Senior people technology specialist (workday)

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years.

As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be. Our footprint is extensive and committed across the world’s largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs. At our best tackling complexity and navigating change, we work alongside you on demanding litigation, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private market transactions. We are recognised as leading in these areas.

We are immersed in the sectors and challenges that impact you. We are recognised as standing apart in energy, infrastructure and resources. And we’re focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world. All of this is achieved by supporting the growth of our people, who help us deliver on our ambition – which is to help you achieve yours.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced and highly capable Senior People Technology Specialist to join our global People Technology team. In this role, you will act as a senior Workday SME, driving system optimisation, enhancements and strategic projects that support our people and business objectives.

You will work closely with People Operations, Payroll, Recruitment, IT and business stakeholders, leveraging your deep Workday expertise to deliver innovative solutions, improve user experience, strengthen governance and maximise the value of our People Technology ecosystem. This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive and collaborative professional who thrives in a fast-paced, global environment and is passionate about using technology to enhance people processes.

What you’ll do

• Act as a senior Workday subject matter expert, providing technical leadership across Workday modules and People Technology solutions.
• Lead the design, configuration, delivery and optimisation of Workday enhancements, projects and system improvements.
• Partner with People Operations, Payroll, Recruitment, IT and business stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable technology solutions.
• Own solution design, impact assessments, configuration and delivery outcomes for Workday projects and enhancements.
• Lead testing activities, including test strategy development, scenario creation and coordination of business user testing.
• Manage complex system issues, driving troubleshooting, root cause analysis and resolution.
• Develop and maintain Workday reports, dashboards and calculated fields to support operational and strategic decision-making.
• Ensure strong governance, security and data integrity across the Workday environment.
• Contribute to the People Technology roadmap by identifying opportunities to improve processes, automation, user experience and self-service capabilities.
• Support knowledge sharing and capability building through training, documentation, mentoring and guidance to team members.
• Evaluate and implement new Workday functionality, including bi-annual releases, to maximise platform value and business outcomes.
• Collaborate with internal Technology teams to manage dependencies, assess system impacts and support successful change delivery.

What you’ll bring

• Minimum 3 years' experience supporting, configuring and optimising Workday.
• Strong expertise in Workday Core HCM and Recruitment, with experience across additional modules such as Compensation, Talent & Performance, Peakon, Time Tracking, Benefits or Payroll.
• Proven experience delivering large-scale Workday projects, system enhancements and optimisation initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of Workday reporting, calculated fields, dashboards, security and role-based access controls.
• Experience translating business requirements into scalable and sustainable technology solutions.
• Sound understanding of HR processes, data governance and People Technology best practices.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage and influence senior leaders.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and troubleshooting capabilities.
• Experience mentoring and developing team members while promoting best practices.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical and non-technical global teams.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.
• Highly organised and able to thrive in a fast-paced, global environment.
• Is curious about new tech and open to learning, even better if you’re excited about AI!

What you can expect from us

We’re a world leading international law firm with a global team of over 6,000 professionals across 26 offices. As the market leader in Australia, we are committed to high performance, collaboration, diversity and digital innovation. We are client-centred, commercially driven, and renowned for our solution-focused expertise. We will align your growth with our ambitions.

We make your personal and professional growth our business. And as part of the team, our ambition is yours too. Wherever you are in your career: grow and help the firm grow with you.

We will provide opportunities to learn on the job as well as a mix of learning opportunities tailored to you. Daily experiences, supportive challenges, team collaboration, mentors, and structured learning opportunities help you to expand your knowledge and reach your goals.

We value your wellbeing, both at home and work and we place a strong emphasis on mental health. If you need support, you’ll have it and we’ll empower you to harness your personal strengths, navigate uncertainty, embrace opportunities, and effectively manage things within your control.

For more benefits on offer such as our holistic wellbeing fund or home office allowance please click here.

Join us to be part of a human, bold and outstanding team at Australia’s market leading law firm.

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.