Associate Director, HR Technology – Talent

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life‑changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first.

We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose: improving lives globally through innovative medicines and meaningful contributions to the communities we serve. Our HR Technology organization plays a critical role in enabling this mission by delivering modern, scalable solutions that empower HR and the broader business.

Location:

Indianapolis, IN (Hybrid)

Manager:
Sr. Director – HR Technology

The Associate Director, HR Technology – Talent & Employee Experience is the functional lead for Workday Talent and Performance Management processes and the overall employee experience within Workday and other talent related technologies across a global environment. This role combines expertise in talent technology, deep understanding of HR business processes, strong project leadership, and a proactive, consultative approach to delivering solutions.

In this role you will translate talent strategy into scalable system design, optimize Workday capabilities, lead major multi‑functional initiatives, strengthen partnerships with HR and business leaders, and bring forward innovative ideas that enhance the employee and manager experience.

• Partner with the Talent Center of Excellence to translate strategy into scalable, intuitive Workday configurations that support global needs.
• Serve as the HR technology leader for Workday Talent processes, including performance management, succession management, goal setting, development planning, and related business processes.
• Ensure the accuracy, compliance, and effectiveness of global talent cycles and programs within the system.
• Evaluate and optimize talent functionality to drive standardization, clarity, and efficiency across talent programs. Proactively investigate and propose novel technology solutions.

• Lead the design and continuous improvement of the employee and manager experience within Workday, including onboarding, self‑service, general design, and lifecycle events.
• Introduce and lead agentic A.I. capabilities within Workday to enhance employee and manager interactions, creating consumer‑grade experiences and simple self‑service.
• Consult on and lead the integration of listening technologies and related talent systems, ensuring these solutions align with organizational needs and enhance the overall employee experience.
• See opportunities for A.I. automation, self‑service expansion, simplification, and system optimization.
• Translate business needs into clear functional and technical requirements; challenge assumptions and present industry‑aligned alternatives when appropriate.

• Lead sophisticated, multi‑functional HR technology projects in Talent and Employee Experience from planning through deployment.
• Develop project plans, define achievements, track progress, lead risks, and ensure timely, high‑quality delivery.
• Apply structured project and change management methodologies to enhance visibility, alignment, and adoption and ensure compliance.
• Coordinate multi‑functional work streams including Talent COE, HR Technology Associates HR Operations, Tech@Lilly (IT), and business partners.

• Build strong relationships with the Talent HR Center of Excellence, People Leaders, Tech@Lilly, HR partners, and business customers.
• Act as a liaison between technical and business teams to ensure clarity, alignment, and shared understanding of requirements and solutions.
• Provide clear, concise communication through release notes, updates,…