Lead HR Operations Analyst

Our long term financial services client is looking for Lead HR Operations Analyst Consultant in Chicago, IL

As the Lead HR Operations Analyst Consultant, you will liaise between the HR Operations Manager and the local HR Operations team.

This role requires a candidate who will ensure service delivery remains precise, timely, and compliant. The Lead HR Operations role combines strong HR program and process knowledge and Workday functional expertise to support second tier requests and employee queries through the AskHR Service. This role reports to the Manager of HR Operations.

Responsible for triaging the day-to-day activities while supporting the culture of excellence, data integrity, and continuous innovation.

-----What You ll Get

• A supportive work environment offering experienced, professional colleagues, within an inclusive and collaborative work culture.
• Exposure to Client's cross-functional teams and global HR operations processes.

-----What You ll Do (Key Responsibilities during this Assignment)

• Drive Operational Execution: Lead the daily rhythm of the HR Operations team, managing JIRA ticket volumes and ensuring global SLAs are met with precision.
• Resolve Complex Inquiries: Serve as the primary escalation point for tier 2 requests, sensitive or complex queries, applying sound judgment to resolve intricate cases and support confidential requests and projects.
• Mentorship & Coaching: Provide guidance to junior team members, share feedback, conduct training, and assist the HR Operations Manager in identifying growth opportunities for team members.
• Ensure Data Integrity: Serve as a the strong Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Workday HCM, develop and run reporting, execute mass data changes (EIBs), as well as complex and nuanced data updates, manage organizational restructuring data, corrections, and maintain the "single source of truth" for workforce data.
• Optimize Employee Workflows: Proactively identify opportunities in the employee lifecycle (onboarding to offboarding) and design streamlined, automated processes that improve the employee experience and optimize processes and resources.

• Lead Quality Assurance: Support rigorous testing protocols for Workday releases and system enhancements, and ensure strict compliance with global labor laws and audit requirements.

-----What You ll Bring (Required Expertise & Skills)

• HR Knowledge: Strong knowledge of HR programs and processes, and specific experience working within an HR Service Center.
• Workday Skills: Functional expertise in Workday HCM, specifically regarding business processes, mass data loads (EIBs), and complex organizational structuring. Leads the HR Operations team in reviews, audits and ensures integrity and compliance of the transactional data into Workday HCM, including new hires, terminations, transfers, and pay rate changes. Manage the processing of mass changes in the Workday HCM, including re-organizations and annual cycles.
• Technical Versatility: Experience with Qualtrics for experience management and a strong aptitude for leveraging emerging AI tools to drive operational efficiency is highly valued. (Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel is a plus)

• Regulatory Reporting: Ensure timely and accurate regulatory and high-profile external reporting, proactively adhering to reporting calendar to ensure compliance.
• Google Workspace Fluency: Advanced proficiency in the full Google Workspace suite (Sheets, Docs, Slides, Drive) or alternately similar software is essential, including the ability to build complex formulas and collaborative dashboards.