Release Manager

Overview

The Release Manager supports the implementation and ongoing delivery of our enterprise Workday platform and UKG Pro Workforce Management system within the Business Applications team. This role is key to managing the planning, coordination, and execution of integrated releases across Workday HCM, Payroll, Financials, Supply Chain, Grants Management, and custom Workday Extend applications. The Release Manager will develop and lead strategies to ensure stability, alignment, and transparency throughout the organization. Responsibilities include planning and overseeing enhancements, configuration changes, and vendor updates to support Dana-Farber’s operational excellence. This position requires close collaboration with HR, Finance, Supply Chain, Research Administration, and IT stakeholders to execute each release precisely while minimizing disruptions to business operations.

This is an exciting time to join the DFCI Business Applications team as we drive critical digital transformation initiatives that power our entire organization. With cutting-edge platforms like Workday and UKG at the core, the team is shaping the future of how business processes and technology intersect. There’s a unique opportunity to influence key enterprise systems, lead innovation in automation and integrations, and collaborate across diverse teams to deliver high-impact solutions. Join us to be part of a dynamic, fast-growing environment where your expertise directly accelerates organizational success and growth.

Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.

Responsibilities

• Own the full release management lifecycle for Workday and UKG Pro Workforce Management, overseeing core platform updates, enhancement deployments, configuration changes, and urgent hotfixes across all modules—including HCM, Payroll, Financials, Supply Chain, Grants Management, and custom Workday Extend applications.
• Develop, document, and refine comprehensive release management processes, guiding activities from vendor release note reviews and impact assessments through prioritization, detailed planning, testing coordination, communication strategies, deployment execution, and post-release evaluation.
• Collaborate closely with product owners, functional leads, technical teams, and business stakeholders to analyze vendor release documentation, assess organizational impact, identify relevant features, and define tailored adoption and rollout strategies for each release cycle.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams—including Configuration, QA, Integration, Security, Reporting, and Change Management—to ensure release readiness, manage interdependencies, mitigate delivery risks, and maintain a consolidated release calendar that proactively addresses scheduling conflicts, blackout periods, and business readiness.
• Lead cutover planning and execution across non-production and production environments, overseeing timing, data and test readiness, rollback procedures, and governance through change advisory board (CAB) reviews, risk assessment, and compliance with internal policies and audit requirements.
• Facilitate clear, timely communication of release scope, status, risks, and outcomes to all impacted stakeholders—ranging from business leaders to end users and IT teams—and drive continuous improvement by conducting post-release retrospectives, tracking key performance metrics, and aligning Workday and UKG Pro release schedules for operational synergy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in a relevant field.
• 5 years of experience managing end-to-end release lifecycles in complex enterprise environments with at least 2 years supporting Workday, UKG Pro, or similar platforms.
• Proven track record leading multi-module releases, coordinating cross-functional teams, and managing dependencies and risks to ensure successful, timely deployments.
• Experience developing and implementing release management frameworks, processes, and best practices aligned with organizational goals.
• Strong background in change management, including facilitating Change Advisory Board (CAB) meetings and ensuring compliance with internal policies and audit requirements.
• Experience working in Agile and DevOps environments, supporting iterative release cycles and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience with release management and tracking tools such as Jira, ServiceNow, or Azure DevOps is a plus.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred or equivalent project management credentials.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Proven expertise in end-to-end release management, including planning, coordination, testing, deployment, and post-release evaluation.
• Strong communication skills, capable of translating technical details into clear plans for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Excellent collaboration and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to align cross-functional teams and facilitate decision-making.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, adept at managing complex release schedules, dependencies, and risk mitigation.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to align release activities with broader business goals and drive continuous process improvements.
• Proficient in change management practices, including coordinating with change advisory boards (CAB) and ensuring compliance with governance policies.
• Skilled in using release management and project tracking tools (e.g., Jira, ServiceNow).
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to respond effectively to release incidents or unexpected challenges.
• Ability to lead and support agile release processes, including sprint planning and iterative delivery cycles.
• Customer-focused mindset, prioritizing minimal business disruption and ensuring a positive end-user experience.

At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are committed to having faculty and staff that offer multifaceted experiences. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and diverse professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.