HRIS Lead - Workday | Mumbai

What we’re looking for?

Argus Media is looking for an HRIS Lead - Workday to act as the global functional owner and strategic adviser for Workday and its connected HR technology ecosystem. Based in Mumbai, you will support stakeholders across the US, UK/Europe and APAC and will be accountable for solution design, complex configuration, reporting, security, integrations, releases, annual HR processes and continuous improvement.

This is a player-coach role. You will remain hands-on in Workday, manage and develop a Senior HRIS Analyst, partner with our AMS provider and translate business requirements into secure, scalable and user-friendly solutions. You will also collaborate on HR automation, analytics and AI-enabled improvement initiatives.

What will you be doing?

Workday configuration and functional ownership

• Own functional design, configuration, testing and production readiness across Core HCM, Business Processes, Absence, Performance and Development, Compensation, Advanced Compensation, US Benefits, US Payroll, Security, Reporting and EIBs.

• Personally resolve complex configuration and functional issues, assessing cross-module, data, security and downstream impacts before changes are approved.

• Maintain configuration decisions, process documentation, SOPs and knowledge articles to reduce key-person dependency.

Annual HR processes

• Lead enterprise-wide annual cycles from planning to closure, including global merit and bonus reviews, performance cycles, US benefits open enrolment, ACA-related reporting and annual absence or calendar updates.

• Own configuration, eligibility rules, security, test scenarios, reconciliation, issue resolution, stakeholder communications, training and post-cycle review.

Security, compliance and governance

• Own the Workday security model, including role-based, domain, business-process, intersection and segment-based security where applicable.

• Apply least-privilege access, segregation of duties, appropriate approvals, testing, periodic reviews and audit-ready change records.

• Act as a strategic adviser by challenging access or configuration requests where the business need, risk or control is not clear.

Integrations and data quality

• Own the functional health of Workday integrations with payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, identity and reporting platforms.

• Troubleshoot integration issues using integration events, exception outputs, reference IDs, security, schedules, file delivery and downstream dependencies.

• Partner with technical teams and vendors on integration creation, modification and support; strong experience with EIBs, Core Connectors, APIs, SFTP or similar patterns is desirable.

• Establish data-quality controls, reconciliation reports and corrective-action governance across worker, organization, compensation, absence and security data.

Releases, projects and change adoption

• Own both Workday release cycles, including feature evaluation, impact analysis, preview-tenant validation, UAT, regression testing, stakeholder decisions, communications and production verification.

• Lead global Workday projects such as manager self-service, new modules, process redesign, security improvements and reporting modernization.

• Prepare clear project plans and business cases covering objectives, scope, options, costs, benefits, risks, dependencies, localization, testing, adoption and success measures.

• Translate Workday terminology into practical recommendations for HR and non-technical senior stakeholders.

Service, vendors and leadership

• Priorities operational support, compliance issues, enhancements and strategic initiatives using business impact, risk, effort and dependency criteria.

• Manage AMS and Workday relationships, including service quality, tickets, contracted support, renewals and implementation estimates.

• Coach and develop the Senior HRIS Analyst through clear accountability, regular feedback, one-to-one support, cross-training and structured development.

• Work effectively as a hands-on individual contributor while leading the HRIS function and collaborating across global time zones.

Skills and Experience:

· At least 7 years of substantial hands-on Workday experience, with evidence of complex configuration rather than only coordination, support or ticket triage.

· Deep capability in Core HCM, Business Processes, Security and Reporting, plus strong hands-on ownership of at least three of the following: Advanced Compensation, Absence, Performance, US Benefits, US Payroll or Integrations.

· Experience leading at least one enterprise-wide annual Workday cycle from configuration and testing through launch, reconciliation and closure.

· Experience managing Workday releases end to end in a lean team, including personally performing UAT and regression testing.

· Ability to troubleshoot and functionally govern Workday integrations and collaborate effectively with technical specialists and vendors.

· Experience leading a global or multi-country Workday project from discovery and business case through deployment and adoption.

· Strong understanding of security governance, segregation of duties, data privacy, controls and audit evidence.

· People-management, coaching or team-lead experience, combined with a willingness to remain hands-on.

· Excellent stakeholder, written and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex technical decisions to non-technical audiences.

· Ability and willingness to work from Mumbai under the company hybrid-working arrangement.

Preferred qualifications:

· Workday Pro or equivalent certification in HCM, Security, Reporting, Integrations, Compensation or another relevant module.

· Experience in both an in-house Workday environment and consulting or AMS delivery.

· Experience with Workday audit controls, SOX or similar governance requirements.

· Exposure to Power BI, Power Automate, Copilot Studio or AI-enabled HR workflows.

· Graduate or postgraduate qualification in HR, technology, business or a related field; project-management training or certification is an advantage.

What’s in it for you:

· Global mandate — US, UK/EU and APAC scope from day one.

· Leadership & execution — own architecture, governance and roadmap, not just configuration.

· Build a team — grow and coach a Workday Analyst function; shape careers.

· AI-in-HR agenda — own Copilot Studio agents,

· Transformation runway — redesign the security model and rationalise integrations.

· Modern set-up — hybrid working, senior stakeholder access, and genuine investment in HR tech.

• Competitive salary

• Hybrid Working Policy (3 days in Mumbai office/ 2 days WFH once fully inducted)

• Group healthcare scheme

• 18 days annual leave

• 8 days of casual leave

• Extensive internal and external training

Hours:

This is a full-time position operating under a hybrid model, with three days in the office and two days working remotely. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 09:00-18:00, with a one-hour lunch break.