Director Academic Operations Jobs in Seattle, WA

Job Description

Position Purpose:
As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state, and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills, and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world. By being deeply invested in our work, showing compassion in our interactions, and embodying the spirit of a team player, each member contributes to a thriving community. UW is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff; your experiences, perspectives, and unique identities will be honored at the University of Washington. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

UW Information Technology (UW-IT) is the central information technology organization for the University of Washington, responsible for strategic planning, oversight, and direction of the UW's IT infrastructure, resources, and services. UW-IT provides critical technology support to all three campuses, UW Medicine, and research operations around the world, partnering with the UW community to enable innovation, learning, discovery, and service."

Data & Applications (D&A) is the division in UW-IT that runs the university's academic and business systems, productivity platforms, enterprise integrations, learning analytics and data for decision-making and is also responsible for the accessibility of UW's digital resources. Workday Operations (WO) is a unit within the Data & Applications division.

The Director for Workday Operations (WO) reports to the Associate Vice President for Data & Applications (D&A) in UW-IT and is responsible for leading the strategy, management and technical operations of the UW's Workday system and the Workday Coordination Services (WCS). The position oversees a team of specialists and the WCS team to ensure the effective utilization, maintenance, coordination, and continuous improvement of the Workday platform to support the organization's human resources, payroll, finance and other business functions. The role requires a strong blend of technical expertise, leadership abilities and program management skills to drive efficiency and innovation within our Workday ecosystem.

Position Complexities:
The scope of the position includes the full scope of the institution's Workday platform, including tenant configuration management, centralized intake and coordination, security and access control, and application management. Drive the enterprise strategy for effective use of existing Workday modules and develops the roadmap for future enhancements and new modules.

The position requires superior leadership acumen as it directly interfaces with the UW's information and technology governance boards and executive leadership across UW. Advanced data and application governance and a cohesive enterprise architecture strategy are foundational to the success of these large-scale initiatives.

Position Dimensions and Impact to the University:

The Director for Workday Operations has institution-wide responsibility for the stability, security, and effective use of the University's Workday platform. Workday is the core system of record for HR, payroll, finance, procurement, and grants management, and its performance directly affects the daily work of faculty, staff, and student employees, as well as the quality and timeliness of information used by institutional leaders.

The director leads a multi-disciplinary team responsible for Workday tenant management, configuration and security, operational support, Workday Coordination Services (WCS),, and continuous improvement. The role sets standards for change management, access control, and incident response, and is accountable for service levels, operational risk mitigation, and ensuring that Workday changes are well-governed, well-communicated, and successfully adopted.

The director partners closely with functional owners in Human Resources, Finance, the Office of Research, Academic and Student Affairs, and other administrative units to ensure Workday capabilities align with business needs and institutional strategy. The role shapes how University policies and processes are operationalized in Workday and how Workday data flows to downstream systems and analytics platforms, and represents UW in Workday and higher-education user communities and with key vendors and partners.

The position provides leadership for Workday Coordination Services (WCS), which ensures centralized intake and coordination of changes to all Workday modules. This includes facilitating prioritization with business partners (UWHR, UW Medicine, FPB, and ORIS) and deploying project managers to lead and coordinate initiatives. Note that while this position oversees coordination and intake, WCS does not provide Workday end user support or training.

Position Responsibilities:

Leadership, Vision, and Strategy (40%)

• Develop and implement the UW's Workday technology strategy and vision in support of the UW's institutional priorities, ensuring alignment with other key UW-IT strategies, especially administrative systems, infrastructure, reporting & analytics and student modernization.

• Define and execute roadmaps to improve utilization of and the UW's investment in the Workday ecosystem to increase UW business efficiencies.

• Drive the development of Workday data security plans, collaborating closely with the offices of Information Security and Risk & Compliance Services.

• Provide expert consultation regarding the challenges, complexities, and solutions related to Workday operations at UW.

• Develop a participatory decision-making structure supporting goals and desired outcomes, work with staff to develop implementation plans, lead change management, and develop processes for monitoring and reporting outcomes.

• Evolve governance models, architectures, infrastructure and technologies in anticipation of future needs.

• Manage unit budget and personnel resources.

Partner, Customer and Vendor Relationships (35%)

• Develop and cultivate critical partnership and connections with institutional business leaders across the university and leverage these relationships to align initiatives to address institutional challenges and opportunities.

• Build effective working relationships with key UW stakeholders, including in Finance, Planning & Budget (FPB), Human Resources (HR), Office of Research (ORIS), UW Medicine, and Academic and Student Affairs to understand their needs, priorities and challenges related to the Workday system and provide strategic guidance and support.

• Cultivate and steward strong relationships with customers to build and maintain trust in UW-IT as a high functioning, results driven organization.

• Communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the organization, providing updates, insights and recommendations to drive decision-making and alignment.

• Provide strong vendor management that builds mutually beneficial partnerships, optimizes the UW's investment in Workday and influences product roadmaps.

• Collaborate with UW and UW-IT business offices in license and contract management activities to ensure alignment with UW's priorities, including service levels, performance, security and privacy.

Operational Excellence (25%)

• Build and oversee cohesive, high-performing teams, including the Workday Coordination Services (WCS) team consisting of a Director, Project Managers, and Business Analysts.

• Oversee the centralized intake and coordination of changes to all Workday modules through WCS, facilitating collaboration between technical teams and business partners.

• Support the prioritization of work by the business, ensuring WCS project managers are available to lead and coordinate execution.

• Develop and maintain a catalog of services that effectively support institutional initiatives and meet UW goals.

• Lead teams in planning and executing Workday related projects, such as system upgrades, module implementations and process improvements, developing clear lines of delegation and authority in support of efficient services and dependable operations.

• Oversee and optimize day-to-day operations of the Workday system, including tenant and configuration management, security and access controls.

• Provide technical guidance and lead close collaboration with the business units in charge of Workday Employee Help activities and end user support.

• Define project scope, objectives, and deliverables, and manage resources, budgets, and risks to ensure successful outcomes.

• Ensure services operate according to administrative policies related to governance, security, privacy and business continuity.

• Drive robust incident and change management practices.

• Anticipate emerging trends and technologies and stay abreast of product roadmaps.

Position Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Information Management, Business Administration, Computer Science or related field.

• Minimum of 6 years of progressively more experience in:

  • Management experience in large, diverse data technology environments.

  • Direct experience with one or more enterprise ERP platforms (e.g., Workday, Oracle, SAP, PeopleSoft), including responsibility for:

    • Environment/tenant strategy and configuration, and/or

    • Security role design and access management, and/or

    • Change management, release planning, and incident/problem management.

    • Minimum 3-4 years of people-management experience, including hiring, coaching, performance management, and building diverse, high-performing teams.

    • Demonstrated ability to partner with senior HR, Finance, and/or administrative leaders to align systems, policies, and processes with institutional strategy.

    • Proven success operating in a matrixed governance environment, balancing central standards with distributed stakeholder needs.

    • Demonstrated excellent written/oral communication skills, technical documentation skills, user liaison skills, and personal interaction abilities.

Desired Qualifications:

• Direct experience with Workday HCM, Payroll, Finance, or related modules, preferably in a multi-campus or multi-entity environment.

• Experience leading the full operational lifecycle of an ERP/Workday platform, including upgrades, new module implementations, and continuous improvement of processes and controls.

• Experience working closely with information security, privacy, and risk/compliance teams on access control, data protection, and audit readiness for HR/Finance systems.

• Background in highly decentralized organizations; experience in a research university or higher education/public-sector environment with familiarity of their governance, budgeting, and regulatory context.

• Demonstrated operational leadership and service orientation, with solid operational skills, a strong commitment to customer service, and clear leadership presence.

• Proven ability to provide clear direction and execution on complex projects, with strong communication skills, the ability to influence across organizational boundaries, and effective change management skills.

• Experience with service and portfolio management practices.

• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and operate effectively with minimal supervision.

Working Environmental Conditions

Hybrid, open office environment

Other Comments
Leadership responsibility for the direction, strategic priorities, Workday Coordination Services., and operations of the UW's Workday ecosystem.

A satisfactory outcome from a criminal history verification may be required prior to hire.

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

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About the UW

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives - on our campuses, in our state and around the world.

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

Our Commitment

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.