Senior Specialist, People Systems

Ancestry

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Specialist, People Systems serves as the operational backbone of the People Systems team. This role is responsible for delivering long-term People Systems strategies, driving continuous improvement, and enhancing functional capabilities. The position ensures alignment with business objectives and incorporates feedback from customers to inform ongoing development. Leads the People Systems delivery engine, providing organisational partners with the necessary insights, tools, processes, and systems to support high-impact strategic partnerships. Drives modernization, scalability, and operational excellence across People Systems, including technology stacks, workflows, and cross-functional processes, to encourage greater engagement and adoption.

Requirements

Workday subject matter expert across Core HCM and Hire-to-Retire (HTR) processes, including Talent, Payroll, and Leave & Absence
Comprehensive understanding of functional configuration and Workday security
Experience with Workday reporting, data extracts, and advanced Excel-based modelling
Experience designing and delivering analytics and dashboards using Power BI or similar business intelligence tools
Experience with workflow automation and RPA solutions (e.g., UiPath, Alteryx)
Experience defining, tracking, and delivering against process performance KPIs
Experience leading and contributing to Workday projects and releases
Experience partnering with senior HR leaders and business stakeholders
Experience diagnosing and resolving complex Workday system, data, and process issues
Experience coaching and mentoring junior analysts and functional partners

Nice To Haves

Agile, Scrum, or Waterfall methodologies

Responsibilities

Acts as a Workday subject matter expert across Core HCM and Hire-to-Retire (HTR) processes, including Talent, Payroll, and Leave & Absence, with a comprehensive understanding of functional configuration and Workday security.
Owns and optimises Workday configurations, business processes, integrations, and security frameworks to maintain system stability, scalability, and alignment with organisational requirements.
Utilises Workday reporting, data extracts, and advanced Excel-based modelling to analyse workforce data, identify trends, and support strategic HR and business decisions.
Designs and delivers impactful analytics and dashboards using Power BI or similar business intelligence tools, facilitating clear data storytelling from Workday and related HR systems.
Leads continuous improvement initiatives by reengineering Workday-enabled processes and implementing workflow automation and RPA solutions (e.g., UiPath, Alteryx) to boost efficiency and data quality.
Defines, tracks, and delivers against process performance KPIs for Workday services and operational outcomes.
Leads and contributes to Workday projects and releases, including enhancements, optimisations, and large-scale transformations, utilising Agile, Scrum, or Waterfall methodologies as appropriate.
Partners with senior HR leaders and business stakeholders to translate Workday system capabilities and data insights into actionable strategies and informed decision-making.
Serves as a trusted advisor to stakeholders by presenting Workday insights and recommendations that influence workforce planning, operational performance, and continuous improvement roadmaps.
Diagnoses and resolves complex Workday system, data, and process issues through structured problem-solving and data-driven analysis.
Coaches and mentors’ junior analysts and functional partners on Workday capabilities, reporting, and analytics, promoting self-service and enhancing overall system adoption and maturity.
Effectively communicates complex Workday and people-data concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences through clear storytelling, documentation, and presentations.