Huron Consulting Group

Workday Engagement Leader - Senior Director - Higher Ed

Huron Consulting Group$215K — $275K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field (Business, Information Systems, etc.)
  • 10+ years of consulting and IT leadership experience
  • Expertise in complex enterprise application implementations
  • Prior experience with Workday ecosystem or implementations
  • Strong understanding of Higher Education institutions and their operational needs
  • Proven track record in contract negotiations and alliance management
  • Exceptional executive communication and presentation skills

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the executive client advisor for Higher Education Workday engagements
  • Build relationships with c-suite executives across institutions
  • Ensure alignment between project objectives and client strategic priorities
  • Proactively identify client challenges and recommend solutions
  • Lead strategic governance discussions and provide project updates
  • Oversee large-scale Workday transformation projects and post-production support
  • Guide teams in change management and mitigate project risks

Benefits

  • Participate in Huron's annual incentive compensation program
  • Comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage
  • Access to wellness programs
  • Opportunities for professional development and mentorship
  • Participation in a high-performance culture focused on client success
Full Job Description
Key Responsibilities

Executive Client Leadership & Relationship Management
  • Serve as the program executive and trusted advisor for Higher Education Workday engagements, preferably at R1 institutions
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with the c-suite, including CIO's, CFOs, CHROs, and CIO's
  • Partner with senior client stakeholders to align project objectives with institutional goals and strategic priorities.
  • Anticipate client challenges and proactively recommend solutions that drive operational improvement and long-term value.
  • Lead executive steering committees and governance discussions while providing strategic direction and status communication.
  • Serve as the senior escalation point for complex engagement, relationship, delivery, or governance issues.


Program & Delivery Leadership
  • Partnering with Huron Managing Directors/Principles, serve as the Delivery Leader of large-scale Workday transformation engagements including post-production support engagements
  • Ensure successful execution across scope, timeline, budget, quality, and client satisfaction objectives.
  • Guide delivery teams through strategic decision-making, risk mitigation, organizational change management, and issue resolution.
  • Champion Huron implementation methodologies, delivery standards, and Higher Education leading practices.
  • Oversee program financial performance, including forecasts, margins, resource planning, billing, and overall engagement health.
  • Ensure delivery teams maintain accountability for project outcomes and client commitments.


Higher Education Industry Advisory
  • Serve as a subject matter advisor on Higher Education administration, operations, and technology-enabled transformation.
  • Lead conversations around institutional effectiveness, workforce transformation, finance modernization, student administration, research administration, and shared services strategies.
  • Advise clients on industry trends, leading practices, regulatory considerations, and emerging opportunities within the Higher Education ecosystem.
  • Facilitate executive-level discussions regarding Agentic AI, future-state operating models, and digital transformation strategies.
  • Provide strategic guidance regarding Workday roadmap alignment and institutional adoption strategies.


Business Development & Account Growth
  • Identify, cultivate, and expand strategic client relationships.
  • Partner with Managing Directors and leadership to drive account growth strategies.
  • Lead sales pursuits, executive presentations, proposal development, pricing discussions, and contract negotiations.
  • Identify additional opportunities across Workday, Digital, Enterprise Transformation, and Managed Services offerings.
  • Support alliance relationships and collaborate with Workday sales and leadership teams to drive mutually beneficial outcomes.
  • Contribute to revenue growth through cross-selling, upselling, and proactive business development activities.


Leadership & Talent Development
  • Lead, mentor, and develop Engagement Leaders, Project Managers, Directors, and consulting teams.
  • Foster a high-performance culture focused on client success, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
  • Coach future leaders on engagement management, executive communication, delivery excellence, and business development.
  • Support recruiting, onboarding, professional development, and retention initiatives across the Workday practice.
  • Promote Huron's core values and leadership principles while developing future practice leaders.


Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree in Business, Information Systems, Computer Science, Human Resources, Higher Education Administration, or related field.
  • 10+ years of experience in consulting, information technology, enterprise software, or digital transformation leadership.
  • 10+ years of experience leading complex enterprise application implementations and transformation programs.
  • 10+ years of experience working with software vendors, alliance partners, and executive sales organizations.
  • Prior Workday implementation or Workday ecosystem experience.
  • Previous consulting experience focused on HR, Finance, Student, Payroll, or Enterprise Transformation initiatives.
  • Experience serving Higher Education institutions, including colleges, universities, research organizations, or academic health systems.
  • Demonstrated success leading large-scale cloud ERP, HCM, Finance, or Student transformation initiatives.
  • Experience with contract negotiations, alliance management, and complex sales pursuits.
  • Demonstrated experience serving as a trusted advisor to executive stakeholders.
  • Strong financial acumen, including engagement forecasting, budgeting, pricing, and profitability management.
  • Experience managing large, geographically dispersed, and matrixed project teams.
  • Exceptional communication, facilitation, negotiation, and executive presentation skills.
  • Proven experience leading multiple projects and competing priorities simultaneously.
  • Willingness and ability to travel as required.


The estimated base salary range for this job is $215,000 - $275,000. The range represents a good faith estimate of the range that Huron reasonably expects to pay for this job at the time of the job posting. The actual salary paid to an individual will vary based on multiple factors, including but not limited to specific skills or certifications, years of experience, market changes, and required travel. This job is also eligible to participate in Huron's annual incentive compensation program, which reflects Huron's pay for performance philosophy. Inclusive of annual incentive compensation opportunity, the total estimated compensation range for this job is $279,500 - $357,500. The job is also eligible to participate in Huron's benefit plans which include medical, dental and vision coverage and other wellness programs. The salary range information provided is in accordance with applicable state and local laws regarding salary transparency that are currently in effect and may be implemented in the future.

Position Level
Senior Director

Country
United States of America

About Huron Consulting Group

Huron Consulting Group is a global management consulting firm offering services to the healthcare, higher education, life sciences, and commercial sectors. The company provides consulting, technology, and analytics solutions to drive operational and financial performance. Huron Consulting Group was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol HURN.
Learn more about Huron Consulting Group
Size
4,609 employees
Market Cap
$1.4 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$23.8 million
Founded
2018
5 Year Trend
+3%
Revenue
$871 million
NASDAQ

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