Strategic Workforce Planning Lead

You will be accountable for working with stakeholders to design, establish and embed a new approach to long term strategic work force planning.  You will need to understand what Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and external stakeholders require from us in our strategic work force plans and build an approach that meets these needs. Building the right systems, processes and management information enablers will be critical in a way that secures the engagement and commitment from stakeholders across Dstl.

You will also drive the development of sophisticated people analytics to provide insight and enable data driven decisions, working in partnership with the Management Information (MI) Hub.

This team provides data-based evidence and insight across Dstl regarding long-term future workforce trends, medium and short-term workforce plans and the experience and dynamics of our workforce today. These outputs ensure our people plans, policies and processes are data driven and evidence based, employing horizon scanning, expert forecasting, workforce planning, and people analytics using qualitative and quantitative research techniques.

People analytics continues to grow in importance for People Engagement and Communications (PEC) Division and as the profession moves towards utilising evidence in its different forms, and builds its capability in appreciating the value and implications of data, it is important that a clearly articulated evidence base can be accessed and utilised by Human Resources (HR) professionals of all seniorities and capabilities.  

We are working hard to mature our analytical approach within Dstl to move us from one-dimensional, historical focused metrics to predictive and holistic analytics enabling senior leaders to make data driven people decisions

The team you will be leading provides data-based evidence and insight across Dstl regarding long-term future workforce trends, medium and short-term workforce plans and the experience and dynamics of our workforce today. These outputs ensure our people plans, policies and processes are data driven and evidence based, employing horizon scanning, expert forecasting, workforce planning, and people analytics using qualitative and quantitative research techniques.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

We particularly welcome female and ethnic minority applicants and those from the LGBTQI community, as they are under-represented within Dstl at these levels.

In this role you will:

• Design and develop appropriate tools, guidance and templates to support business areas in the development of their workforce plans
• Deliver the strategic workforce elements of the annual “Dstl Science & Technology (S&T) Capability and Strategic Workforce Plan  
• Through interpretation and analysis of data, recognise and determine the root cause of current and emerging workforce issues, challenging perceptions where needed and applying intelligent narrative to prove or disprove assumptions
• Work in partnership with specialists across the business to ensure workforce plans are aligned with other key planning activities, including Finance, Science and Technology Capability Planning, Infrastructure, etc.
• Mature analytical methods to draw relevant and actionable insights, researching industry best practice and standards and ensuring standardised application across Dstl. Be innovative and creative, collecting data in new and different ways to gain a broader understanding of our people.
• Apply expertise in quantitative analysis and the presentation of data to see beyond the numbers and help inform, influence, support, and execute our business decisions
• Act as an internal partner by understanding business needs, scoping data requests, synthesizing insights, and recommending solutions to key business partners.
• Oversee the delivery of analytical, survey or research results recommendations in a manner that is easily understood to technical and non-technical audiences
• Leverage tools, such as Power BI, Tableau, R, Phython and Excel to drive analytics and enable client self-service on routine queries
• Produce data reports for cross Government reporting purposes, responses to Cabinet Office questions and other internal reports.
• Act as the Dstl representative on the Ministry Of Defence (MoD) Strategic Workforce Planning Community of Practice and the Cabinet Office Strategic Workforce Network.
• Maintain a watching brief over developments in the wider field of the HR industry with respect to Strategic Workforce Planning and People Analytics to learn from best practice and emerging innovations. 

We are looking for someone who has:

•  A proven ability to implement business process and cultural improvements with and through stakeholders, often outside the immediate chain of command.
• Has a working understanding of workforce planning approaches.
• A firm knowledge and experience of data analysis, dissemination and presentation best practice
• Demonstrable experience in analysing complex data and quality assuring findings
• The ability to bring together and communicate a broad, sometimes competing, set of requirements, ideas and information.
• The ability to build excellent relationships, both within the organisation and externally.
• Experience working across various levels of the organisation, while building trust and fostering collaboration
• Ability to work autonomously and at pace.

Leadership

As a leader in Defence you will help shape, role model and bring to life the ‘One Defence’ mindset that will enable us to deliver our vision and strategic objectives. Your leadership style must be inspiring, confident and empowering. Working at every level of our organisation to break down silos, unite teams and create a culture that is trusting, collaborative, innovative, diverse and inclusive. Enabling us to deliver with pace and agility through the skills, commitment and empowerment of our employees and military colleagues.

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership

Benefits 

Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

• Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.

• Flexible working: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).

• Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.

• Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview.

• Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.

• Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid

• Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.

• Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.

This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.

Job contact :

• Name : Dstl Recruitment
• Email : dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk