Resource Planner

Job title:

Resource Planner

Company

Connected Places Catapult

Job description

Location London or Milton Keynes (minimum of two days a week in the office. You can do more than two days if preferable)

Reporting to Team Lead, Programme Management Office

Salary £49,210 to £55,220 (depending on location and proven ability)

Working hours Full Time

Contract type/duration Permanent

Closing date 22nd March 2024

Purpose of the role

We are looking for an experienced Resource Planner to support the project management function for 12 months by allocating people to projects and advising on staff availability. The postholder will ensure the right people with the right skills and availability are deployed to the right projects, and in so doing facilitate the efficient and effective deployment of resources and a healthy project portfolio.

Connected Places Catapult has a matrix management structure and carries out around a hundred innovation projects a year of varying size and complexity. Whilst being exciting and varied, projects are often complex and challenging, combining new technologies with multiple partners to solve different innovation challenges in a range of sectors. The projects will normally involve a combination of areas of expertise covering topics ranging from mobility and modelling, digital and data, through human-centered design and urban spatial planning.

Connected Places Catapult uses MS Dynamics as its project and resource management system. Within this, Project Managers create schedules to determine the time period within which particular activities need to be carried out by people with specific skillsets. The Resource Planner books the specific team members for specific days, taking account of their availability. As projects progress, there will be occasions when resources need to be changed and it will be responsibility of the postholder to liaise with the Managers who supervise the people delivering the projects to re-allocate resources.

Key Responsibilities

• Have a clear understanding of all live and pipeline projects with regard to resourcing requirements.
• Having a clear understanding of the organisation’s employees and their skillsets.
• Allocate the most appropriate and available people to projects based on the schedule of activities and role requirements built into bids and proposals.
• Maintain an accurate forward forecast of demand across the organisation.
• Track resource utilisation and resource availability, engaging with project managers and delivery teams to minimize project slippage.
• Identify dependencies across projects, highlighting areas of concern.
• Assess, communicate and manage risks to resourcing across the portfolio of projects.
• Ensure resource allocation maximises the likelihood of successful delivery of the organisation’s portfolio.
• Broker discussions across the organisation to resolve conflicting demands, taking account of project critical paths and priorities.
• Track project plans to identify and help resolve resourcing conflicts.
• Provide management information to inform key stakeholders on the status of planned activities, overall portfolio health, and to support decision making across the business.
• Operate within the PMO governance processes and be an advocate for the function.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties to support the organisation in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations.

Requirements

Required skills and experience

Essentials

• Experience of working within a similar position in a fast-paced environment
• Planning and allocating resources where the skill set is diverse
• Proven ability in translating project plans into resource requirements
• Strong analytical skills and a high level of attention to detail
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• The ability to plan, prioritise and manage a varied and busy workload delivering to a high standard
• Excellent written communication, conflict resolution and influencing skills
• Ability to function independently and use own initiative in a fast-paced environment, as well as to take direction
• A good working knowledge of the MS Office 365 suite
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders in a matrix organisation
• Working knowledge of project methodologies, both waterfall and agile

Desirable

• Experience in MS Dynamics
• Experience in using Power BI to generate reports
• Expertise in programme or portfolio management

Benefits

• 5 weeks holiday entitlement for everyone, with pro-rata calculations for part-time employees, along with a Christmas shutdown period for additional days off.
• Competitive pension, up to 10% company contribution to help you save for your future.
• Two paid days of volunteering leave per year (pro-rata for part-time employees) to support charitable activities.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing 24/7 confidential work/life support services to you and your immediate family members.
• Cycle to Work Scheme with bike racks and showers available, encouraging a healthy and sustainable commute.
• Cash Health Plan, offering reimbursement for a wide range of essential and everyday healthcare expenses, promoting your well-being.
• Payroll Giving scheme, allowing regular charitable contributions from pre-tax income, maximizing the impact of your donations.
• Discounts and offers from a wide variety of retailers, enhancing your purchasing power and providing savings opportunities.

Employment here is based solely upon individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled.

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Expected salary

£49210 – 55220 per year

Location

London

Job date

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 23:49:38 GMT

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