Forecast and Planning Specialist

October 14, 2024

NHS Scotland

Glasgow

OTHER

Forecast & Planning Specialist
Fixed Term or Secondment Opportunity with the potential to last for up to 12 months
Are you an experienced resource planner with a breadth of experience within a contact centre environment?
Can you evidence strong technical knowledge of forecasting, scheduling, and shrinkage management?
Are you passionate about engaging with others and working as part of a team to achieve shared goals?
Who We Are
As NHS Scotland's unique provider of a national tele-health and tele-care service, we are responsible for the delivery of health advice and information by telephone and online services to the population of Scotland 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. NHS 24 is a patient-focused service providing the people of Scotland with triage, advice, guidance, referral and information on health and healthcare services
Our Regional Centres are located at Hillington, Cardonald, Clydebank, South Queensferry, Dundee and Aberdeen. This post will be based in our Cardonald Regional Centre. NHS 24 also supports Hybrid Working for this role, working 3 days in the office, one of which must be every Monday.
The Role
NHS 24 are looking for two experienced Resource and Planning Specialists to join us within our Cardonald Regional Centre with 1 permanent post and 1 fixed term for 12 months, to support with forecasting and planning across the national NHS 24 estate with circa 1000+ staff members. Covering a range of services, inbound, outbound, and back office.
The successful candidate will be a specialist in a range of forecasting, resource modelling and scheduling approaches. They will provide NHS 24 and associated services with subject matter expertise to enable all services and channels to select the optimum and most efficient and effective approach to resource planning.
Key Responsibilities:

Support the Operational Planning Manager to scope and review all potential new strategic operational service initiatives, across all channels calculating the specific FTE requirements, but also recommending the optimum deployment approach
Recommend and build the most appropriate workforce / capacity planning models to derive the overall Strategic Workforce Plans for all NHS 24 front-line services
Delegate authorised signatory for the authorisation of timesheets and department overtime. In addition, the management and approval of excess hours, for all service areas, within agreed budget levels
Deputise for the Operational Planning Manager
Continually look to identify ways in which the resource planning team can continue to develop the knowledge of Senior managers in the interpretation of performance and planning data

The successful applicants will be:

Educated to degree level and have extensive knowledge & experience of specialist resource planning within a Contact Centre environment, which includes forecasting, scheduling, and shrinkage management
Have extensive experience of various approaches to shift / rota scheduling and management
Be a strong proficient user of workforce management systems
Be analytical, a strong problem solver and decision maker
Excellent stakeholder management skills
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Have the ability to create a variety of workforce / capacity planning models using contact centre modelling calculations and formulas
Hold significant experience of working in a pressurised environment, delivering to tight deadlines, and provide input at Senior Management / Director level
Have a high level of PC literacy, particularly with strengths in Microsoft Office applications, advanced Excel skills

Benefits
NHS 24 offers a complete benefits package, with a permanent contract on Band 7 £48,788 - £56,747 Per Annum (pro rata if applicable). Placement on salary scale is dependent on confirmation of previous relevant NHS service.
NHS 24 supports Hybrid Working for this role. This is an 'in hours' role for 37 hours per week. The above would include working Public Holidays which may fall on mid-week days, for which enhancements would be paid.
We also offer you many supportive policies to enhance your employee journey and have a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme Provider, Cycle to Work Scheme, bursary scheme and a range of learning and development. As an NHS Scotland employee you will be entitled to:

35 days annual leave (rising to 41) pro-rata
Development opportunities including study bursaries, e-learning and classroom-based courses
Enhanced pay for working public holidays
Enrolment into the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) pension scheme
NHS discounts on goods and services
HELP, employee support and assistance

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated and experienced individual who is looking for a challenging and rewarding role that will contribute to the success of a public organisation.
Interested?
Please access the Digital Job Pack and Person Specification for full details of NHS 24 and this opportunity as well as the Digital Candidate Application Guide which will support you in your application.
We recommend that prior to application candidates read all the information provided in the Job Pack as it contains much of the information about NHS 24 and this vacancy to support a successful application.
NHS 24 is an equal opportunities employer committed to advancing equality and particularly welcomes applications from groups of people currently underrepresented within the workforce. We are a committed participant in the Disability Confident Leader Scheme and guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for our vacancies.

We regret to inform you that this job opportunity is no longer available