Sr Manager, Software Development Engineering
One Model
Your work days are brighter here.
At Workday, it all began with a conversation over breakfast. When our founders met at a sunny California diner, they came up with an idea to revolutionize the enterprise software market. And when we began to rise, one thing that really set us apart was our culture. A culture which was driven by our value of putting our people first. And ever since, the happiness, development, and contribution of every Workmate is central to who we are. Our Workmates believe a healthy employee-centric, collaborative culture is the essential mix of ingredients for success in business. That’s why we look after our people, communities and the planet while still being profitable. Feel encouraged to shine, however that manifests: you don’t need to hide who you are. You can feel the energy and the passion, it's what makes us unique. Inspired to make a brighter work day for all and transform with us to the next stage of our growth journey? Bring your brightest version of you and have a brighter work day here.
At Workday, we value our candidates’ privacy and data security. Workday will never ask candidates to apply to jobs through websites that are not Workday Careers.
Please be aware of sites that may ask for you to input your data in connection with a job posting that appears to be from Workday but is not.
In addition, Workday will never ask candidates to pay a recruiting fee, or pay for consulting or coaching services, in order to apply for a job at Workday.
About the Team
Workday, founded in 2005, stands as a groundbreaking force in the human capital and financial management industry, with a global presence and a diverse array of customers. Across our offices worldwide, our teams are united by a shared dedication to innovation, collaboration, and excellence!Joining our team means embarking on a journey of opportunity to advance your career and contribute to impactful solutions that shape industries. Whether you thrive with solving sophisticated business problems, collaborating with agile teams, or championing innovation and software design, Workday offers an environment where your talents can thrive.
Our Product Development and QA organization spans across various products, serving a wide range of customers worldwide. Every project you undertake with us contributes to Workday's outstanding culture, core values, and dedication to excellence. We're proud to have received numerous awards and accolades for our products, outstanding workplace culture, and commitment to sustainability. With your talent, we continue to lead the way in cloud technology and make a difference in the lives of our customers worldwide!
About the Role
As a Senior Manager of Software Development Engineering, you will lead the global Data Engineering and Analytics Platform organization that powers Workday’s cloud cost governance initiatives. This team sits at the heart of Project OPUS (Optimize Platform Usage and Spend), enabling data-driven decisions across our infrastructure and cloud operations.
In this role, you will directly manage the leaders and teams responsible for building scalable data systems, producing high-quality analytics, and delivering automation to optimize cost and performance in our public cloud environment.
You will collaborate closely with stakeholders in Internal Business Planning, Cloud Engineering, and the Data Platform group to ensure alignment and impact across Workday’s cloud and FinOps strategy. Your leadership will help scale our systems, elevate engineering standards, and maximize the value of our cloud investments.
Key Responsibilities
Lead a global team of Data Engineers, FinOps Data Analysts, and DevOps professionals to deliver cost optimization solutions at scale.
Manage and mentor teams and drive integration across regions.
Partner with senior leaders across technical and business functions to deliver actionable insights and drive accountability for cloud spend.
Advance engineering practices in data modeling, CI/CD, observability, and production-grade pipeline development.
Foster a culture of ownership, innovation, and open-source collaboration.
Communicate strategy and technical approaches clearly across audiences at varying levels of technical depth.
About You
Basic Qualifications:
10+ years leading engineering organizations, including managing managers, with a consistent record of building and scaling top-performing teams through effective hiring and retention.
5+ years as a Software Engineer or hands-on technical contributor.
2+ years of experience working with AWS/GCP public cloud services.
2+ years of experience contributing to or managing open-source projects.
Direct experience managing Software Developers, DevOps, and QA professionals.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
Preferred Qualifications:
Familiarity with GitOps, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), and CI/CD.
Experience with modern data frameworks such as dbt, Airflow, Spark, and data modeling or warehouse platforms.
Exposure to observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog) and SQL query engines (Trino/Presto, Delta Lake, or Hive).
Practical knowledge of FinOps principles or previous experience optimizing cloud usage and spend.
Why Work With Us?
Competitive benefits that may include comprehensive health coverage, retirement plans, and generous paid time off.
Opportunities for growth in a global environment that values innovation and continuous learning.
Collaborative culture built on respect, curiosity, and teamwork—where new ideas thrive.
Inclusive environment that celebrates diversity and embraces the unique perspectives of every team member.
Equal Opportunity
Workday is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic. If you require an accommodation for any stage of the application process, please let us know. We’re here to help!
Workday Pay Transparency Statement
The annualized base salary ranges for the primary location and any additional locations are listed below. Workday pay ranges vary based on work location. As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Workday Bonus Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus, as well as annual refresh stock grants. Recruiters can share more detail during the hiring process. Each candidate’s compensation offer will be based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, geography, experience, skills, job duties, and business need, among other things. For more information regarding Workday’s comprehensive benefits, please click here.
Primary Location: USA.CA.Pleasanton
Our Approach to Flexible Work
With Flex Work, we’re combining the best of both worlds: in-person time and remote. Our approach enables our teams to deepen connections, maintain a strong community, and do their best work. We know that flexibility can take shape in many ways, so rather than a number of required days in-office each week, we simply spend at least half (50%) of our time each quarter in the office or in the field with our customers, prospects, and partners (depending on role). This means you'll have the freedom to create a flexible schedule that caters to your business, team, and personal needs, while being intentional to make the most of time spent together. Those in our remote "home office" roles also have the opportunity to come together in our offices for important moments that matter.
Pursuant to applicable Fair Chance law, Workday will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Workday is an Equal Opportunity Employer including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.
Are you being referred to one of our roles? If so, ask your connection at Workday about our Employee Referral process!