Engineering Manager - Oracle HR systems

Overview

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.