Strategic Workforce Planning Specialist

Thatcham Research; Thatcham; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading automotive research organization in the UK seeks a Strategic Workforce Planning Specialist to align learning initiatives with business goals. This hybrid role involves conducting training needs analyses, supporting career development, and collaborating across teams. Candidates should have proven experience in strategic workforce planning, strong analytical skills, and the ability to engage stakeholders. The position offers a salary of approximately £45,000 with excellent benefits, fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture.

Benefits

10% non-contributory pension

29 days holiday + public holidays

Group Life Assurance

Health Cash Plan

Discounted gym membership

Free on-site parking

Qualifications

• Proven and practical experience in strategic workforce planning.
• Ability to assess performance and competence data for learning needs analysis.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct training needs analysis and create tailored development plans.
• Analyze workforce training data to inform strategic planning decisions.
• Evaluate learning outcomes and propose improvements to training delivery.

Skills

Strategic workforce planning

Analytical thinking

HR and L&D processes

Coaching and advising skills

Stakeholder engagement

Adaptability

Tools

MS Office

HRIS systems

Job description

Strategic Workforce Planning Specialist

12-month FTC | Circa £45,000 + excellent benefits | Full or part-time | Hybrid

Internal Job title: Capability & Development Specialist

We’re Hiring!

Are you passionate about shaping the future workforce and supporting strategic development? Thatcham Research is looking for a Strategic Workforce Planning Specialist to join our team and play a key role in aligning learning and development initiatives with our People Strategy and business goals. This brand new role is an exciting opportunity to influence how we identify skills gaps, support career progression, and deliver impactful learning experiences across the organisation.

Full-time or part-time applicants considered (minimum 4 days/week).

As the new Strategic Workforce Planning Specialist you’ll:

• Partner with People Partners and Managers to conduct training needs analysis and create tailored development plans for teams, including performing skills gap analysis where required.
• Analyse workforce training data in collaboration with People Partners to inform Strategic Workforce Planning decisions and contribute to updates of the Learning & Development (L&D) strategy.
• Support the review and implementation of L&D and career development policies, ensuring alignment with our People Strategy.
• Provide guidance to managers and learners on career pathways, offering constructive feedback and supporting progression within established frameworks.
• Work closely with individuals and their managers to identify learning and development opportunities that align with roles and career aspirations.
• Assess performance and competency data to identify learning needs and recommend targeted interventions.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of learning outcomes and propose improvements to training delivery and content.
• Collaborate with internal and external subject matter experts to design technical training and instructional sessions that achieve defined learning objectives.
• Document L&D processes and workflows, creating clear process maps to enhance efficiency and support business understanding.
• Assist in developing and updating high-quality training materials and resources to support a variety of learning initiatives.
• Contribute to the design and facilitation of internal courses and learning interventions as part of the wider L&D team.

Skills & experience that will set you up for success in this role:

• Proven and practical experience in strategic workforce planning
• Analytical thinking to assess performance and competence data for learning needs analysis.
• Basic understanding of HR and L&D processes, with familiarity in MS Office and HRIS systems.
• Strong coaching and advising skills to support professional development journeys.
• Ability to evaluate learning outcomes and translate insights into actionable improvements.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills to collaborate across teams.
• Proactive, collaborative, and adaptable, with the ability to build trusted relationships and respond to evolving business needs.

Did you know...

Research tells us that men are more likely to apply to jobs if they meet only 60% of the criteria, whereas women often hesitate or don’t apply unless they meet all of the criteria. This difference in application behaviour can contribute to the gender gap in career advancement and opportunities.

We know the perfect candidate doesn't exist! If you think you have what it takes but don’t tick every box, we'd still encourage you to apply - it could be a perfect fit!

Perks & Benefits

Salary - Circa £45,000 negotiable dependent on skills & experience.

• 10% non-contributory pension
• 29 days holiday (inclusive of Christmas shutdown) + public holidays
• Group Life Assurance (equal to 4 x basic salary)
• Group Income Protection (after 6 months’ service)
• Salary Sacrifice schemes (cycle to work, home & tech scheme)
• Enhanced and competitive parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender or family structure
• Moneyhealth’s Financial Coaching & Wellbeing Platform
• Health Cash Plan (cash back on eligible medical treatments)
• Benenden Health Care (opt-in benefit)
• Reward & Recognition Programme
• Discounted gym membership
• Sports & Social club
• Payroll charitable giving
• Subsidised on-site restaurant
• Free on-site parking

When we work

Our standard working hours are 8:30 – 16:30 Monday – Thursday, early finish on Friday – 8:30 – 15:45 (Talk to us about flexible working if this doesn’t quite suit you – we take work-life balance seriously!)

How we work

We understand the benefits of remote and in-person collaboration and therefore have a hybrid working model – you’ll be expected to work from our office in Thatcham at least two days per week.

What we do

At the cutting edge of automotive research in the UK, Thatcham Research has a unique role in shaping the design of new vehicles and influencing ever higher standards of safety, security and repair. With an on-site Crash Laboratory, Repair Technology Centre and Training Academy, our research expertise is driving some of the very latest automotive developments in technology, materials and standards in this fast moving and highly technical industry.

Our Gamston facility is one of the UK’s leading sites for active safety, trialling and assessing the latest crash avoidance and driver assistance technologies.

Our Values

As an organisation that believes a strong set of Values are key to our organisational success and a sense of belonging for all colleagues, we ask that you understand, represent and apply our Values of Fearless, Inquisitive, Resourceful, Supportive and Trusted and demonstrate these Values throughout the recruitment process.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace which values diversity and embraces each individual's authentic self. We are proud to champion a culture where colleagues freely share their diverse perspectives, recognising that these contribute to our innovative spirit. Our journey of growth and understanding is continuous as we actively invest in diversity training, workshops, and partnerships to ensure positive change.

Beyond our partnerships with the Automotive 30% Club and Women in Data (WiD), we collaborate with various organisations to advance equity not only in gender but also across ethnicity, age, disability, social mobility, LGBTQ+ identities, experiences, and thinking. Our aspiration is to create an environment where everyone thrives, achieves, and experiences a genuine sense of belonging.

Recruitment process

We’re proud to manage our recruitment in-house and believe this direct approach enables us to give you the best possible Employee Experience we can – which starts right here, your application! We’re continuously striving to improve the candidate journey, and transparency (or communication) is a key area of focus – yes, even with salary & benefits.

What can you expect from our recruitment process?

• Regular updates on the progress / outcome of your application
• An initial telephone screening call with our Recruitment Business Partner
• First interview with the hiring manager, usually via Teams
• Second/Final interview, in-person at our office (we may give you a role specific task to present on!)
• Personalised feedback following your interview – because everyone deserves that!
• An opportunity to give us your honest feedback in a short survey on all of the above

We’re committed to removing barriers. If there are any adjustments we can make to better support you, please let us know when you apply.

All applicants must have Right to Work in the UK.

If you're experiencing any issues with our career site or application from, please let us know here: [e-mail]