Engineering Manager - Oracle HR systems

About This Role

We are seeking a seasoned Engineering Manager to lead the delivery of complex Oracle HCM Cloud solutions across the full Human Capital Management suite. This is a high-impact leadership role that bridges deep technical depth with strategic people management, stakeholder partnership, and a forward-looking mindset towards AI-driven innovation.

The ideal candidate will bring 12–15 years of Oracle HCM experience, a proven track record of managing high-performing engineering teams, and the ability to champion innovation through AI tooling, automation, and modern delivery practices. You will serve as the primary technical authority and delivery leader for onshore–offshore HCM engagements.

1 Technical Design & Architecture Oversight

• Define and drive end-to-end architecture spanning Oracle HCM Cloud, Oracle Cloud PaaS, and enterprise systems.
• Establish API-first and microservices-based architecture patterns for HCM extensions, integrations, and custom workflows.
• Lead design and delivery of integration-first, cloud-native solutions leveraging:
• Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC) – complex REST/SOAP orchestrations and event-driven integration patterns
• PaaS services: VBCS, APEX, PCS, Cloud DB, IDM, Data Masking – for extensions and workflow automation
• Java Spring Boot microservices – scalable backend services for HCM integrations and custom processes
• React-based applications – modern, responsive UI experiences layered on Oracle HCM
• Govern design quality across: HCM Extracts, Fast Formulas, BI Publisher / OTBI, HDL / HSDL, and all OIC integrations.
• Guide development of Java Spring Boot microservices; oversee React UI development for custom HCM experiences.
• Ensure adherence to coding standards, API design best practices, security guidelines, and enterprise architecture principles.
• Collaborate with enterprise architecture teams to align HCM solutions with the broader digital strategy and data landscape.
• Govern performance, reliability, scalability, and data integrity across HCM, PaaS, and custom-built systems.
• Own MD50/MD70 documentation frameworks and enforce technical sign-off governance.

2 Interface Management

• Own the end-to-end lifecycle of all HCM interfaces across upstream and downstream systems – covering design, build, deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain a comprehensive interface catalogue documenting all inbound and outbound integrations, data flows, SLAs, and ownership across connected enterprise systems (Payroll, Finance, Benefits, Identity, third-party providers, and government portals).
• Define and enforce interface design standards including error handling strategies, retry logic, alerting thresholds, and data reconciliation checkpoints.
• Establish proactive monitoring frameworks across all integration layers (OIC, REST APIs, HCM Extracts, HDL feeds) – tracking throughput, latency, failure rates, and data quality in real time.
• Lead rapid triage and resolution of interface failures; conduct root-cause analysis to prevent recurrence and drive permanent fixes over workarounds.
• Govern change management for interface updates triggered by Oracle quarterly releases, business changes, or upstream system upgrades – ensuring zero unplanned disruption to downstream consumers.
• Collaborate with enterprise integration architects, middleware teams, and business data owners to ensure interface contracts remain current, versioned, and well-documented.

3 Functional Configuration Leadership

• Oversee and validate configuration across Oracle Payroll (elements, balances, costing, payroll flows), Absence Management (plans, accruals, eligibility, formulas), and Core HR (work structures, grades, flexfields, actions).
• Guide consultants through end-to-end functional fit-gap workshops and configuration design sessions.
• Ensure solution integrity across payroll processing cycles, costing logic, and calculation accuracy.
• Review and approve all configuration design documents prior to build and testing phases.

4 AI Adoption, Innovation & Oracle HCM Modernisation

• Champion AI/ML adoption across HCM processes – including payroll anomaly detection, predictive attrition analytics, intelligent absence forecasting, and automated compliance checks.
• Maintain deep, current knowledge of Oracle HCM innovations and actively drive business adoption of relevant capabilities, including:
• Oracle Journeys – personalised employee experience flows for onboarding, offboarding, and life events
• Agentic AI & AI Agents – AI-triggered workflows and AI-assisted HR transactions embedded in HCM processes
• Oracle Dynamic Skills – AI-powered skills inference, talent marketplace, and skills-based workforce planning
• Oracle Grow – personalised learning and career development powered by AI
• Redwood UX – next-generation Oracle UI paradigm and its impact on HCM user experience
• Multilingual Payslip Explanation Agent – conversational AI for employee payslip self-service
• Oracle ME (My Experience) enhancements – workforce communications, HR Help Desk, and Touchpoints
• Global Payroll enhancements – compliance updates, payslip localisation, and cross-country payroll innovations
• Identify and implement automation opportunities using AI, RPA, and low-code platforms to eliminate manual, repetitive HCM processes.
• Drive innovation through AI-assisted development tools (GitHub Copilot, Oracle AI Services, generative AI) to accelerate delivery and reduce toil.
• Promote data-driven decision-making by building advanced analytics dashboards and HR intelligence layers on Oracle HCM and BI platforms.
• Lead internal innovation labs and proof-of-concept exercises to evaluate emerging Oracle PaaS, AI, and low-code capabilities.
• Build frameworks for responsible AI use within HCM implementations, including governance, bias mitigation, and audit trails.

5 Release Management, QA & Quarterly Innovation Adoption

• Lead quarterly Oracle patch testing strategy for Payroll, Absence, Core HR, and all technical components.
• Proactively evaluate each Oracle HCM quarterly release: assess new features, document impact analysis, and present a curated set of relevant enhancements to business stakeholders with a clear adoption recommendation and implementation roadmap.
• Drive selected quarterly enhancements end-to-end through design, configuration, testing, change management, and go-live – ensuring new Oracle capabilities translate into measurable business value.
• Validate functional configurations, integrations, extracts, formulas, and microservices post-update; coordinate regression testing plans.
• Ensure stability of integrations, microservices, and React UI applications after every quarterly Oracle Cloud upgrade.
• Establish and mature QA standards, including test automation strategies for HCM configuration, API layers, and integration flows.
• Manage release risk assessments and go/no-go decisions in coordination with client change management teams.
• Enforce documentation standards (MD50/70, design docs, architecture diagrams) and drive engineering governance including code reviews and design validations.

6 Sprint Execution & Agile Delivery

• Own end-to-end sprint planning, execution, retrospectives, and velocity tracking for HCM delivery squads.
• Remove blockers, manage cross-team dependencies, and protect team focus during sprint cycles.
• Drive predictable delivery through well-defined acceptance criteria, definition of done, and sprint commitments.
• Implement and continuously improve Agile/Scrum practices tailored to Oracle HCM delivery contexts.
• Maintain tight governance on change management, release schedules, and quarterly Oracle patch cycles.
• Collaborate with Product Owners to prioritize high-value deliverables and maintain a healthy, well-groomed backlog.
• Coordinate UAT cycles, cutover planning, go-live readiness reviews, and hypercare support.

7 People Management & Team Leadership

• Build, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of Oracle HCM technical and functional consultants across onshore and offshore locations.
• Conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, career development planning, and structured coaching conversations.
• Define and enforce engineering excellence standards: code quality, documentation, testing, and peer review practices.
• Foster a culture of psychological safety, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing within the team.
• Manage team capacity, skill-gap analysis, and proactive resource allocation across concurrent projects.

8 Stakeholder Management & Partner Governance

• Act as the primary point of escalation and trusted advisor for HR leadership, business owners, and C-suite stakeholders.
• Translate complex technical constraints and solution designs into clear, non-technical executive narratives.
• Facilitate steering committee meetings, project status reviews, and risk discussions with confidence and clarity.
• Align delivery roadmaps with business priorities; proactively surface risks, dependencies, and mitigation strategies.
• Manage Oracle support relationships and lead escalation management with Oracle when required.
• Govern external support and maintenance partners to ensure seamless day-to-day operations – including SLA adherence, incident ownership, and service quality reviews.
• Implement proactive issue tracking mechanisms to identify recurring defects early, prevent them from escalating into problem tickets, and drive timely resolution through targeted fixes or enhancements.
• Conduct regular partner performance reviews, manage contractual obligations, and hold vendors accountable to agreed quality and delivery standards.