CEC Workforce Planner

About the role

As a Workforce Planner, you’ll play a key role in planning and performance for our Customer Experience Centre (CEC), supporting around 100 colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Forecast customer contact volumes across multiple channels and translate demand into workforce requirements.
• Create efficient, multi-skilled schedules that balance customer service and colleague availability.
• Align workforce plans with service targets, budgets and operational priorities.
• Maintain service levels by monitoring real-time performance and adjusting plans accordingly.
• Manage holidays, training, coaching and other activities to minimise operational impact.
• Analyse trends and performance data to identify risks, opportunities and planning challenges.
• Provide clear, data-driven insight for operational and strategic decisions.
• Improve workforce planning processes through technology, automation and smarter ways of working.
• Work closely with operational leaders to respond to changing customer demand and business priorities.

Requirements

• A strong experience of contact centre workforce planning and confidence turning data into practical action.
• Experience in forecasting, scheduling, capacity planning and real-time workforce management.
• Contact centre experience, including service levels, demand patterns, shrinkage, occupancy and resource requirements.
• Experience with PeopleWare or a similar workforce management platform.
• Strong Excel skills; Power BI or other data visualisation experience is an advantage.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and organisational skills, with an ability to spot trends and risks.
• The ability to turn complex data into clear, actionable insight.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, including the confidence to challenge and influence.
• A continuous-improvement mindset and an interest in technology, automation and data.

Qualifications

Essential qualifications include:

• A degree in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Management, or related disciplines.
• Proven experience in contact centre operations and workforce planning.
• Experience with PeopleWare or similar workforce management software.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Skills

• Data analysis and interpretation.
• People management and leadership.
• Project management and planning.
• Technology and automation.

Benefits

At Northern Trains Limited, you’ll enjoy:

• Free travel for you, your partner, and your dependents on Northern services.
• Up to 75% discount on other networks in the UK and Europe.
• A generous pension scheme with a 1.5x contribution top-up.
• Enhanced family benefits, including 9 months of full pay for maternity leave and 2 weeks for paternity leave.
• A cycle to work scheme offering up to 42% savings on a bike and spreading the cost.
• Exclusive discounts on various products and services.
• An employee assistance programme providing 24/7 support for family, lifestyle, and more.
• Tailored training and opportunities to gain recognised qualifications.
• Career development pathways within the company.
• Recognition through awards like Northern Lights and Northern Sparks.

Pay

£32,543 per annum.

Schedule

Full Time, 37 hours per week.