Director, HR Information Systems; Workday

Equal-Opportunity

Employer:

The Brookings policy provides equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, personal appearance, citizenship status, family responsibilities, gender identity or expression, genetic information, matrilination, political affiliation, veteran status, or any other prohibited basis of discrimination as required by law.

Director, HR Information Systems (Workday) (Job : ). Type:
Regular, Full-Time. Category:
Human Resources. # of Openings: 1.

Location:

Washington, DC (Hybrid).

Join one of the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tanks! The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level. We bring together leading experts in government and academia from all over the world, rooted in open-minded inquiry and representing diverse points of view, who provide the highest quality research, policy recommendations, and analysis.

Research topics cover a full range of public policy issues in economics, foreign policy, development, governance and metropolitan policy. With fair and transparent business practices, clear communication, mutual respect, and a collaborative atmosphere that offers both professional and personal development opportunities, Brookings offers an inclusive and welcoming workplace that values the efforts of all contributors. Brookings' Human Resources (HR) department actively develops and implements HR best practices aligned with organizational priorities.

The HR team delivers high quality HR services and ensures the recruitment, development, recognition, and retention of a diverse, high performing and engaged workforce, and smooth and efficient operations. We are a collaborative HR team of 17, including Employment, Benefits, Compensation & HR Systems, and Learning & Development, working to provide a supportive and well managed workplace where all employees have a sense of belonging and can contribute in an impactful and meaningful way.

HR Systems Oversight, Administration, and Analytics (40%)

• Lead the administration and governance of HR systems – including Workday (Core HR, Benefits, Absence, and Learning Management), ICIMS (Recruiting), and SharePoint (Workflows) and provide cross-functional support for related systems – including Workday (Payroll and Time tracking) and third party integrations – to ensure reliable performance, data integrity, and alignment with institutional needs. Oversee system operations such as configuration, troubleshooting, incident, request and change management, release planning, and vendor coordination.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and partner to internal stakeholders to maintain and optimize HR systems and integrations.
• Champion user adoption by developing and promoting effective training, documentation, and system communications.
• Lead the development of HR analytics capabilities by delivering consistent, accurate, and actionable reports, dashboards, and executive summaries that inform decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with relevant HR laws and data governance protocols through appropriate system design and reporting practices.

Systems Strategy, Improvement, and Project Leadership (40%)

• Define and lead the HR systems and data strategy in alignment with institutional goals and evolving needs.
• Guide full project life cycles for new system initiatives – including scoping, requirements gathering, vendor selection, testing, and change management.
• Manage the HR systems project pipeline and participate in cross-functional governance efforts to align priorities across HR, Finance, and Technology.
• Propose, evaluate and redesign core HR processes to improve efficiency, user experience, and strategic alignment.
• Stay abreast of emerging HR technologies and trends to ensure Brookings remains responsive and forward‑looking.
• Ensure a smooth transition of implemented solutions to operational support.

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