GM Data Cloud

Workday • Pleasanton, CA

10d • Hybrid

About The Position

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 Workday Data Cloud team is at the epicenter of Workday’s "Agentic AI" strategy. We are responsible for Workday’s foundational data layer, including Workday Data Lake, Data Connect, Live Data Query, and Prism Analytics. Our mission is to break down data silos and enable our customers—over 65% of the Fortune 500—to unlock the power of their HR and Finance data. We sit at the intersection of product, engineering, and strategic partnerships, working closely with industry giants like Snowflake, Databricks, and Salesforce. We are a high-impact, entrepreneurial group dedicated to building an open data ecosystem that fuels predictive modeling, real-time forecasting, and automated insights for the modern enterprise. About the Role Workday is seeking a visionary and transformative General Manager (GM) of Workday Data Cloud to lead our most ambitious data initiative to date. As the leader of the Data Cloud business unit, you will be responsible for the end-to-end strategy, innovation, and global execution of a platform that unifies people and money data with the broader enterprise ecosystem. In this critical leadership role, you will spearhead Workday’s shift toward an open, connected data architecture—leveraging AI-powered innovation and zero-copy technology to provide customers with a true strategic advantage. The ideal candidate is a seasoned general manager with deep expertise in data platforms, analytics, and cloud ecosystems, capable of navigating a highly matrixed environment to drive Workday’s next phase of 25%+ year-over-year corporate growth.

Requirements

• General Management: 15+ years of progressive leadership in the enterprise software/SaaS industry, with at least 5 years in a P&L-owning or GM role managing a complex product portfolio.
• Data Domain Expertise: Deep technical and business understanding of the data landscape, including Data Lakes, Data Warehousing, ETL/ELT, Analytics, and AI/ML infrastructure. Familiarity with Apache Iceberg and zero-copy data sharing is highly preferred.
• Strategic Ecosystem Experience: Proven track record of building and managing strategic technology partnerships. Experience navigating "coopetition" within the data ecosystem (e.g., Snowflake, AWS, Databricks) is essential.
• Commercial Acumen: Demonstrated success in launching new platform products, including defining value-based pricing, packaging models, and scaling GTM motions from early adopter to general availability.
• Matrix Leadership: Exceptional ability to influence and align diverse stakeholders—from deep-core engineering teams to C-suite executives—toward a unified platform vision.
• Analytical Rigor: Ability to use competitive intelligence and market research to make complex trade-off decisions regarding build vs. buy vs. partner strategies.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Business, or a related field; MBA or advanced technical degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Business Leadership & Strategy: Develop and own the global strategy for Workday Data Cloud. You will define the long-term vision, growth plan, and KPIs to establish Workday as the primary data layer for enterprise AI and decision-making.
• Product Innovation & Roadmap: Define and manage the product vision for the Data Cloud suite. You will lead the evolution of zero-copy architectures (Apache Iceberg), data lake curation, and SQL-based query capabilities to ensure Workday stays ahead of market trends in data management.
• Ecosystem & Partnership Acceleration: Partner with the Business Development and Commercial teams to expand our "Zero Copy Partner Network." You will play a lead role in managing strategic technical and go-to-market relationships with Snowflake, Databricks, Salesforce, and others.
• Go-To-Market (GTM) Strategy: Collaborate with the Chief Commercial Officer to design pricing, packaging, and sales motions that drive the adoption of Data Cloud across both the existing customer base and new market segments.
• Cross-Functional Execution: Lead high-impact initiatives across a matrixed organization, aligning Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Sales to deliver a cohesive "Workday Data" narrative and product experience.
• AI & Data Governance: Ensure that all Data Cloud innovations maintain Workday’s industry-leading standards for data privacy, security, and governance while enabling high-velocity AI model development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees