Workforce Planning & Performance Manager

About the role

Workforce Planning & Performance Manager

Fixed Term (12 months), Full Time (37 hours per week)

£58,424 to £68,734 Per Annum

Location: Chelmsford*

Closing Date: 29th May 2025

*Please note this is a hybrid-working role, with a requirement to work in the Chelmsford office 1 day per week on average, depending on business need.

This opportunity will be offered as a 12-month fixed-term contract or secondment.

Essex County Council’s People and Organisational Development Service is seeking a highly skilled Workforce Planning and Performance Delivery Manager to lead our data-driven transformation. This pivotal role requires expertise in statistical methodologies and data management to provide invaluable insights and facilitate effective performance management across the organisation.

As a key player in our team, you will support Directors and Heads of Service in embedding well-informed, strategic decision-making into their management practices, thereby supporting the delivery of the workforce strategy, a cornerstone of our organisational strategy. This is an exciting time of transformation in the way we work with our data, and this role offers the opportunity to be at the forefront of that change.

You will lead the development and application of the workforce productivity index, collaborating with external partners and building influential relationships across Essex County Council. Additionally, you will manage and evaluate statutory reporting, ensuring effective analysis to address root causes and contribute to continuous improvement across people performance metrics.

If you are enthusiastic about harnessing data science skills and statistical techniques to unlock the transformative potential of data, and eager to join a dynamic network of professionals, then this opportunity is tailor-made for you.

The Job

The successful candidate will play a crucial role in transforming how we work with our data, as we transition from manual reporting to cloud-based data storage and automated performance and MI reporting. This role offers the opportunity to lead this exciting transformation and make a significant impact on the organisation.

Key responsibilities include:

Utilising data science and statistical skills to provide people insights that support the organisation through local government reorganisation and devolution.
Investigative analysis to support politicians and senior officers across the organisation in making decisions that foster a happy, healthy, and productive workforce.
Collaborating with leaders across People & Organisation Development to ensure initiatives are evidence-driven and evaluated.
Leading the performance offer for People & Organisation Development, including working with programme leaders to report on progress.

Some of the problem statements we are looking to tackle include:

Predicting which employees are likely to leave the organisation.
Optimising recruitment processes through effective channels and strategies.
Assessing the impact of training programmes on employee performance, engagement, and retention.
Understanding factors influencing employee engagement and satisfaction.
Predicting future workforce needs.

In addition to these focus areas, the role involves:

Designing, implementing, assessing, and evolving the workforce planning & performance strategy, working collaboratively with People Business Partners and a wide range of stakeholders across functional and organisational boundaries, ensuring effective communication and shared ownership.
Providing expertise and professional advice to resolve workplace planning & performance issues, fostering collaborative relationships with SMEs throughout People and Organisational Development to understand their practice, project plans, and design key measurements of success.
Developing internal mechanisms to ensure data collection, analysis, and presentation is accurate and adds value to the organisation.
Delivering key products that enable the People and Organisational leadership team to have assurance of delivery, owning the functional work programme for the entire function including forward planning.
Championing thought leadership through a blend of external market awareness and internal insights, driving innovation and influencing decision-making.
Producing statutory reports and legal data returns, including Gender Pay Gap, LGA surveys, FOI requests, and Diversity and Equality reporting to meet statutory and traded service obligations.
Ensuring information governance processes are adhered to for People and Organisational Development data and system access, ensuring GDPR adherence.
Managing highly complex and difficult conversations at a senior level, developing and delivering presentations to stakeholders and business leaders on workforce and performance trends.
Producing data and insight to support strategic workforce planning and functional/organisational performance, ensuring maximum value is driven from people performance data reporting and workforce planning activity.
Working collaboratively with People Business Partners and People Leads colleagues in the advancement of the People & Organisation Development service, using insight and intelligence to identify gaps and deliver innovative solutions which support delivery of our Workforce Strategy and functional plans.

The Experience You Will Bring

Education: Educated to degree level in a relevant professional field such as Data Science, Business Analytics, Business Management, or equivalent by experience.
Professional Development: Evidence of continuing professional development with expert knowledge in data analytics, statistical methodologies, and performance management.
Data Expertise: Demonstrable experience in using external insights, internal data, and professional judgment to create, implement, and assess the impact of data-driven frameworks, tools, and interventions aligned with organisational strategy and business plans to deliver tangible outcomes and drive continuous improvement in a large, complex matrix organisation.
Change Management: Knowledge of the critical factors in planning change and practical experience in applying project and programme management approaches, with the ability to identify risks and create mitigation plans.
Communication Skills: Strong communication skills with the ability to present and explain complex data and modelling in a simple and understandable way to influence internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
Technical Skills: Excellent IT skills, ideally with some understanding of system architecture and requirements building. Experience in end-to-end data processes, from data collection to the presentation of business insights.

To read more about us please visit: People, Policy, Economy and Public Health - Working for Essex

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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