HRIS Manager

VN Category (INT / EXT / EOI):

External

Application Deadline:

22-07-2026

Grade:

Grade 8

Job Category:

Professional

Contract Type:

Fixed-term

Annual Salary:

CHF120,948.00

This is an external vacancy notice open to external candidates and WTO staff. It is posted on the WTO internal as well as external career site. Eligible WTO staff on short-term, fixed-term or regular contracts and interns must apply through the Workday internal career site.

This is a Fixed-term contract funded through the regular budget. The duration will be two years with the possibility of extension, unless specified in the vacancy notice.

The WTO seeks to attract and retain staff members offering the highest standards of competence, efficiency and integrity and to build an organization that is representative of the Members and People it serves. As an equal opportunity and inclusive employer, the WTO gives full regard to competence and welcome applications from qualified candidates irrespective of age, disability status, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, social origin or any other characteristic. Applications from non-represented Members (link) are particularly encouraged for all positions.

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The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) Manager position in the Human Resources Division (HRD).

The WTO Secretariat embarked on a project to adopt a new Human Resources Information System, Workday. The project was implemented in two phases, Phase 1 and 2, with the first modules under Phase 1 (Recruiting, HCM, Absence and Medical, Payroll, Reporting and Analytics) going live in September 2021. Since then, Phase 1 module improvements were undertaken, and Phase 2 modules (Learning, Talent, Advanced Compensation, Performance Management) have also been rolled out and in different stages. The Performance Management module went live in 2024 and other modules under Phase 2 continue to be rolled out in 2025.

As HRD works towards stabilizing Workday, it seeks to bring on board an HRIS Manager to solidify the functional improvements made over the years, as well as to strengthen the system governance and overall performance of Workday.

General Functions

Reporting to the Head of HR Operations, this new role is responsible for the strategic and operational management of our HR information system (Workday). This includes overseeing system configuration, ensuring system/data integrity, reporting, analytics, compliance and strategic alignment with the organization. The HRIS Manager will lead work to implement continuous process improvement across the HR functions. The role also involves collaborating with cross-functional teams to identify business requirements and recommend effective solutions to meet the needs while delivering excellent customer service. Together with HR colleagues across the Division, the HRIS Manager will lead projects aimed at improving data management, reporting, workflows and processes. The HRIS Manager is the Subject Matter Expert (SME) and key point of contact for the Workday system. More specifically, the following functions will form part of his/her responsibilities:

1. System Governance and Oversight

• Define and enforce governance protocols across all Workday (WD) modules to ensure consistency and compliance.
• Maintain system security, including regular review of the role configurations and permissions.
• Provide audit trails and monitor module-level activities to identify and address discrepancies or risks.

2. System Maintenance and Optimization

• Maintain and optimize major WD functionality to align with business needs.
• Monitor security roles, permissions and access settings for users.
• Oversee system updates, including testing and deploying new features or configurations (i.e. WD release).
• Stay updated on HRIS trends, technologies and best practices to continuously improve the system.
• identify areas in which AI will support/facilitate workflow processes and analytics.

3. Reporting and Data Analysis

• Develop and maintain dashboards and reports to support HR metrics, analytics and for decision-making.
• Provide insights on workforce trends, recruitment, performance and other HR related areas to our stakeholders.
• Work with other Divisions to identify analytics needs, ad hoc data requests and ensure effective data visualization, consistency and accuracy.

4. Empowering Devolved Ownership

• Partner with business owners (e.g. Payroll, Benefits, Recruitment, Learning, etc) to enable module-specific management.
• Train business units to execute basic tasks such as workflow approvals, report generation and data validation.
• Develop and share tools, templates and documentation to support self-service.

5. Collaboration with Key Stakeholders

• Act as central point of coordination between HR managers and IT for cross-functional projects.
• Partner with the HR Teams, IT and other Divisions to ensure seamless integration of HRIS with other organizational systems, gather requirements, configure solutions and troubleshoot issues.
• Provide training and support to HR staff and end-users to optimize system usage.
• Train and empower system administrators or process owners to handle specific workflows.
• Solicit regular feedback from business owners to address system challenges and identify potential enhancements.

6. Vendor and Application Management Services (AMS) Partner Management

• Act as the liaison with the AMS partner and WD support, managing service requests and escalations.
• Monitor AMS partner performance against Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) and address any gaps.
• Oversee the WD support contract, ensuring efficient issue resolution and contract alignment with organizational goals.

7. Compliance and Data Integrity

• Prepare compliance reports for payroll, benefits and HR operations.
• Establish governance protocols to maintain data accuracy and security.

8. System Maintenance and Optimization

• Oversee the implementation, configuration and maintenance of Workday, ensuring optimal performance and functionality.
• Manage complex configurations and interdependencies between modules.
• Manage system updates, upgrades, collaborating with IT and external vendors as needed.
• Develop and implement system enhancement to improve efficiency and meet organizational needs.

9. End-user Training and Support

• Provide ongoing training for HR staff and other business stakeholders on Workday functionalities.
• Document system processes, FAQs and troubleshooting guides for user support.
• Act as point of contact for technical issues, escalating unresolved problems to external vendors as necessary.

10. Project Management

• Collaborate with HR managers to align the HRIS roadmap with the organization's strategic objectives.
• Support HRIS related projects, including module implementation, integrations or migrations.
• Collaborate with HR, IT and external vendors to ensure successful project execution.
• Document and manage project workflows, timelines and outcomes.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

In addition to a basic university degree, an advanced university degree in Information Technology, Human resource management or a relevant field is required. Alternatively, proven professional expertise equivalent to an advanced university degree may be considered.

Certification or proven experience in at least two of the Workday modules such as WD Human Capital Management (HCM), Recruiting, Talent Management, Compensation, Benefits, or Learning, is an advantage.

Knowledge and Skills:

Technical Knowledge and Skills

• Understanding of HR processes (e.g. payroll, benefits, compensation, etc).
• Strong hands-on experience with at least two of the Workday HR modules (Core HR, Payroll, Benefits, Recruiting, Learning, Compensation, Talent, Performance, etc.).
• Expertise in Workday security administration
• Experience with Workday integrations, including APIs, web services, and middleware solutions; familiarity with integration tools like Enterprise Interface Builder (EIB), Core Connectors, or Workday Studio.
• Proficiency in custom reporting, dashboards and analytics. Strong skills in Workday Report Writer, Dashboards, and [Workday Prism Analytics] for data visualization.
• Project management skills and experience.
• Good drafting skills.

Behavioural Skills:

• Strong organizational and planning skills; ability to manage competing priorities and pressure.
• Strong problem-solving skills derived from a solutions-focused mindset.
• Capability to work as a member of a team, relating to others, while working independently to achieve his/her objectives.
• Capability to guide/supervise the work of others.
• Capability to engage and collaborate with various stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills including ability to simplify complex concepts for different audiences.

Organizational Competencies:

Core Competencies:

Communicating for Results

Effective Collaboration

Cultivating Progressive Growth

Professional Accountability

Relevant Digital Proficiency

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Leadership and Management Competencies:

Talent Centred Leadership

Coordinated Cross Functional Leadership

Self-Aware Leadership

Strategic Leadership

Work Experience:

Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience, which should include:

• at least 3 years of hands-on HRIS experience, with a focus on Workday or equivalent systems;
• at least 5 years of database management or related experience;
• at least 2 years of experience managing external vendor relationship and contracts;
• at least 2 years in project management; and
• at least one year in a supervisory position.

Languages:

Excellent speaking and writing skills in English. Knowledge of French or Spanish would be an asset.

Additional Information:
Only applications from nationals of WTO Members will be accepted.

The recruitment process will be undertaken as per Administrative Memorandum No. 976 (OFFICE(16)/15) on Staff Promotions and external recruitment through Vacancy Notices.

The initial fixed-term contract for positions up to grade 10 shall normally be two years, which shall be probationary, as per Administrative Memorandum No. 997 (OFFICE(23)/4) on Probation Policy. For Director positions, the Policy on evaluation of directors apply as per Administrative Memorandum No. 978 (OFFICE(17)/29).

The WTO may use various communication technologies such as video or teleconference for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. The recruitment process may also involve the use of various forms of testing, assessment centres, interviews and reference checks.

Applicants may be required to sit a written examination.

Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

Candidates not selected whose performance in the selection process nevertheless shows them to be suitable for a similar position may be kept on a roster for up to 24 months, and may subsequently be called upon as and when the need arises for additional resources.

All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the closing date – Geneva (Switzerland) time – stated in the vacancy announcement.

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

The WTO is a non-smoking environment.