Resource Planning Manager

Job title: Resource Planning Manager

Band: 4

Location: Homebased

Contract: 12-month fix term contract

Here at Serco, we deliver health assessments that help determine eligibility for benefits on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Our extensive experience supporting complex case management services across the globe and experience of working with the DWP, enables us to impact a better future for all. Service users are treated with care and respect, and our colleagues thrive in a supportive culture. 

The Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) contract was awarded to Serco for Lot 3 (South-West) and encompasses the delivery of Work Capability Assessments (WCA), Specialist Benefit (SB) Assessments, and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Assessments. We are seeking an experienced individual to play a crucial role in planning, overseeing, and executing a structured test strategy and plan to deliver releases on time. Your responsibilities will include developing an overarching test strategy for the service, including test specifications, acceptance criteria, working closely with the Authority. 

Key purpose

This is an exciting opportunity to join an expanding team Serco HAAS Planning and Workforce Management. Our main aim is to deliver consultations for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The outcome of the consultations is used in conjunction with other information to process Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Work Capability Assessment (WCA), and Specialist Benefits (SB) claims.

Reason for the role

The role is accountable for the delivery of the planning & allocating resource across the assigned region working closely with key stakeholders including the front and back-office delivery unit. The role supports operational goals by ensuring optimised, efficient and effective planning and utilisation of all resources on a day-to-day basis, considering all aspects of demand/intake, contractual milestones and TPLs and providing an operational plan in order to maximise the outputs of the PIP organisation to DWP.

Key accountabilities

This exciting role will work as part of an established team at the core of the Performance & Planning function to ensure optimum use of Functional Assessors and estate resources in order to achieve TPLs. You will be responsible for setting internal targets to meet our operational delivery commitments, driving performance and managing the delivery of the service within your region in order to meet those targets.

Your main responsibilities will involve:

• Effectively deploy resources with a view to achieving maximum efficiency within agreed service level targets. Ensuring internal and external KPI’s & TPL’s are met or exceeded
• Continually assess and gather requirements to define the strategy and design the Planning & Allocation function and processes. Move the organisation from reactive scheduling to proactive Planning.
• Attend planning and performance meetings with Senior Management, offering resource predictions and highlighting areas of concern, always offering recommendations for potential solution.
• Liaise with the Regional Managers, making recommendations for internal HP resource in specific Geographic locations based on demand.
• Develop, implement and maintain the Capacity & Planning processes and procedures, whilst continuously striving to improve them, generating ideas and solutions. Ensure planning process performance is measured and provides reporting to HAAS Operations Management.
• Implement a robust workforce management process to fulfil demand across recruitment/training needs, telephone/video assessment, assessment centre, home consultation and supply chain whilst planning to maximise outputs across geographies in line with HoW.
• Optimisation of operational delivery capacity in line with demand.
• Provides a forward-looking capacity plan to HAAS Operations Management.
• Proactive management of Serco and the delivery partners through effective MI.
• Ensures all aspects of the end-to-end process are considered in the planning process to ensure there are no delays and any pending statuses (i.e. awaiting appointment) are minimised and at acceptable / agreed levels.
• To establish and maintain effective relationships with key customer, Atos and supplier stakeholders with a view to continually improving performance/efficiency/claiming experience.

Essential technical and professional skills, knowledge, and qualifications

• You will be required to undergo and successfully gain a BPSS security clearance check in order to undertake this position.
• Proven track record in planning and forecasting in an ever-changing environment, geographically dispersed, in multi-disciplinary IT-enabled business operations.
• Experience in planning for a complex service delivery structure with a proven successful track record in meeting TPL/ KPI requirements.
• Rigorous attention to detail with operational mind-set.
• Extensive experience of risk management able to anticipate, prioritise and prepare for risks in order to minimise the likelihood of risks becoming issues, developing and implementation of plans to mitigate any issues with may occur.
• IT literate, competent MS Office, Word, PowerPoint, Excel formula and functions, fluent English language skills, able to communicate with stakeholders on a day to day basis via telephone, email and face to face in a clear, caring, courteous and professional manner.
• Influencing skills: able to challenge conventional ideas and persuade people to engage with new processes or developments to achieve business objectives.
• Organisation skills: demonstrate the ability to prioritise workload when multitasking in a rational manner both individually and for the team as a whole.
• Problem solving skills, analytical, logical thinker.
• Ability to manage change positively, effectively and efficiently to achieve best outcomes.
• Positive attitude, personal drive to achieve and exceed targets.
• Ability to work unsupervised and use initiative.
• Adapts to changing circumstances and new information that affects goals and plans; can play several different roles simultaneously according to the specific situation; smoothly adapts to ways of working within a new (customer) environment; experiments with new ways of doing things; takes a positive approach to dealing with change.
• Flexible and adaptable attitude: willing to undertake other ad hoc duties as required e.g. supporting other teams / cover manager duties.
• Innovative thinking and ability to inspire team managers.
• Previous experience of planning resource to meet ever changing demands.
• The ability to identify and develop talented individuals

What we offer

• Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Life insurance
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays. Options for annual leave purchase
• A range of benefits to support the health and wellbeing of you and your family such as Employee Assistance Programme, Wisdom App, Simply Health cash plans, Bupa anytime helpline, free flu vaccines, eye tests and more.
• A fantastic culture and supportive team where you’ll get the chance to make a positive difference in a company passionate about diversity and inclusion.
• Company discounts which include cinema, merlin entertainment and online shopping and discounts on mobile phone plans and leisure centre memberships.
• Interesting and enjoyable work.
• Committed to professional and personal development with a wide range of training and coaching opportunities to expand your capabilities.

About Serco
At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, but everyone also has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services.  We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare, and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

By joining Serco, you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks – Serco Inspire (Gender), Serco Embrace (Multicultural), Serco Unlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks). Serco Employee Networks, led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging. 

Apply

Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens, we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. 

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Silver Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.  For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.

At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000 to discuss.

#haascareers