Long-Range Planner

Getlink; Folkestone; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Getlink is seeking a Long-Range Planner to forecast customer demand and develop resource plans across Customer Engagement Hub channels. You will balance operational needs with employee well-being, ensuring staffing aligns with service levels and KPIs.

Key responsibilities include forecasting volumes, planning multi-skilled resource deployment, and collaborating with Training and Finance to ensure timely, accurate reporting. Proficiency with Zendesk, SAP, E-Connection and TAR is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Experience in long-range forecasting and resource planning.
• Ability to produce staffing forecasts and resource plans for multi-channel contact centers.
• Strong understanding of KPIs, service levels and customer satisfaction.
• Experience with workforce management and customer contact systems.

Responsibilities

• Forecast contact volumes using historical data and external factors.
• Develop long-range resource plans across all contact channels.
• Manage planned leave and deploy multi-skilled colleagues.
• Monitor forecasts with real-time metrics (service levels, satisfaction).
• Review performance against plans and suggest improvements to avoid issues.
• Coordinate with Training, Finance and other departments on scheduling and reporting.
• Enter timesheets into SAP and E-Connection; verify TAR hours.
• Provide monthly figures to Finance under supervision.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Forecasting experience

Workforce management

Stakeholder collaboration

Tools

Zendesk

SAP

E-Connection

TAR system

Job description

The Long-Range Planner is responsible for forecasting customer demand and developing effective resource plans across all Customer Engagement Hub channels. The role helps balance operational requirements with employee needs, ensuring sufficient numbers of appropriately skilled colleagues are available to achieve service levels, customer satisfaction targets and departmental KPIs.

• Support the delivery of departmental KPIs and contribute to projects that improve resource planning and balance operational needs with employee preferences.

• Forecast customer contact volumes using historical data and relevant internal and external factors.

• Develop and communicate long-range resource plans, ensuring appropriate staffing levels across all customer contact channels.

• Manage planned leave levels and support the effective deployment of multi-skilled colleagues, helping them maintain their required qualifications.

• Monitor the effectiveness of forecasts and schedules using real-time measures, including service levels and customer satisfaction.

• Review performance against plans, identify the causes of variances and recommend improvements to prevent recurring issues.

• Work collaboratively with the Training Department to schedule training, testing and future induction programmes.

• Plan resources for scheduled and last-minute Customer Engagement Hub campaigns across all channels.

• Maintain an excellent understanding of customer contact systems and act as an expert user of the Zendesk workforce management tool.

• Report and communicate significant events that could affect service-level agreements.

• Enter Commercial timesheets into SAP and E-Connection.

• Process agency timesheets, checking hours against the TAR system, resolving discrepancies and validating the recorded information.

• Work with the Finance Department to provide monthly figures, under appropriate supervision.

Qualifications and Experience

• Experience in long-range forecasting, resource planning, workforce management or a similar analytical role.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret historical data and operational performance measures.

• Experience of producing accurate staffing forecasts and resource plans within a customer contact environment.

• A good understanding of service levels, customer satisfaction measures and operational KPIs.

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to plan for both anticipated and last-minute requirements.

• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain plans and highlight operational risks.

• Confidence working collaboratively with operational, training and finance teams.

• High levels of accuracy when processing timesheets, validating information and preparing management data.

• Experience using workforce management and customer contact systems. Knowledge of Zendesk, SAP, E-Connection and TAR would be advantageous.

• Durée du contrat en mois / Contract duration in months (CDD/FTC, détachement/secondment, alternance/apprentice, intérim/seasonal):
• Type de contrat / Contract Type: CDI / Permanent