Operational Planning Analyst; Milton Keynes, ENG, GB, MKAA

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About the Role

The SRSC (Student Recruitment Support Centre) and Financial Support office operates from Milton Keynes, Manchester and Nottingham and is responsible for developing and maintaining excellent customer relationships, supporting Open University enquirers and students from initial contact through to their module start right through to fee collections. SRFS (Student Recruitment and Student Fees) aims to focus on the needs of individual students, offering an impartial and confidential service which is accessible to everyone who seeks to use it.

Specific responsibilities include the effective delivery of resource management of the Contact Centre operations ensuring that service levels are met.

Key Responsibilities

To support the WFM Manager by producing and maintaining effective workforce plans to achieve service levels:

• To create and implement optimal workforce plans to match forecast demand whilst achieving service level targets considering cost.
• Generate weekly hotspot analysis and communicate recommendations for service level attainment to operational colleagues to reduce additional ad-hoc costs such as overtime.
• Responsible for scheduling and maintaining offline activities as required by operational colleagues whilst maintaining varying SLA’s.
• Transform the capacity plan specifications into the parameters for multi Contact Centre scheduling at minimum cost. Recommend cost saving solutions and continually evaluate the cost/ benefit of meeting customer needs within budget.
• Evaluate data statistics for each service at all Centre to provide basis for continuous re- evaluation and improvement of the service we offer to our students. Ensure all Service level Agreements are met and adhered to. To optimise and reforecast ‘on the day’ intraday requirements and communicate any changes to plan to the operation with recommendations for service level optimisation.
• To optimise and reforecast ‘on the day’ intraday requirements and communicate any changes to plan to the operation with recommendations for service level optimisation.
• Ensure Agent schedules are at maximum efficiency with on the day optimisation of breaks and lunches and off-phone activity used to enhance service levels.

To ensure all tools and processes that relate to Resource Planning are maintained and documented:

• Working with team members and stakeholders agree, document, implement and maintain ‘best practice’ resource planning processes.
• Ensure resource planning tools (Aspect WFM) are utilised and maintained in line with operational and resource planning requirements.
• Working with stakeholders, ensure accurate recording of exceptions data including holidays, absence and sickness are all within staff shrinkage targets.

All staff are expected:

• To undertake any other duties which may reasonably be required.
• To take reasonable care of the Health and Safety of themselves and that of any other person who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work.
• The post holder will be required to travel to Centre locations and regional offices when required.
• To demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles and practice of equality and diversity.

About You

Essential criteria :

• Literacy and numeracy skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Proficient in the use of the MS Office Suite with substantial experience of using MS Excel.
• Resource planning experience within a multichannel multisite Contact Centre operation environment.
• Experience using workforce management tool(s) (e.g. Aspect eWFM, IEX Totalview).
• Excellent communication, presentation and analytical skills.
• Highly self-motivated and performance orientated with the ability to prioritise.
• Professional and flexible approach with a ‘can do’ attitude.

Desirable criteria :

• E…