Senior Lead, People Analytics

Upwork Inc.’s (Nasdaq: UPWK) family of companies connects businesses with global, AI-enabled talent across every contingent work type including freelance, fractional, and payrolled. This portfolio includes the Upwork Marketplace, which connects businesses with on-demand access to highly skilled talent across the globe, and Lifted, which provides a purpose-built solution for enterprise organizations to source, contract, manage, and pay talent across the full spectrum of contingent work. From Fortune 100 enterprises to entrepreneurs, businesses rely on Upwork Inc. to find and hire expert talent, leverage AI-powered work solutions, and drive business transformation. With access to professionals spanning more than 10,000 skills across AI & machine learning, software development, sales & marketing, customer support, finance & accounting, and more, the Upwork family of companies enables businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and transform their workforces for the age of AI and beyond. In this role, you will shape how data informs workforce strategy at scale from our Lisbon hub, partnering across the business to unlock insights that directly influence executive decision-making and the future of work at Upwork.

Since its founding, Upwork Inc. has facilitated more than $30 billion in total transactions and services as it fulfills its purpose to create opportunity in every era of work. Learn more about the Upwork Marketplace at Upwork.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X; and learn more about Lifted at Go-Lifted and follow on LinkedIn.

We’re looking for a Senior Lead, People Analytics to advance our data-driven approach to talent and workforce strategy. In this highly impactful individual contributor role, you will own and drive high-priority analytics initiatives that influence how we attract, engage, develop, and retain top talent. You’ll partner closely with HR, Finance, and business leaders to translate workforce data into actionable insights that inform decision-making and elevate the employee experience at Upwork. This is an opportunity to operate as a strategic thought partner, delivering sophisticated analysis that directly influences executive-level decisions and long-term workforce planning.

Your Responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end people analytics initiatives, from problem framing and hypothesis development to analysis, insight generation, and executive-level presentation.

• Design and implement scalable data models and analytical frameworks across talent acquisition, engagement, performance, workforce planning, and retention.

• Identify, evaluate, and champion AI and machine learning tools that enhance how we surface workforce insights, automate repetitive reporting tasks, and develop predictive models for attrition, hiring, and performance outcomes.

• Experiment with and integrate AI-assisted analysis — including the use of large language models and generative AI tools — to accelerate insight generation, improve narrative quality, and scale the team's analytical output.

• Partner with HR and business leaders to translate workforce data into strategic and actionable recommendations.

• Build and maintain dashboards, reporting tools, and scalable self-service analytics capabilities that increase data accessibility and adoption.

• Identify and remediate data quality gaps within Workday and related systems, strengthening the integrity and reliability of people data.

• Communicate nuanced analyses in a clear and compelling way to diverse stakeholders, from HR partners to executives.

• Leverage external benchmarks, industry trends, and best practices to inform Upwork’s people strategy.

• Ensure data integrity and compliance with privacy regulations while continuously improving data collection and analysis processes.

What it takes to catch our eye:

• Strong background in People Analytics, Workforce Analytics, or a related field with a proven track record of delivering strategic, business-impacting insights.

• Hands-on experience with Workday HCM, including building and maintaining advanced or custom reports, leveraging calculated fields, and improving data quality and reporting structures.

• Experience with Qualtrics and Greenhouse is a plus.

• Proficiency in analytics tools such as SQL, Python, R, Tableau, or similar platforms.

• Curiosity and hands-on experience with AI tools — including experience using LLMs, AI-assisted coding tools (e.g. GitHub Copilot), or ML frameworks to enhance analytical workflows or build predictive models.

• A forward-thinking mindset with a demonstrated ability to identify where AI and automation can meaningfully improve how people data is gathered, analyzed, and acted upon.

• Strong business acumen and ability to connect data insights to strategic objectives.

• Ability to independently lead and prioritize multiple high-impact initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to distill complex analyses into clear, actionable recommendations.

• A passion for leveraging data to drive equity, inclusion, and positive employee experiences.

Come change how the world works.

Upwork is establishing its first international operational hub in Lisbon, Portugal. The new office is expected to be fully operational by Q4 2026. This role will require 3 days in office once we have an office open.

This position will initially be employed through a partner to ensure a seamless hiring process while we establish the hub. Once the hub is established, there may be opportunities to transition to employment with Upwork, depending on business needs and other requirements. While employed by the partner, you’ll work as part of Upwork’s team, with access to our resources, culture, and growth opportunities.

Our partner will offer competitive benefits. When Upwork’s hub is established, we will be excited to offer employment and benefits directly as business needs require.

Upwork is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law.

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To learn more about how Upwork processes and protects your personal information as part of the application process, please review our Global Job Applicant Privacy Notice