Forecast Planner

Summary
Description
Summary of This Role
Compiles staffing level requirement forecasting and workplace scheduling in call-center environments. Prepares reports to determine call volume, calling patterns, service trends, and staff productivity. Tracks vacation schedules, shift change requests, and monitors new-hire, holiday, and seasonal shift needs. Updates and maintains scheduling database with current information.

What Part Will You Play?

• Oversees the administration of the call center phone system. Addresses all unplanned changes/adjustments to scheduling and call volumes and drives service levels through the adjustment of staffing to assure service levels. Assists management by managing the day-to-day operations by monitoring adherence to schedules, service levels and incoming call volumes. Mentors and provides training to less experienced Workforce Planning Support Specialists in their respective job requirements.
• Analyzes call center data to identify work flow anomalies and establish call volume trends to forecast staffing levels, reduce variances from schedules and increase effective use of staff resources to meet productivity goals and objectives. As the Subject Matter Expert (SME), establishes repeatable processes for data mining, assists management with creation of defined processes and procedures.
• Creates, reviews, and presents to management reporting that may include dashboard reporting, scorecards, and presentations of call center statistics such as call volume trends, variances from staffing schedules and performance to established service level metrics. Recommends, reviews and implements additional reports, dashboards and scorecards to enhance the reporting capabilities of the team. Leads improvement initiatives, recommends the best course of action and implements efficiency enhancements.
• As the SME, meets the business needs of internal and external clients by making recommendations for improving workforce utilization for proper shift coverage to accommodate expected/unexpected changes in call volumes, service activity or resource availability. Monitors workflows, service levels, call volumes and schedule adherence of Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) to proactively determine, recommend and implement resource and schedule adjustments to ensure internal and/or client service levels and customer satisfactions goals are met. Maintains the Workforce Planning Tools by entering real-time exceptions (absence, tardiness, early departure, meetings, overtime, call outs, etc.). May assist management by serving as the escalation contact for requests such as time off, shift trades, and intraday scheduling changes.

What Are We Looking For in This Role?
Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• Typically Minimum 6+ Years Relevant Exp
• Experience in the use of Management Information Technology

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate's Degree
• Statistics or equivalent experience
• Typically Minimum 8+ Years Relevant Exp
• Experience in call center resource management

What Are Our Desired Skills and Capabilities?

• Skills / Knowledge - As a highly skilled specialist, contributes to the development of concepts and techniques. Completes complex tasks in creative and effective ways. Ensures tasks of team are competed in a timely manner.
• Job Complexity - Consistently works on complex assignments requiring some independent action and a high degree of initiative to resolve issues. Makes recommendations for new procedures. Oversees a team and coordinates daily work covering multiple assignments.
• Supervision - Determine methods and procedures on new assignments with some independence. Often acts as a facilitator for group. Is formal team leader.
• Technical - Excel, Access, IEX Workforce Management System , Avaya Call Management System, Hyperion Budgeting Software