Strategic Initiatives Lead

Workday•Pleasanton, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Data Cloud organization is at the forefront of Workday’s next major wave of innovation, driven by a bold mandate to build the industry’s first true Platform for Agents. We are a high-energy, ambitious team building the critical intelligence, semantic, and context engine that will power the future of AI and agentic workflows across enterprise HR and Finance. Operating with a 0-to-1 "startup inside an enterprise" mindset, we value organizational clarity, deep cross-functional collaboration, and rapid execution. We are establishing the strategic and operational foundation needed to scale our architecture, accelerate market delivery, and capture massive new commercial value. We are seeking a high-caliber Principal Product Strategist to partner across Workday to define the Data Cloud organization’s product strategy, guide product investment decisions, and operationalize our commercial vision. Reporting directly to the GM of Data Cloud, you will serve as a chief product strategy and execution partner. In this role, you will bridge the gap between technical AI platform development and global market execution. You will design the product operating rhythm, drive cross-functional go-to-market (GTM) strategies, and lead complex 0-to-1 commercialization initiatives. You will sit at the center of organizational execution—aligning Product, Engineering, Sales, Finance, and Legal. If you thrive in fast-paced environments, excel at translating technical product capabilities into commercial outcomes, and have a proven track record of operationalizing enterprise product strategies, this role is for you.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in Product Strategy, Product Operations, Strategy & Operations, or Management Consulting within an enterprise product, platform, or SaaS organization.
Demonstrated experience defining, operationalizing, and executing multi-year enterprise product or platform strategies at scale.
Proven track record of designing and running enterprise-wide product operating rhythms, GTM frameworks, and commercialization programs from the ground up.
A relentless focus on market outcomes with a proven ability to take unstructured product directives and rapidly translate them into structured GTM plans, RACI matrices, and actionable workstreams.
Strong technical fluency with the ability to engage deeply with engineering teams on platform architecture while connecting technical decisions directly to P&L impacts, monetization strategies, and customer adoption metrics.
Pragmatic approach to operations—knows how to implement the 80/20 rule, eliminate redundant meetings, and establish lightweight cadences that product and engineering teams actually want to use.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with a proven ability to build strong relationships, influence without authority, and collaborate across all executive levels.

Nice To Haves

Experience in top-tier management consulting (e.g., Deloitte, PwC, Booz Allen) combined with in-house technology Product Strategy or BizOps experience is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

Partner across Workday to define, evangelize, and maintain a unified product strategy for the Data Cloud organization.
Translate high-level technical goals into structured commercialization plans, launch sequences, and global market expansion strategies.
Identify and assess new market, customer, and business opportunities to inform strategic decision-making.
Partner with Finance and Product leadership to define investment principles, monitor success metrics, and ensure resources align with strategic priorities.
Design, implement, and orchestrate the rhythm of the business (ROB) for the product organization.
Own the execution of Product Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), roadmap alignment cadences, and annual strategic planning cycles.
Drive our most critical, multi-million-dollar cross-functional product initiatives (including defining pricing, packaging, monetization, and go-to-market strategies) from initial assessment through to post-launch execution.
Build and monitor product performance scorecards.
Ensure tight alignment between engineering outputs, product adoption metrics, Product-Led Growth (PLG) signals, and revenue outcomes.
Serve as a trusted advisor to Data Cloud leadership on product vision, investment priorities, and emerging AI trends.
Represent the Data Cloud organization in strategic cross-functional forums to ensure alignment with Workday’s overall strategy.