Location
Any National Acas Office (Excludes London) With an element of working from home. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in Great Britain and not overseas. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Informal hybrid arrangements are available and the balance between home and workplace working is to be agreed with the line manager to achieve the right balance between collaboration, in-person engagement and flexibility.
Regular travel will be an expected part of this role, particularly to the Newcastle office where the majority of the team are located.
About the job
Job summary
The purpose of the role is:
The Acas Advice Service is often a customer’s first experience of Acas. People generally contact Acas when they have encountered a problem at work and need advice and guidance on what options are available to help resolve the problem. Our customers can range from those who are HR professionals with a lot of experience, through to extremely vulnerable workers at risk of exploitation. You will be responsible for long term strategic planning to ensure effective and efficient deployment of staff to ensure delivery of service KPIs.
You will:
- Develop long term strategic forecasts using historical data, trend analysis and horizon scanning to calculate future customer demand across multiple channels.
- Work with colleagues in Finance, Workforce Planning and Recruitment to quantify future staffing needs and forecast attrition rates to develop appropriate resource plans taking into account factors such as shrinkage, AHT, desired KPIs.
- Work with change projects such as service transformation to scope new channels/activities/policy changes to calculate operational impact, including creating staffing assessments, dependencies and benefit realisation forecasts.
- Develop and maintain a monthly planning governance cycle with colleagues across Acas to regularly review performance and ensure activities are adjusted based on up to date information to ensure effective service delivery.
- Maintain milestone action plan for the service, co-ordinating cross- directorate activities that impact on Advice delivery.
- Identify, evaluate and implement business improvement initiatives to increase service effectiveness and efficiency.
- Offer clarity of the decisions and actions needed operationally and strategically to deliver consistently strong service performance for your customers and proactively manage helpline demand.
- Act as senior leader for National Operations team, quality assuring the work of the team responsible for scheduling and short term forecasting.
- Set up a real team management approach to allow greater responsiveness within the service.
- Oversee the introduction of a new WFM system, working with the G7 Telephony Implementation Manager to identify opportunities for continuous improvement in the way our systems are utilised.
Job description
- Main Accountabilities
- Production of long term strategic forecast.
- Implementation and delivery of strategic planning governance framework.
- Production of data and insight to aid senior leader decision making.
- Identification of service risks and development of mitigation plans to ensure delivery of service KPI.
- Ensuring colleagues across the organisation are informed and engaged with service plans.
- Co-ordination of service planning activities.
Who we are
Acas exists to make working life better for everyone in Britain. We are the experts in workplace matters, we’re impartial, so we’re not on anyone’s side. That means we’re working for everyone to help prevent and resolve workplace issues.
Acas helps employers and employees by providing information, advice, training, conciliation and other services that prevent or resolve workplace problems.
Acas: Britain’s Workplace Experts
Acas has been recognised for its Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace from the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion awards – Disability Confident Highly Commended; Pay Gap award winner and Overall winner for public sector organisations. Acas is committed to providing services and developing policies which embrace diversity, promote equality of opportunity and eliminate unlawful discrimination.
Person specification
Experience
Essential Criteria:
Analysis.
- Contact centre planning and forecasting experience.
- Horizon Scanning.
- Stakeholder engagement and good influencing skills.
- Ability to work at pace within a busy department.
Desirable Criteria:
- Professional contact centre planning qualification.
- Knowledge of Acas Helpline Advice Service.
Qualifications
Essential:
If not already held, the successful candidate must agree to undertake training/qualification in contact centre scheduling and forecasting.
Qualifications
If not already held, the successful candidate must agree to undertake training/qualification in contact centre scheduling and forecasting. In your application you will be asked to confirm this:
Please answer 'Yes' if you already hold this, or are willing to undergo training/qualification in contact centre scheduling and forecasting.
Please answer 'No' if you do not hold this, and are not willing to undergo training/qualification in contact centre scheduling and forecasting.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £45,170, Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service contributes £13,085 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
We’re big believers in rewarding people for the amazing work they do, take a look at some of the fantastic benefits we offer:
- Learning and Development;
- Health and wellbeing;
- Pension scheme;
- Cycle to work scheme;
- Interest free season ticket loans;
- Volunteering opportunities.
- Could you ask for any more?
You’ll have access to a Lifestyle website, where you’ll be able to grab savings over a wide range of products from holidays to your weekly shop.
To find out more please check out - Working for Acas
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
How to apply
Please click on the 'Apply now' button.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
An evidence-based statement of suitability and CV reflecting the essential and desirable Experience requirements as listed in the Job Description. Your statement of suitability should be no longer than 1,000 words. It should avoid generalised assertions, instead including specific examples of achievements, explaining the degree of challenge, what you did and the outcomes.
A 250 word statement on the Managing a Quality Service behaviour.
The CV will be for reference only and will not be assessed.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the:
Lead Behaviour: Managing a Quality Service.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift of all the above requirements or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
If a large number of applications meet the minimum standard an interview wait list may be created for this position. This means that if you have met the minimum requirements at sift you may be placed at a ‘Hold’ status for up to 12 months and if we are able to invite you to an interview we will be in touch.
Interview Details
If you have successfully passed sift, you will be invited to an interview via MS Teams which is likely to take place week commencing 14 July. The interview will be a Experience based interview.
A reserve list will be created for this position, this means that if you have passed the interview, but we couldn’t offer you this position, you’ll be on a reserve list for 12 months if a similar position becomes available.
If a person with disabilities is put at a disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Acas HR Recruitment Service via HRRecruitment@acas.org.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need accessibility considerations to enter the building or interview room, for communications or adjustments for testing procedures.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Find out more & apply now