Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to work in our Resourcing and Business Planning department, based at Ambulance Headquarters, as a Workforce Scheduling and Planning Manager. In this role, you will be responsible for full end-to-end resource planning for our EOC, including responsibility for forecasting, scheduling, capacity planning and intraday management functions. This is vital to ensure we efficiently manage resource in the face of an unprecedented increase in demand across NHS 111, 999 and Patient Transport Services.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will also be responsible for providing insights on sizing future staffing requirements, working closely with senior stakeholders across operations, finance, training, recruitment and the wider NHS network.
You will need to have:
1. A degree level qualification in a relevant business discipline or significant relevant experience.
2. Significant experience of forecasting, scheduling, planning and data analysis in a customer contact centre environment.
3. Experience of managing staff.
Your expertise across a multi-site, multi-skilled environment will be essential to support the Trust in delivering to stretching standards and targets - all designed to ensure patient safety.
For informal enquiries please contact Aaron Bahanda (Head of Resourcing and Business Planning) via email to
About us
We employ 3,500 staff in 63 locations and serve a population of 2,600,000 in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, County Durham, and Tees over 3230 square miles.
Many people think the job of the ambulance service is to collect patients and take them to hospital, but we do much more!
Paramedic skills have developed hugely in recent years, meaning we carry out more treatment at the scene and en-route to hospital.
We have a dedicated clinical assessment service that allows us to provide patients with the most appropriate care from the beginning of the patient journey.
We have a specialised branch of the Trust called HART which deal with explosions or terrorist attacks.
Ultimately patients are the heart of everything that we do to support our mission of "safe, effective and responsive care for all".
We value and respect the diversity employees bring to our workplace. We recruit a workforce that reflects the community we serve, and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. To ensure we deliver on our aims in relation to diversity and inclusion we assess ourselves against a range of frameworks. We are ENEI Gold employer, Disability Confident Leader, Dyslexia Smart Award employer, Dementia Friendly, and part of Mind Blue Light programme and the Race at Work Charter from the Princes Responsible Business Network and are achieving across all objectives in NHS Equality Delivery System.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Workforce Scheduling and Planning Manager will be responsible for delivering accurate manpower/ forecast plans for the Emergency Operations Centre, enabling teams to maximise resources to meet business requirements. This will be achieved through expertise and experience in utilisation, development and use of Workforce Management systems.
Managing and developing a team of forecasting, scheduling / planning and Intraday / real-time Analysts, you will be responsible for the maintenance of the chosen scheduling and forecasting system to aid the Operations Centre in maximising efficiency, whilst working with the Operations Centre staff to attain a high degree of work life balance.
Working with and through Operations Centre management, Duty Managers and Team Leaders to ensure that NEAS is in the best positon possible to achieve KPIs.
Playing a key role in driving service level consistency for NEAS patients and being responsible for maximising workforce operational resource by driving cost-effectiveness and staff efficiencies whilst enabling a safe and consistent service.
Supporting and enabling the cost improvement agenda through building strong links with the appropriate parties and utilising the Workforce Management System effectively.
Person Specification
EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING
Essential
4. Educated to degree level in relevant discipline or significant relevant experience in forecasting, scheduling, and planning and data analysis in a customer contact centre environment. Recognised qualifications in Microsoft Excel to an advanced level or demonstrable skills gained through significant experience. Confirmation of training completed in the use of recognised workforce management software.
Desirable
5. Industry recognised qualification in resource planning (PPF or similar)
KEY SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND APTITUDE
Essential
6. 2 - 4 years previous experience of delivery in a 24/7 Operational / Contact Centre. Specialist and significant knowledge of workforce management systems including implementation, system use, development and configuration.
EXPERIENCE
Essential
7. Previous experience of delivery in contact centre workforce planning utilising a workforce management system. Management and leadership of a team of forecasting, planning, scheduling and Intraday Analysts.
Desirable
8. Previous experience of delivery in contact centre workforce planning utilising a workforce management system within the public sector
DISPOSITION / PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
Essential
9. Experience and developed skills in presenting highly complex data and information to nontechnical managers and staff at senior levels. Flexible, Good Team Player. Well organised. Able to work to tight deadlines & prioritise task Ability to handle sensitive or confidential informations.