CX Planning Lead

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

34 days annual leave

11% pension contributions

Free mortgage brokering

Health CashBack

Cycle to work

On-site parking

Training and coaching opportunities

Job summary

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is seeking a Workforce Management Planning Manager in Cardiff to lead the planning function for a multi-channel customer contact operation. You will own forecasting, capacity planning, scheduling and real-time performance, balancing service quality with efficiency.

You will apply strategic thinking and strong management to shape resource decisions, improve planning accuracy and use NICE Workforce Management to deliver cost-effective workforce plans.

Qualifications

• Significant workforce planning experience within a complex, multi-channel contact centre or customer service environment.
• Advanced knowledge of demand forecasting, capacity planning, scheduling and real-time performance management.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing a workforce planning team, with a strong focus on capability, performance and engagement.
• Strong analytical and scenario-modelling skills, with the ability to identify trends, test assumptions and translate insight into practical recommendations.
• Experience converting organisational strategy and operational priorities into deliverable resource plans.
• A strong understanding of contact centre performance measures, including service levels, forecast accuracy, shrinkage, occupancy and schedule adherence.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the confidence to present evidence-based recommendations to senior management
• Advanced Excel skills and experience working with workforce management systems, performance data and planning models.
• A continuous improvement mindset, with experience improving planning processes, controls and outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end workforce planning strategy and planning cycle for a complex, multi-channel customer contact operation.
• Guide long-, medium- and short-term demand forecasting, translating customer demand, operational priorities and business strategy into robust resource plans.
• Develop capacity plans and scenario models that identify resource requirements, risks and opportunities, including recruitment, training and cross-skilling needs.
• Guide the creation and optimisation of schedules across voice and digital channels, ensuring resources are aligned to demand, service levels and customer needs.
• Oversee intraday and real-time performance management, ensuring emerging risks are identified early and clear recovery actions are agreed with operational teams.
• Provide clear oversight of key workforce measures, including forecast accuracy, shrinkage, occupancy, schedule adherence and service level performance.
• Ensure the operation is prepared for seasonal peaks, incidents and unexpected changes in demand through effective contingency and resilience planning.
• Guide, coach and develop the workforce planning team, setting clear priorities and creating a proactive, collaborative and insight-led culture.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of wider customer service and business plans, ensuring workforce planning supports Welsh Water’s strategic goals.

Skills

Workforce planning

Forecasting

Capacity planning

Scheduling

Real-time performance

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Excel

Tools

NICE Workforce Management

Job description

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City: Cardiff

Address: Cardiff, Wales, GB, CF3 0LT

Job Requisition Number 8842

Work Type Permanent

Job Function Customer Services

Salary Range £48,559.00-£53,064.00

Base South East Hub

What you’ll be responsible for

Help us put the right people, with the right skills, in the right place at the right time.

As Workforce Management Planning Manager, you will guide the planning function that ensures our customer contact operation has the capacity and capability to respond effectively to customer demand. You will own our approach to forecasting, capacity planning, scheduling and real-time performance across voice and digital channels, using data and insight to balance excellent customer service with operational efficiency.

You will combine strategic thinking, operational understanding and strong management to shape resource decisions, improve planning accuracy and make the best use of NICE Workforce Management. Working closely with operational and senior management, you will turn customer demand and business priorities into clear, resilient and cost-effective workforce plans.

What you’ll be responsible for:

• Own the end-to-end workforce planning strategy and planning cycle for a complex, multi-channel customer contact operation.
• Guide long-, medium- and short-term demand forecasting, translating customer demand, operational priorities and business strategy into robust resource plans.
• Develop capacity plans and scenario models that identify resource requirements, risks and opportunities, including recruitment, training and cross-skilling needs.
• Guide the creation and optimisation of schedules across voice and digital channels, ensuring resources are aligned to demand, service levels and customer needs.
• Oversee intraday and real-time performance management, ensuring emerging risks are identified early and clear recovery actions are agreed with operational teams.
• Provide clear oversight of key workforce measures, including forecast accuracy, shrinkage, occupancy, schedule adherence and service level performance.
• Ensure the operation is prepared for seasonal peaks, incidents and unexpected changes in demand through effective contingency and resilience planning.
• Guide the effective use, administration and continuous development of NICE Workforce Management, ensuring forecasts, schedules, skills and planning assumptions are accurate and support operational requirements.
• Turn complex data into clear insight and recommendations, enabling senior management to make informed decisions about resources, service performance and investment.
• Build strong relationships with operational management and other key stakeholders, constructively challenging assumptions and influencing decisions across the business.
• Drive continuous improvement in planning processes, governance, data quality, forecast accuracy and schedule effectiveness.
• Guide, coach and develop the workforce planning team, setting clear priorities and creating a proactive, collaborative and insight-led culture.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of wider customer service and business plans, ensuring workforce planning supports Welsh Water’s strategic goals.

About you

You will be an experienced workforce planning leader who can combine strong technical knowledge with sound judgement, clear communication and the confidence to influence at senior level. You will understand how effective planning improves both customer experience and operational performance.

Essential experience and capabilities:

• Significant workforce planning experience within a complex, multi-channel contact centre or customer service environment.
• Advanced knowledge of demand forecasting, capacity planning, scheduling and real-time performance management.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing a workforce planning team, with a strong focus on capability, performance and engagement.
• Strong analytical and scenario-modelling skills, with the ability to identify trends, test assumptions and translate insight into practical recommendations.
• Experience converting organisational strategy and operational priorities into deliverable resource plans.
• A strong understanding of contact centre performance measures, including service levels, forecast accuracy, shrinkage, occupancy and schedule adherence.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the confidence to present evidence-based recommendations to senior management
• Advanced Excel skills and experience working with workforce management systems, performance data and planning models.
• A continuous improvement mindset, with experience improving planning processes, controls and outcomes.

Good to know

• If you would like more information on this role, please contact [e-mail]

As well as a market competitive salary, 34 days annual leave (pro rata, including public holidays), we offer a range of employee benefits and rewards including:

• Variable pay schemes (your salary band will remain the same, but performance depending, you could receive an incremental within-band increase and a yearly incentive)
• Option to buy additional annual leave up to 5 days per year
• Enhanced employer pension contributions – Up to 11% employer contributions
• Free Mortgage Brokering Services
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Progression opportunities, including the ability to apply for funded training and coaching and mentoring programmes
• Gym and fitness discounts as well as high street shopping
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discount off all Welsh Water visitor attraction centres and gift shops
• Car-leasing scheme and free on-site parking at all sites
• Health CashBack scheme and access to an online GP service
• An employee assistance programme for employees and their immediate family
• Many more can be found on our website.

Due to the nature of the industry, we require satisfactory references, post offer medical clearance, and a criminal records Basic Disclosure check on all new employees joining the business.

For some roles there may be additional checks and security clearance required, and this offer is subject to all checks being satisfied. You will receive further information on how to complete these checks via email once you have accepted this offer.

Who we are

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water keep 3 million people healthy each day with safe, reliable water, and take away wastewater to clean, before returning it safely to our beautiful rivers and seas.

To be able to deliver high quality, essential services which help to protect the health of our customers, colleagues and our environment, we need the right people to deliver on our vision. This is achieved by living our core values and demonstrating the core behaviours that underpin them. The security of our people, assets and information is key to us, so we are looking for people who understand and comply with the company’s required security objectives.

We know that the most successful teams are the most diverse teams. Equality, diversity and inclusion provide the very foundation to our culture at Welsh Water. We want every individual to feel confident, proud and able to bring their whole selves to work.

To ensure an improved representation in our workforce, applications are particularly welcome from minority groups including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people, Females, LGBT+, Non-binary and people with disabilities. Together we continue to build a workplace that not only celebrates the diverse voices of our colleagues but also represents each customer we serve.

In essence, ours is a company based on trust, openness, respect, commitment and honesty. A company that our colleagues are proud to work for.

Dŵr Cymru Cyf, a limited company registered in Wales No. 2366777. Registered office: Linea, Fortran Road, St. Mellons, Cardiff CF3 0LT

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