We have an opportunity lead our Resource Planning, MI and Insight team here at Oak Furnitureland. The role is based in our Head Office in Swindon and we can offer hybrid working with 2 days in the office (Tuesday and Thursdays) and 3 from home.
In this role you will lead the development of a comprehensive MI and insight-driven strategy for the customer centre and Marketing, with a focus on leveraging data to generate actionable insights that drive performance improvements. This role will be instrumental in shaping the future of our insight strategy by researching and incorporating AI-driven technologies to unlock new opportunities for understanding customer behaviours and operational efficiencies. As the MI & Planning Operations Manager, you will drive strategic decision-making through advanced analytics, forecast accuracy, and resource planning, ensuring optimal staffing and operational performance within budget.
You will collaborate with stakeholders across the business to provide insightful, actionable intelligence that enhances the overall customer experience and drives better business outcomes. This will involve not only the effective use of BI tools, but also exploring emerging AI technologies to elevate our data and insights capabilities.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic MI Leadership: Lead the contact centre's MI function, driving the use of advanced data analytics and AI research to provide a deeper understanding of customer behaviours and operational efficiencies.
AI Integration: Explore and research AI and machine learning techniques that drive insights from large data sets, enhancing predictive capabilities and supporting data-driven decision-making.
Insight-Driven Decision Making: Partner with senior stakeholders across the business to deliver comprehensive insights that influence customer experience strategies and operational improvements.
Advanced Forecasting: Own the short- and long-term demand forecasting for all contact centre channels (inbound, outbound, webchat, email), utilising analytics and AI to improve accuracy and flexibility.
Resource Planning Excellence: Ensure staffing levels meet business needs, using data-driven demand insights to balance efficiency, budget, and average speed to answer goals.
MI Automation and Innovation: Lead the evolution of MI reporting by automating routine tasks and innovating new ways of presenting data through advanced dashboards (Power BI, Tableau) to provide clear, actionable insights to stakeholders.
Operational Influence: Serve as a key advisor to the Head of Customer & Marketing Operations and Chief Customer Officer, providing expert analysis on resource planning, MI, and technology advancements that influence broader business strategies.
Stakeholder Engagement: Present complex insights and forecasting models in a clear, actionable manner to senior leadership, ensuring buy-in and alignment with business goals.
Continuous Improvement: Lead the technical improvement agenda, focusing on AI advancements, data automation, and operational efficiency improvements to future-proof the contact centre's planning and MI capabilities.
Team Leadership: Inspire and develop the Resource Planning & MI team, fostering a culture of curiosity, problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making, while managing team performance through regular 121s and PDPs.
Skills and experience:
Proven experience in MI and business intelligence, with a proven ability to convert complex data into actionable insights that drive decisions. (Experience in researching and integrating AI and machine learning into data analytics is a strong advantage.)
Experience in managing contact centre planning strategies, budget ownership, and forecasting accuracy. A track record of improving forecast models using appropriate techniques.
Demonstrated leadership experience in managing and developing high-performing teams, with a focus on fostering innovation, collaboration, and a data-driven culture.
Demonstrate an interest and keenness to learn about AI technologies, and the ability to apply them in the context of contact centre operations or Marketing to unlock new insights and efficiencies and cut down on processing time.
Strong experience working with leadership teams and wide ranging stakeholders, presenting insights that influence decision-making at a senior level.
Proficient in BI tools such as Tableau and Power BI, with a strong focus on automation, reporting efficiency, and data visualisation.
Benefits:
Employee discount: amazing discounts available on all Oak Furnitureland products after successful completion of probation
25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays
Birthday: an additional day off for you to celebrate your birthday
Hybrid working
Pension: 4% employee contribution matched by the company
Employee Assistance Programme: gives all employees access to both telephone and face-to-face counselling services
My Rewards Programme: offers discounts on everything from restaurants and supermarkets, to entertainment and holidays
Free onsite parking
