Reports to Director of Technology - Group and Client Services We are undertaking a significant People & Finance Transformation program to modernize and streamline our People and Finance operations. Workday has been selected as the enabling cloud platform to deliver a simplified, integrated solution. This program is pivotal to our long-term digital strategy and will involve the decommissioning of legacy systems and the establishment of a future-ready BAU (Business-As-Usual) operating model. The transformation will initially culminate in an initial go-live event, targeting December 2025, at which point all legacy People and Finance systems will be sunset, and a fully operational support structure will be stood up. This will be followed by a future phase go-live mid-2026. We are seeking an experienced Cutover Manager to lead the end-to-end planning and execution of all cutover activities for the Workday implementation. This role will be critical in orchestrating the transition from project to operations—ensuring a seamless switchover from legacy systems to Workday, while minimizing business disruption and ensuring continuity of operations, coordinating all technical and business readiness activities, and overseeing the decommissioning of legacy platforms post go-live. Reporting to the Programme Director, you will work cross-functionally with stakeholders from People, Finance, IT, Systems Integrators, Data & Reporting, Change Management, impacted vendors and the emerging BAU Support Team to ensure all cutover activities are meticulously planned, communicated, and executed with minimal disruption to business operations. Key responsibilities: Develop, manage and own the integrated cutover plan—including technical, business, and operational readiness activities across People, Finance, and IT and ensure alignment on cutover scope, timelines, and responsibilities. Act as the central point of contact for all cutover-related communications and decision-making. Define and coordinate cutover milestones, checkpoints, and go/no-go criteria in alignment with program governance. Lead cutover rehearsals / mock go-lives, validating runbooks, data migration steps, and stakeholder/business operations readiness. Manage the decommissioning of legacy systems, ensuring proper handover of historical data and audit requirements to manage dependencies and mitigate risks during system retirement. Coordinate stakeholder alignment across geographies and functions, ensuring readiness for Day 1 operations. Partner with Change & Communications to inform impacted users of key cutover activities and timeline. Collaborate with Data, Integration, and Testing leads to ensure all prerequisites for cutover (e.g., data loads, interfaces, security roles) are met. Ensure data archiving, compliance, and audit requirements are met prior to decommissioning. Implement robust mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity during the transition. Interface with the emerging BAU Support Team to ensure operational processes are stood up and ready to support Workday post-go-live. Drive issue and risk management during the cutover window, escalating where necessary and implementing mitigation strategies. Provide post-cutover hyper care coordination and stabilisation support. Partner with internal stakeholders and the communications team to ensure any transaction slowdowns or freezes required to support cutover are documented and understood by the business. Experience & Skills Required: Proven experience as a Cutover Manager or similar role on large-scale ERP / Cloud SaaS transformations (Workday experience highly desirable). Deep understanding of end-to-end cutover processes, including data migration, system readiness, operational readiness, and business transition. Experience coordinating cross-functional teams across People, Finance, and IT. Familiarity with Workday deployment methodology (e.g., Launch, Adaptive, or equivalent). Strong grasp of legacy system decommissioning strategies and downstream impact management. Exceptional project management, planning, and communication skills. Ability to thrive in fast-paced, complex environments and manage ambiguity. Previous experience transitioning from project to steady-state support models is a strong plus Preferred Qualifications: Workday certification (HCM and/or Financials) is advantageous PMP, PRINCE2, or similar project management certification Experience in regulated industries or large enterprises with complex stakeholder landscapes What Success Looks Like: Seamless and low-risk transition to Workday at go-live Legacy systems decommissioned on schedule Minimal disruption to business operations during the cutover window Fully operational BAU support structure in place for Day 1 Strong stakeholder confidence and engagement throughout cutover execution