VP - People Systems, Strategy, & Innovation

Cushman & Wakefield•Chicago, IL

1d•$212,500 - $250,000•Remote

About The Position

Cushman & Wakefield is seeking a global Vice President, People Technology, Strategy, & Innovation to serve as the senior technology executive accountable for the company’s People technology strategy, digital transformation agenda, and operational performance across a complex global HR ecosystem. Reporting to the SVP & CIO, Enterprise Technology, this leader will partner directly with the Chief People Officer, HR Leadership Team, and regional HR Operations leaders to shape the future of HR technology, workforce data, employee experience, and AI-enabled People capabilities for approximately 50,000 employees across 60+ countries. This is a strategic enterprise leadership role, not a traditional systems administration position. The successful candidate will bring the credibility and executive presence to advise CHRO-level stakeholders, the delivery discipline to lead large-scale global HR technology programs, and the innovation mindset to advance Cushman & Wakefield’s People AI agenda responsibly and at scale. The role will own a multi-year roadmap spanning Workday HCM, global payroll, ServiceNow HR, workforce analytics, People Data Lake capabilities, and a 45+ application portfolio, while balancing modernization, governance, cost optimization, and business continuity.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, or a related field; Master's degree or MBA preferred.
15+ years of progressive technology leadership experience with a minimum of 5 years in senior HR technology or HCM platform leadership roles at global enterprise scale.
Deep experience with Workday HCM — including functional knowledge across Core HR, Recruiting, Talent, Payroll, Absence, and Learning modules; Workday implementation leadership experience strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-vendor HR technology ecosystems including global payroll, applicant tracking, and employee experience platforms.
Proven track record of delivering complex, multi-stakeholder HR technology transformation programs on time and within budget across a global, geographically distributed workforce.
Demonstrated ability to manage and influence CHRO-level and C-suite stakeholders with credibility, gravitas, and genuine understanding of People strategy.
Experience driving AI adoption within HR functions — including familiarity with workforce analytics, skills intelligence, AI-enabled talent acquisition, and responsible AI practices.
Strong understanding of HR processes across the full employee lifecycle — from hire-to-retire, talent management, total rewards, and learning; ability to speak the language of HR leadership.
Working knowledge of HR data privacy requirements including GDPR and regional data residency obligations across a global workforce.
Strong financial acumen with experience managing multi-million-dollar HR technology budgets across opex and capex.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain a compelling, multi-year People Systems roadmap aligned to CWK's data architecture, Workday HCM strategy, and corporate AI agenda.
Own the strategic response to critical platform milestones including the Workday Financial Data Model redesign (January 2027), People Data Lake deployment on Databricks, and JDE Optimization.
Lead investment prioritization across the ~45+ application People portfolio — balancing innovation, compliance requirements, employee experience, and operational continuity across a globally distributed workforce.
Partner with Enterprise Data, Governance & Risk function to ensure People technology decisions align to Cushman & Wakefield’s broader platform standards, data governance, and privacy requirements.
Drive rationalization and consolidation of the People system portfolio — with particular focus on the multi-payroll landscape (30+ payroll systems globally).
Lead identification, validation, and delivery of AI use cases across the People function — including workforce analytics, talent acquisition intelligence, attrition modeling, skills mapping, HR service delivery automation, and manager insights.
Drive embedded AI capability within core People platforms including Workday HCM, ServiceNow HR, and the People Data Lake (Databricks), governed through appropriate intake and risk frameworks.
Serve as a thought partner to HR leadership on how AI reshapes HR operating models — advancing how the function operates, not merely adding tools.
Champion responsible, governance-aligned AI adoption in partnership with the Enterprise AI Governance Council and CWK's AI ethics and compliance framework.
Partner with Databricks Professional Services and internal Data Engineers on the People Data Lake buildout — ensuring structured data readiness for workforce analytics and AI use cases.
Serve as the primary technology relationship owner for the Chief People Officer(CPO), HR Operations leadership, Global Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, and Learning & Development — operating as a trusted advisor and peer.
Present People technology strategy, investment cases, and program status in clear, business-framed narratives that include cross functional dependencies and wholistic enterprise outcomes appropriate for CPO and other C-suite forums.
Drive consensus across competing HR functional priorities with directness and transparency, ensuring People technology resources are allocated to highest-impact work.
Represent Enterprise Technology in HR-led governance forums, steering committees, and People AI Council meetings.
Build stakeholder trust through consistent delivery credibility, proactive communication, and genuine understanding of People strategy and workforce priorities.
Lead, develop, and scale a high-performing global team of People Systems professionals spanning business analysis, platform management, delivery, Workday HCM configuration, payroll technology, and AI strategy.
Operate within a bimodal organizational model — maintaining and developing delivery capability while simultaneously building strategic and innovation capacity within the team.
Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous learning — setting high performance standards while investing in team growth and AI literacy.
Partner with the VP, Finance Systems to ensure data model alignment and seamless integration across Workday HCM and Finance platforms.
Build and maintain a talent pipeline for critical People technology roles; invest in succession planning and upskilling — particularly across Workday HCM, payroll technology, and AI domains.
Oversee program delivery across all People technology initiatives — from Workday HCM enhancements and payroll technology programs to AI use case launches — ensuring governance, risk management, and milestone discipline.
Ensure data privacy, security, and compliance across all People systems — including GDPR, regional data residency requirements, and HR data governance standards.
Manage all People technology vendor relationships including Workday, UKG (CW Services Time Tracking), JDE (CW Services HR), GEMS, Humanly, and 30+ global payroll providers — negotiating value, driving accountability, and ensuring contractual performance.
Ensure system reliability, data integrity, and operational continuity across the full ~45+ application People portfolio serving approximately 50,000 employees globally across 60+ countries.
Define and achieve Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators across all People technology platforms; drive continuous service improvement proactively.
Own the People Systems technology budget — opex and capex — ensuring disciplined financial governance and maximum return on investment.
Develop annual budget plans and multi-year financial forecasts in partnership with the Enterprise CIO and CPO, clearly articulating investment cases and expected outcomes.
Drive cost optimization through vendor consolidation, payroll platform rationalization, and operating model efficiency across the People technology portfolio.