What are the responsibilities and job description for the ITS Project Manager position at General Atomics?
Job Summary
General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world’s leading resources for high-technology systems development ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless and laser technologies.
We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior HRIS Project Manager within our IT/HR division located San Diego, CA.
Working under consultative direction, this position is responsible for leading the design, development, and implementation of Human Resource Information System (HRIS) initiatives and major IT projects. The HRIS Project Manager serves as the critical bridge between HR and IT, ensuring that technology solutions align with organizational HR strategy, compliance requirements, and operational needs.
The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in HR systems (such as Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, or similar platforms) combined with proven project leadership capabilities to oversee team direction, project structure, schedule, and budget—achieving intended business outcomes on time and within scope.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Job Qualifications
Salary range: 116,480 - 208,505
General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world’s leading resources for high-technology systems development ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless and laser technologies.
We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior HRIS Project Manager within our IT/HR division located San Diego, CA.
Working under consultative direction, this position is responsible for leading the design, development, and implementation of Human Resource Information System (HRIS) initiatives and major IT projects. The HRIS Project Manager serves as the critical bridge between HR and IT, ensuring that technology solutions align with organizational HR strategy, compliance requirements, and operational needs.
The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in HR systems (such as Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, or similar platforms) combined with proven project leadership capabilities to oversee team direction, project structure, schedule, and budget—achieving intended business outcomes on time and within scope.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead end-to-end HRIS implementation projects including planning, design, configuration, testing, deployment, and post-go-live support for platforms such as Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, or equivalent systems.
- Serve as the primary liaison between HR functional teams, IT, and third-party vendors to align system capabilities with business requirements across modules such as Core HR, Payroll, Benefits, Talent Acquisition, Learning, and Workforce Management.
- Actively manage team direction, project plans, schedules, budgets, and corresponding vendor purchase orders (POs) to ensure delivery within approved parameters.
- Lead project review discussions and engage IT and HR stakeholders in driving decisions related to system design, data migration, integration architecture, and go-live readiness.
- Develop, document, and implement end-user training programs for personnel participating in HRIS projects; monitor and ensure effectiveness of training materials and delivery.
- Build and communicate weekly project status updates, including executive-facing slide decks that convey milestones, risks, issues, and decisions required.
- Actively participate in all testing phases—unit, integration, user acceptance testing (UAT), and parallel payroll runs—and possess excellent communication skills to document and escalate defects appropriately.
- Oversee data migration strategy, data validation, and cutover planning to ensure accuracy and integrity of employee records during system transitions.
- Manage HRIS integrations with downstream systems (e.g., payroll processors, benefits carriers, time & attendance, ERP, and Active Directory) in collaboration with integration architects and vendors.
- Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and HR data governance policies throughout project lifecycle.
- Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks and issues; develop innovative solutions to complex technical and procedural problems ensuring efficient and uninterrupted HR operations.
- Responsible for observing all laws, regulations, and other applicable obligations wherever and whenever business is conducted on behalf of the Company. Expected to maintain a productive and safe working environment in accordance with established operating procedures and practices.
- Perform other duties as assigned or required.
Job Qualifications
- Typically requires education or formal training equivalent to the completion of a Bachelors degree in computer science, information systems or related discipline and fourteen or more years progressively complex experience in Information management/project leadership. Additional professional experience may be substituted in lieu of education.
- Significant hands-on experience implementing or upgrading HRIS platforms (e.g., Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Background Tools) in mid-to-large enterprise environments.
- Demonstrated experience managing large-scale, cross-functional technology programs from initiation through hypercare, including multi-module or multi-country HRIS rollouts.
- Must demonstrate an extensive technical understanding of HRIS architecture, HR data models, system integrations (APIs, middleware, ETL), and HR business processes including Payroll, Benefits Administration, Talent Management, and Workforce Analytics.
- Strong understanding of HR data privacy and security requirements, including GDPR, CCPA, SOX, and HIPAA as applicable to HR data.
- Familiarity with project management methodologies including PMP, Agile/Scrum, and Waterfall; PMP or equivalent certification preferred.
- Skills including organizing, planning, scheduling, and coordinating workloads and projects to meet established deadlines, milestones, and budgets.
- Must be customer-focused and possess the ability to identify, analyze, interpret, and resolve unusually complex management and technical problems across HR and IT domains.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills to accurately document, report, and present findings to technical and non-technical audiences, including senior HR and IT leadership.
- Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills to effectively interface with all levels of employees, senior management, HR Centers of Excellence (COEs), and outside vendors/representatives.
- Ability to understand new concepts quickly and apply them accurately throughout an evolving HR technology environment.
- Ability to work independently and lead in a team environment; ability to work extended hours and travel as required.
- PMP (Project Management Professional), PMI-ACP, or equivalent certification.
- Experience with global HRIS implementations involving multi-country payroll or compliance requirements.
- Background or working knowledge of HR functional areas (e.g., Compensation, HRBP, Talent Acquisition) to facilitate more effective cross-functional collaboration.
Salary range: 116,480 - 208,505