Business Development Director - Workday Product - EMEA

At Kainos, we’re problem solvers, innovators, and collaborators - driven by a shared mission to create real impact. Whether we’re transforming digital services for millions, delivering cutting-edge Workday solutions, or pushing the boundaries of technology, we do it together.

We believe in a people-first culture, where your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and your contributions truly make a difference. Here, you’ll be part of a diverse, ambitious team that celebrates creativity and collaboration.

Ready to make your mark? Join us and be part of something bigger.

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE BUSINESS:

Our vision is to create a world-class business development and marketing capability for Kainos, fuelled by a diverse range of highly talented and motivated professionals working collaboratively and innovatively to ensure we continue our growth trajectory in the enterprise SaaS and Workday ecosystem.

We do this via an open and supportive environment where colleagues can share information, learn from one another and excel in their own career. With consistent ways of working aligned to industry best practice and modern SaaS go-to-market models, we build sustainable and predictable sales pipelines for our market-leading Workday and digital transformation offerings.

As a Business Development Director (Principal) in Kainos, you will be responsible for delivering the business development strategy by leading and generating activity in your sector/region, with a strong focus on Workday-led opportunities and enterprise SaaS transformation programmes, by building an extensive network of industry contacts.

You will be accountable for building relevant stakeholder relationships with customers and industry partners to ensure cross-selling opportunities are maximised, particularly across Workday HCM, Finance, Payroll and Extend solutions, alongside broader Kainos digital services. You will work collaboratively with the Business Development team as well as colleagues across delivery, legal, marketing and operations.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE:

• Developing Kainos as a Workday & SaaS partner
  Using a combination of new and existing accounts, you will build and maintain a rich pipeline of Workday and SaaS-driven transformation opportunities across your sector/region. You will apply SaaS pipeline discipline (e.g. funnel management, conversion, ARR forecasting) to enable accurate forecasting, delivery against agreed targets, and predictable revenue growth.
• Providing Business Development Leadership in SaaS environments
  Utilising best practice in enterprise SaaS sales and Workday go-to-market approaches, you will develop sector-specific prospecting and account plans. You will lead complex pursuits, shaping multi-year subscription-based and transformation dealsand aligning them to client business outcomes.
• Acting as a trusted Workday advisor
  You will bring strong Workday product and ecosystem knowledge, positioning Kainos as a strategic partner across the Workday lifecycle (advisory, implementation, optimisation, and innovation). Through consultative SaaS selling, you will deeply understand customer challenges and opportunities, demonstrating empathy, active listening, and commercial creativity.
• Structuring and closing SaaS and Workday deals
  You will lead the development of complex commercial proposals, including subscription, implementation, and managed service models. Deals will align to sales, revenue, and margin expectations while ensuring solutions are commercially viable, scalable, and aligned to Kainos’ strategic direction.
• Building and developing strategic Workday partnerships
  You will establish and grow relationships across the Workday ecosystem, including Workday account executives, product leads, and alliance partners. You will position Kainos as a trusted Workday services partner, driving joint go-to-market activity and co-sell opportunities.
• Negotiating & managing senior SaaS stakeholders
  You will operate confidently at C-suite level, shaping and refining proposals with senior stakeholders. You will bring strong experience in negotiating enterprise SaaS contracts, subscription models, and transformation programmes, ensuring mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Being an external Kainos ambassador in the Workday market
  You will represent Kainos externally, promoting our capabilities within the Workday community and broader SaaS market, while consistently embodying our culture, values, and behaviours.
• Leading complex, multi-disciplinary deal teams
  You will lead and coordinate cross-functional teams across Workday delivery, solution architecture, product, and consulting, ensuring high-quality, integrated solutions and maximising cross-sell opportunities.
• Putting people first & developing SaaS talent
  You will manage, coach and develop a small number of individuals, building capability in Workday, SaaS selling, and consultative business development, while supporting wider team growth.

MINIMUM (ESSENTIAL) REQUIREMENTS:

• Proven expertise in enterprise SaaS business development, including:
• Building and executing account strategies for multi-million (£/$/€) transformation and subscription-based deals
• Driving predictable pipeline growth, ARR forecasting, and revenue delivery over extended sales cycles
• Experience of selling Workday solutions or similar enterprise SaaS platforms (e.g. HCM, ERP, Finance systems) is highly desirable
• Strong knowledge of the Workday ecosystem, including:
  • Understanding of Workday product suite (HCM, Finance, Payroll, Extend, etc.)
  • Experience working with or alongside Workday sales teams, partners, or implementations
  • Ability to position Workday-enabled transformation and articulate its business value
• Demonstrated ability to communicate, influence and sell at C-suite level, particularly in the context of digital and SaaS transformation
• Exceptional networking skills, with a proven ability to build senior relationships within enterprise organisations and SaaS ecosystems
• Broad technology experience with a strong understanding of cloud, SaaS delivery models, and digital transformation trends
• Strong commercial acumen, including experience structuring and negotiating SaaS contracts, subscription models, and complex service engagements
• Ability to operate in a highly competitive, fast-paced SaaS environment while maintaining sound judgement aligned to business goals
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage long, complex SaaS sales cycles and meet deadlines
• Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills, including resolving escalations within high-value, complex deals
• A passion for developing people, with demonstrated experience in coaching and mentoring within business development or SaaS sales environments

At Kainos, we believe in the power of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are committed to building a team that is as diverse as the world we live in, where everyone is valued, respected, and given an equal chance to thrive.   We actively seek out talented people from all backgrounds, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other characteristic that makes them who they are.   We also believe every candidate deserves a level playing field. 

Our friendly talent acquisition team is here to support you every step of the way, so if you require any accommodations or adjustments, we encourage you to reach out. 

We understand that everyone's journey is different, and by having a private conversation we can ensure that our recruitment process is tailored to your needs.