ROLE DESCRIPTION
1. Job Title:§ Processing Services Planning and Forecasting Manager
2. Division/ team
§ Customer Services & Operations Directorate, Processing Services Division
3. Job Purpose:
§ To ensure that customers of SLC have their applications and evidence dealt with within SLA by having in place robust staffing models to meet forecasted demand, this role can be based in either Glasgow or Darlington, it will involve regular (fortnightly) travel to other sites such as Glasgow, Darlington, Hillington and Llandudno Junction in North Wales.
§ The Planning and Forecasting Manager will ensure Processing Services Division is correctly resourced at all times to meet anticipated demand.
§ The post holder will effectively manage Processing Services resources through accurate planning, forecasting and resource management, interact regularly with colleagues throughout the company and as necessary our stakeholders to ensure that business operational priorities are addressed, enabling the achievement of agreed KPI's
§ To identify and working with colleagues in the Processing Services Management Team to react to changing customer behaviour to ensure that KPIs continue to be met
§ To grow and develop the people within the WFM team and to embed the core culture and values of SLC, such that the WFM team is seen as an attractive stimulating and rewarding place to work (recognised externally via industry awards.)
§ Through close cooperation with the Operations Finance Business Partner, the post holder will ensure that Processing Services Division is funded for the required resource levels to meet the KPI’s.
§ To ensure that we are efficiently and effectively delivering our services within Processing Services.
4. Organisational Position:
i) Immediate Line Manager:
§ Head of Processing Services
ii) Management Responsibilities:
· To lead and manage substantial and critical customer and operational-supporting activity to ensure performance objectives and customer requirements are achieved in line with the agreed business strategy and objectives of the Student Loans Company
· To ensure the achievement of SLC Business Objectives and Processing Services Division KPI’s as outlined in the Balanced Scorecard.
· To ensure that a positive lead is given to staff in developing and upholding the corporate culture values and behaviours.
· To always consider the customer impact of decisions as well as the business impact.
· To provide support and constructive input into the Processing Services Management Team in the delivery of the Company’s Objectives.
· To ensure that the Company’s internal controls and risk management processes are effective and the corporate governance arrangements are compliant with relevant policies.
5. Responsibility for People:
§ To coach and mentor those within the WFM team, such that open two-way development of people’s skills knowledge and behaviours exist.
§ To be a visible leader of the WFM team giving staff clear sight of the Processing Services vision, priorities and strategy.
§ To ensure that a career within the WFM team is seen as attractive, stimulating and rewarding.
§ To ensure that clear career development opportunities (and individual plans) exist for all staff within the division and that action plans are in place to grow and develop staff in terms of skills, behaviours, knowledge or (if appropriate) management capability.
6. Budgetary Authority:
· Accountable for the out turn on the Processing Services Divisions budget which is circa £30m
7. Key Accountabilities:
Leadership & Management
· Direct, lead, develop and motivate the WFM team to ensure the accountabilities of the business unit are delivered
· Set the service standards and behaviours required of staff to be recruited and monitor recruitment activities for assigned areas to ensure sufficient staffs of required calibre are available to deliver services.
· Oversee all required management activities for assigned areas to ensure they are carried out effectively so that the WFM team functions effectively.
· Oversee all costs, resource capacity planning and utilisation to support the achievement of Processing Services operational budgets and plans.
· Define and oversee the measurement, assessment and reporting of the performance of assigned areas to facilitate overall business management and to support the continuous improvement of performance.
· Develop and manage key relationships at all levels with partners/stakeholders/suppliers to support business operations and long-term business developments.
· Keep up to date with relevant industry developments and best practice so that SLC is aware of and able to take account or advantage of them.
Forecasting
· Work with Processing Services Management Team to accurately forecast service and load requirements across the year.
· To provide the lead in building strategic staffing models and splits of workload types for the Processing Services to ensure we deliver our services efficiently and effectively
· To liaise with the internal; and external technology consultants and ensure that the WFM team are provided with the requisite tools to allow them to deliver accurate forecasts and resource models.
· To ensure that his/her team provides the business with accurate expected volume forecasts
· To ensure that his/her team provides the business with accurate expected workload effort forecasts processing functions.
· To analyse existing operational data and work with the Processing Services Management team to develop pre-emptive strategies to even out the load on processing services across the year.
Scheduling
· To work with stakeholders to provide insight as to the impact of future policy changes and potential new products, and to develop forecasting models accordingly.
· To formulate and develop new resource strategies and produce plans for individual projects.
· To work with HR and L&D to ensure the effective and timely development of recruitment and training campaigns such that demand for SLC services is met.
· To identify areas where savings can be made within the staffing budgets by better utilisation of current resources.
· To work with the Processing Services Management Team in scenario remodelling for as changes in customer behaviour or application/workload volumes alter.
· To work with the business to build processes that will capture data for activities which will influence resource requirements (e.g. mailing of statements, loan applications etc.)
· To use industry best practice to refine our end to end resource requirement and utilisation metrics.
· To assist with negotiating terms with external suppliers of technology particular to their specialism (i.e. Forecasting tools or Workflow tools)
Real Time Management
· To liaise with Processing Services management, HR and PCS as necessary on any changes to working practices to allow the business to be more efficient.
· To meet regularly with the Operations Finance Business Partner (or their delegate) to review and agree forecasting assumptions, forward resource plans and budget.
· To ensure that the Real Time status of the Processing Services workforce is monitored and where necessary work with the managers within the division to ensure that corrective action is taken.
· To ensure that the WFM function is properly staffed with the correct skills or the required calibre to meet it’s deliverables.
Operational Intelligence
· To play a key part in the Processing Services Management Team by reporting and contributing to operational KPIs.
· To work with Processing Services and Customer Insight colleagues to ensure resources with the correct mix of skills and competencies are in place to ensure that we achieve our KPIs.
· To use industry best practice to ensure that operational reporting is fit for purpose
8. Essential Qualifications / Training / Experience:
· MBA or equivalent business management degree (alternatively science/mathematical masters degree)
· Experience of leading a team which has responsibility for resource planning/management for circa 1,000 FTE.
· In-depth experience of a Work Force Management Tool such as Aspect TCS, IEX Totalview (NICE), Bluepumpkin or OPX.
· Excellent interpersonal and communications skills with staff at all levels and with senior stakeholders
· Demonstrate evidence of successful leadership and change resulting in recognised improvements to operational improvements
· 5 years+ experience of managing resource planning in a complex high volume operation (preferably back office processing functions) with seasonal peaks and troughs
· Experience in managing resource planning functions for operations which are situated across different locations utilising a virtual bridge function.
Desirable Qualifications / Training / Experience:
· Experience of liaising at Director level within a large organisation
· Knowledge of the UK student finance environment and the HE sector
· Experience of working with Outsource Partners
9. Communications:
i) Internal:
ii)
· WFM team
· Heads Of Service
· Processing Services Management Team
· Operational Delivery Board
iii) External:
· Customer focus groups
· Key suppliers and partners
· BIS and Devolved Administrations
10. Key Challenge:
To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of processing services functions, such that SLC is benchmarked as one of the leading efficient customer-facing organisations in the UK public sector (as defined by external benchmarking)