Resource Planning Scheduling & Forecasting Manager

Northwestern Mutual; Franklin (MA); Remote; USD 76,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services company seeks a Workforce Management Manager to oversee the planning and execution of staffing strategies. The role involves managing team performance, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring compliance with organizational policies. Excellent leadership, analytical skills, and a strong background in workforce management are essential for success in this position. The company values diversity and promotes a fair work environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years in workforce management, preferably in a call center.
• 2+ years of people management experience required.
• Experience with process improvement and workflow.

Responsibilities

• Oversee workforce planning and staffing strategy.
• Lead daily operations and ensure compliance with policies.
• Direct people management activities including hiring and performance.

Skills

Analytical ability

Leadership

Project management

Communication skills

Excel proficiency

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or related field

Tools

WFM software (Verint)

Job description

Summary:

Develops, coordinates and manages the execution for Workforce development plans, strategy, and projects that support the operational areas of the company. The manager works with the Operations leadership teams, vendors and internal partners to ensure the delivery of staffing plans and service level results. Responsible for a team who develops forecasts and schedules that optimizes staffing resources and reallocates staff based on workload and oversight of the intra-day service levels across enterprise operations. Partners with operational leadership to make recommendations and provide guidance on implementation of changes as a result.

Characterized by proactively identifying, recommending, and implementing changes to policies and procedures to improve effectiveness and efficiency of the business unit. May assist in the strategic direction and implementation of the business unit.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Oversee the workforce planning process for operational business areas. This includes long term staffing and hiring plans, monthly, weekly, daily and interval forecasts, and the creation of efficient agent schedules.

• Works closely with technical team lead to ensure workforce plans are meeting the needs of our business partners.

• Lead all aspects of the day-to-day operations of the area including developing, recommending and implementing new policies and procedures, ensuring goal attainment, and following applicable laws and regulations.

• Proactively evaluates current workflow to develop and implement policy/procedure changes and/or service improvements as a means of continually seeking opportunities to increase work efficiencies.

• Responsible for all people management activities including the direct management of other employees. Directing, monitoring and evaluating day to day work flow/quality; assessing and maintaining performance standards and measures, hiring and retention of staff and employee discipline.

• Proactively leads efforts to manage cultural and process/procedural change across the department.

• Accountable for managing financial resources to include planning/budgeting.

• Assists senior management in the development of area's annual operational plan.

• Responsible for maximum operational efficiency through establishing, advising and coordinating the team's service activities, analysis of customer happiness and identifying changing service demands.

• Primarily focused on the execution of operational plan over the next year.

• Independently leads complex business area projects/support assignments with decision making authority and/or participates in cross-departmental projects.

• Recommends continuous improvements by identifying technical and service gaps, independently seeks and implements solutions.

• Problems and issues have a variety of interpretations and require careful evaluation and reference to many varied options impacting both the customer, financial representative and the business. Assignments require reviewing diverse procedures and choosing from among many options where clear alternatives do not exist.

• May be sought out for their input and the ability to contribute to direction setting at a departmental level. Removes obstacles from group members to solving problems. Considers the long term effect of solutions to include risk analysis.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible work experience.

• Minimum of five years related experience preferably in workforce management operations in a call center or blended operations environment.

• Proven leadership skills, working with diverse teams in an operational environment where effective supervision and mentor were demonstrated. Typically this experience is gained by having 2 or more years of people management experience.

• Analytical ability, judgment and decision making.

• Good management, human relations and interpersonal skills to manage a group of people.

• Experience with process improvement and workflow. Advocate for Continuous Learning Improvement efforts.

• Good project management experience to include operational management and policies and procedures development.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and organizational skills.

• Advanced Excel skills and experience in advanced formulas, array formulas, circular references, tables formatting, condition formatting, advanced charting, pivot tables reporting.

• Experience with WFM software, preferably Verint.

• Experience with Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) and routing systems.

#LI-REMOTE

Compensation Range:

Pay Range - Start:

$76,650.00

Pay Range - End:

$142,350.00

Geographic Specific Pay Structure:

195 - Structure 110: 84,350.00 USD - 156,650.00 USD 195 - Structure 115: 88,130.00 USD - 163,670.00 USD

We believe in fairness and transparency. It’s why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you’re living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable, click here to learn more.

Grow your career with a best-in-class company that puts our clients' interests at the center of all we do. Get started now!

Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer who welcomes and encourages diversity in the workforce. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.