Business Planning Manager

Business Planning Manager:

To manage and develop a team of Planning & Delivery specialists whose focus is to optimize resource in operational units, ensure achievement of contractual service levels and make recommendations for continuous improvements.  To manage client (Operations) relationships and expectations from a resource and future capacity planning perspective. 

The successful candidate(s) will be a key member of Resource Optimization in South Africa.

Key Performance Areas

Key responsibilities

• Design and implement resource requirements or propose new modelling solutions in response to client issues or additional work stream requests
• Identify behavioural operational issues/trends that impact on profitability (i.e. available time, schedule adherence) and work with General Managers, representing Planning on the Client Action Team, to address such issues developing continuous improvement strategies that optimize the profitability of clients
• Work with General Managers to ensure that contracted service levels are met by improving schedule efficiency, utilization, adherence and productivity and proactively identify service delivery issues working with General Managers, Operations Managers and the Client (where appropriate) to resolve issues/amend contract commercials assisting in the achievement of adherence.   
• Analyze client specific information, such as long-term forecasts and call routing strategies between clients own and CAPITA call centers to improve the efficiency of their business through better utilization of their resources
• Work with General Managers, Operations Managers and Clients to set, achieve and maintain the Dialer strategy, improving performance and ensuring that CAPITA comply and maintain compliance with Ofcom regulations e.g. abandon rate targets
• Influence and assist General Managers in prioritising client specific requirements, to deliver overall optimal business benefit and assist in managing client expectations.
• Manage, motivate and develop a team of up to 10 direct reports with overall responsibility for management of a larger team of Planning specialists to ensure delivery of high quality output
• Manage redeployment processes and utilization of resource across the business to ensure optimum business efficiency
• Formulate budget assumptions and future resource requirements for existing clients to enable Commercial and Operations to agree yearly budget and/or reforecast
• Formulate actual and future resource requirements to support business decisions around training and recruitment
• Responsibility for authorizing planning aspects for client areas to enable accurate billing to take place
• Accountability for accuracy of client’s capacity (FTE & Space) plans and scheduling accuracy

Client Services

• May be required to attend client workshops to give effective feedback on  opportunities to improve customer journeys and client services offered

Decision Making:

• Staffing/seating requirements for existing units, new units and new Bids
• Re-deployment of staff between units (may be due to decrease/increase in business)
• Strong analytical and organization skills, including trend analysis
• Proficient with time management
• Ability to plan, prioritize and organize effectively / detail-oriented.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, take initiative, problem solve, handle multiple tasks, and prioritize daily responsibilities

Influence decisions:

• Nature of commercial deals
• Delivery of calls from client

Finance (e.g. budgets, revenues, etc.)

• Impacts on business unit employee and overhead costs. Advises managers on how to run the unit as profitably as possible, looking at available time, holidays etc
• Impacts on business unit achievement of service levels and therefore requirement/non-requirement to pay commercial penalties 
• Impacts potential future revenue streams. Instrumental part of the bid process by designing innovative and cost-effective resourcing solutions.

Non-Financial (e.g. products, markets, people, etc.)

• Focus on Resource Planning, Service Delivery or Dialler
• Responsible for maximizing the efficiency of desk utilization within the call centre.
• Responsible for managing a team of up to circa 40 Planning specialists
• Key direct interface with internal and external clients providing specialist Planning, Service
• Delivery or Dialer knowledge
• Responsible for Planning for approx. 1,500-2,000 heads across various clients
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with Ofcom regulations regarding Dialler abandon rates.

Implementation of Guidance and Policy

• Implements, maintains and manages the cascading of all relevant Capita policies & procedures to team members
• Reports all Health & Safety incidents to the Occupational Health and Safety Officer on site.

CAPITA VALUES

Implement and practice the Capita Values through practical application of the behaviours required as a VALUES champion and actively pursue our promise of a great experience again and the purpose of helping to enable other.

Skills & Knowledge:  

• Knowledge and application of planning theories and forecasting methods e.g. Regression techniques
• Knowledge and application of Call Centre switches/network level routing /skill-based routing desirable
• Knowledge and application of Planning specific software
• Good knowledge of workforce management processes and principles
• Key Competencies    

Skills and Abilities (what must I be able to do / display):

• Excellent problem solving
• Strong numerical background
• Ability to demonstrate results to reflect quality and timely delivery
• Good understanding of call centre type statistics and systems
• Teamwork – required to integrate and work collaboratively within the planning team
• Management/Supervisory Responsibility:

This role does have supervisory responsibility.