Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Director of Business Systems
at Workiva
🏢 About Workiva
Workiva stands out as a leader in integrated ESG reporting, helping organizations achieve transparent climate impact and compliance through their innovative platform. The company's focus on streamlining complex reporting processes makes it an attractive workplace for professionals passionate about combining technology with sustainability. Working at Workiva offers the opportunity to contribute to meaningful environmental, social, and governance outcomes while building cutting-edge business systems.
About This Role
As Senior Director of Business Systems at Workiva, you'll be responsible for developing and executing a multi-year technology roadmap that directly supports the company's strategic priorities in ESG reporting. This role involves overseeing the entire enterprise application ecosystem while leading data strategy and governance to ensure high-quality, reliable data. Your work will champion AI and automation initiatives that enhance team productivity and user experience across Workiva's platform.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve collaborating with executive leadership to align technology initiatives with Workiva's ESG reporting strategy, reviewing data governance policies for business systems, and meeting with your team to optimize enterprise applications. You'd likely spend time evaluating new AI and automation tools to enhance productivity while ensuring all systems support transparent climate impact reporting for clients.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Workiva Is Looking For
- Has 10+ years in IT/Business Systems with 5+ years in senior leadership, specifically with experience managing enterprise application ecosystems in SaaS or tech companies
- Demonstrates proven success in developing and executing multi-year technology roadmaps that align with business strategy, particularly in data-intensive environments
- Possesses strong data governance and strategy experience, with the ability to ensure high-quality, reliable data across business systems
- Has experience championing AI and automation initiatives to improve productivity and user experience, ideally in a reporting or compliance context
📝 Tips for Applying to Workiva
Highlight specific experience with ESG, sustainability, or compliance reporting systems in your resume, as this aligns with Workiva's core business
Quantify your impact in previous roles on technology roadmap execution, such as percentage improvements in system efficiency or cost savings from automation
Research and reference Workiva's specific products (like their ESG reporting platform) in your application to show genuine interest
Emphasize your experience with data governance in complex environments, as this is crucial for reliable ESG reporting
Prepare examples of how you've led AI/automation initiatives that improved team productivity in previous leadership roles
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your experience developing and executing multi-year technology roadmaps that support strategic business priorities', 'Specific examples of leading data strategy and governance initiatives that ensured high-quality, reliable data', "How you've championed AI and automation to enhance productivity and user experience in previous roles", "Why you're passionate about Workiva's mission of streamlining integrated ESG reporting and transparent climate impact"]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Workiva's specific ESG reporting platform capabilities and recent product announcements
- → The company's recent financial reports and strategic priorities mentioned in earnings calls
- → Workiva's approach to AI and automation in their products and internal systems
- → The competitive landscape for ESG reporting software and Workiva's market position
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying with generic leadership experience without specific examples related to business systems, data governance, or technology roadmaps
- Failing to demonstrate understanding of Workiva's ESG focus and how business systems support compliance reporting
- Not showing experience with the full lifecycle of enterprise applications (evaluation, implementation, optimization) in previous roles
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!