priorities. The HR team delivers high quality HR services and ensures the recruitment, development, recognition, and retention of a diverse, high performing and engaged workforce, and smooth and efficient operations. We are a collaborative HR team of 17, including Employment, Benefits, Compensation & HR Systems, and Learning & Development, working to provide a supportive and well managed workplace where all employees have a sense of belonging and can contribute in an impactful and meaningful way. Position Location: This position is hybrid. Hybrid positions combine regular in-person presence at our Washington, DC office with the option of two days of remote work each week. The Director, HR Systems, oversees all aspects of HR systems and is responsible for delivering best-in-class HR systems support to the Institution's research programs and business units. They lead the HR systems team and play a key role in the stewardship of Brookings' enterprise systems landscape, which is anchored by Workday. The Director oversees a team of two staff. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer (DCHRO), this position works in close partnership with colleagues across the Institution to maintain and enhance HR systems that support Brookings' strategic objectives. This includes identifying opportunities for improvement, solving operational challenges, and leveraging technology to simplify and standardize HR processes. The Director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of HR systems (including Workday Human Capital Management or HCM, and related tools) and cross-functional support of related systems (including Workday Payroll, Absence, and Time-Tracking or PATT), encompassing system administration, feature adoption, incident resolution, release planning, and overall systems governance. They will set HR systems roadmap in alignment with institutional priorities and will build internal capacity to support and enhance Brookings' HR systems environment over time.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree with a minimum of ten years progressing responsible experience in HCM system (Workday, Oracle, PeopleSoft) administration and data management.
• Minimum five years of management/supervisory experience.
• Minimum three years of Workday experience required.
• Must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.
• Ability to lead efforts to ensure optimization of HR technology platforms.
• Expert proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Excellent project management skills and ability to meet deadlines.
• Must be able to thrive in a demanding, change-oriented, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to think strategically about problems and possesses skill in tactical execution.
• Demonstrated ability to audit data and identify, analyze, and develop solutions.
• High degree of executive presence and professionalism with the ability to engage with all levels of an organization and maintain confidentiality.
• Well organized and confident, team player and team leader with excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Working knowledge of regulatory and governing standards for compensation, payroll, health and welfare benefits, retirement plans, FMLA, workers' compensation and disability.

Nice To Haves

• Strong preference for candidates with previous large enterprise Workday implementation or administration experience; Workday, CCP, CEBS, or other relevant certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the administration and governance of HR systems - including Workday (Core HR, Benefits, Absence, and Learning Management), ICIMS (Recruiting), and SharePoint (Workflows) and provide cross-functional support for related systems - including Workday (Payroll and Time tracking) and third party integrations- to ensure reliable performance, data integrity, and alignment with institutional needs.
• Oversee system operations such as configuration, troubleshooting, incident, request and change management, release planning, and vendor coordination.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and partner to internal stakeholders to maintain and optimize HR systems and integrations.
• Champion user adoption by developing and promoting effective training, documentation, and system communications.
• Lead the development of HR analytics capabilities by delivering consistent, accurate, and actionable reports, dashboards, and executive summaries that inform decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with relevant HR laws and data governance protocols through appropriate system design and reporting practices.
• Define and lead the HR systems and data strategy in alignment with institutional goals and evolving needs.
• Guide full project lifecycles for new system initiatives - including scoping, requirements gathering, vendor selection, testing, and change management.
• Manage the HR systems project pipeline and participate in cross-functional governance efforts to align priorities across HR, Finance, and Technology.
• Propose, Evaluate and Redesign core HR processes to improve efficiency, user experience, and strategic alignment.
• Stay abreast of emerging HR technologies and trends to ensure Brookings remains responsive and forward-looking.
• Ensure a smooth transition of implemented solutions to operational support.
• Supervise and support HR Systems staff, including performance management, coaching, and workload oversight.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture grounded in continuous improvement and accountability.
• Establish long-term priorities and annual goals for the HR systems function in partnership with the DCHRO and HR Management Team.
• Build strong relationships across HR, Finance, Technology, and program areas to support system effectiveness and strategic alignment.
• Contribute to broader HR planning efforts and support cross-functional projects as needed.

Benefits

• Brookings provides a generous benefit package that is comprehensive and includes both traditional benefits and unique offerings.
• Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision benefits, generous time off, and workplace flexibility.
• For more information, please visit Brookings Benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Industry: Educational Services
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees