JOB PROFILE SCHEDULER

Transcription

1 JOB PROFILE SCHEDULER OVERVIEW It s about you Do you enjoy working in a busy, deadline-driven environment? Are you adaptable and able to manage day-to-day staffing challenges? Are you effective at analyzing trends and developing and maintaining schedules to meet workload requirements? Are you detail-oriented to ensure schedules are prepared accurately and all positions covered? If so, the role of Scheduler may be a good fit for you. What is scheduling? Scheduling involves preparing staff schedules for the contact centre to optimize customer service, balance staff needs and meet business requirements. In some organizations, this may also involve adapting the schedule during a shift to deal with increased or decreased call volumes, forecasting staff levels, analyzing trends around service levels and call volumes and making future recommendations. What is the role of (job)? Schedulers are responsible for the preparation of schedules for contact centre staff. They prepare staff schedules to maximize customer service, balance staff needs and meet business requirements while adhering to scheduling guidelines. In some contact centres typically smaller ones, schedulers may also be responsible for providing workforce management/scheduling based on contact volume, handle times, and staffing on an intra-day basis which includes monitoring and responding to unanticipated changes in staffing levels, call volumes and call times and communicating with management to execute on strategies to enhance the customer and employee experience. In larger contact centres, this accountability is often separated into a different role referred to as the Intra-day Manager. In addition, in smaller organizations some schedulers are responsible for forecasting staff levels over the longer term, analyzing trends around service levels, call volumes, and potential impact on scheduling and staffing levels, and making future recommendations. In larger contact centres, this accountability is often separated into a different role referred to as Forecaster. 1 P age

2 OVERVIEW, CONTINUED Work context for this role In larger contact centres, Schedulers work in a busy, deadline-driven environment as a number of schedules for all contact centre staff need to be prepared on a weekly basis. Although Schedulers are busy preparing several schedules within a strict timeline, the role is quite structured. In smaller contact centres, Schedulers may also be responsible for providing workforce management/scheduling and staffing on an intra-day basis, as well as forecasting. Schedulers need to be flexible as the environment and workload is continuously changing, may be required to work on multiple scheduling projects under-pressure, and at times, be willing to work overtime to support the needs of the business. Areas of focus Schedulers focus on supporting management by analyzing trends within the contact centre, developing and maintaining schedules to meet workload requirements and adjusting requirements based on changing forecasts and demands. They need to consider various factors such as expertise of staff available (e.g., product/service/ language skills), individual vacations/leaves, employee requests and organization actions that may cause an increase/decrease in call volumes. Schedulers who are responsible for intra-day management and scheduling use real time analytics to make the necessary scheduling adjustments. For example, if the contact centre has more staff scheduled than required based on a low call volume, then the Scheduler may suggest having individuals attend a training session at that time or ask staff who would like to go home early and make the hours up during another shift. Conversely, if there is a shortage of staff based on a high call volume, then the Scheduler may monitor call wait times, duration of calls and meet with managers to discuss the possibility of having employees work overtime and/or calling unscheduled employees in. 2 P age

3 QUALIFICATIONS Qualifications for this role Knowledge requirements: Schedulers require specific knowledge of: Basics and principles of workforce management to assist with the preparation of contact centre staff schedules and intra-day workforce management and scheduling as required Historical understanding of trends in business cycle and workforce requirements Company policies, procedures and guidelines with respect to employment standards for employees (e.g., minimum and maximum hours of pay/shift hours and minimum break/rest periods to be provided to employees Technical Skills: Schedulers require specific technical skills: Computer skills (e.g., MS Office applications proficiency, spreadsheet proficiency, knowledge of using databases such as MS ACCESS, the systems and software the organization uses) Data modeling skills (e.g., optimization and multi-variable analysis) required for forecasting Time management and prioritization skills to manage the work and various demands in the role under tight timelines Project management skills (e.g., managing multiple projects related to scheduling) Soft Skills: Schedulers require specific soft skills: Adaptability/flexibility because the role is both reactive and proactive and to effectively manage required changes (e.g., staff shortages and surpluses) particularly on an intra-day basis Analytical skills to effectively identify staff shortages and surpluses and effectively schedule the representatives time Communication Skills (written, verbal) to communicate needs to accomplish work, discuss staffing requirements and create schedules Creative thinking to determine how to deal with challenges such as staff shortages and surpluses in a timely and effective manner Detail orientation to ensure schedules are prepared accurately and all positions are covered with the appropriate resources Impact and influence to be able to convince management and others (e.g., HR recruitment, line managers ) to proceed with recommendations to deal with staffing recommendations such as approving overtime requests, training times, etc. Interpersonal skills/interpersonal understanding to appreciate understand staff needs and effectively balance these with business requirements Problem solving to identify solutions and recommendations for dealing with staffing issues Teamwork and collaboration to work effectively with other groups to ensure the best solutions to staffing issues are implemented and obtain their assistance when required 3 P age

4 QUALIFICATIONS, CONTINUED Qualifications for this role, continued Applicable Experience: For Schedulers responsible for preparing contact centre staff schedules only, 2 years contact centre experience is most likely a requirement For Schedulers responsible for scheduling and staffing intra-day and forecasting, 2 years of workforce management/planning experience is required Experience in operations in or outside financial services such as workflow, staffing, production, etc., could be beneficial Education, Certifications, Designations and Licenses: Positions typically require: Other Training: Positions typically require post-secondary education such as bachelor degree in any discipline Schedulers responsible for forecasting may require education in optimization or a related mathematics field Additional certifications may include: n/a Professional Associations may include: n/a 4 P age

5 DUTIES Main duties The main duties of the Scheduler: Prepare contact centre staff schedules Utilize software to prepare schedules for multiple lines of business (e.g., credit card, mutual funds) in contact centres to ensure service levels goals are met Ensure that schedules best match staffing requirements based on forecast Identify shortages or gaps in automated schedules to determine if and when additional staff is required Perform analysis and forecasting of workforce and workload Review and analyze data and trends to ensure accurate forecasting of staffing to meet current and future workload levels Cross-check output of analyses and scheduling software to ensure appropriate forecasting and trending Identify the actions required to deal with the shortages or surpluses of staff May prepare various staffing reports Enter the appropriate information into workforce planning software/records Identify the data required to produce the required staffing report(s) Review staffing reports to identify any discrepancies in the data and information to ensure accuracy Make any modifications as required Make recommendations to management on future staffing needs Review and analyze data/information/trends/reports to identify potential staffing shortages and surpluses Identify how to fill any staffing shortfalls or deal with any overstaffing issues Make recommendations based on an analysis of the data, and highlight key information to make the business case to support recommendations Representative Job titles Depending on the organization you work for, Schedulers may hold various job titles: Workforce planner Metrics analyst Intraday analyst Workforce and reporting analyst 5 P age

6 CAREER PATH Moving into the role To move into a Scheduler role, you need to have a post secondary education and/or previous contact centre experience, be able to conduct analyses of data and information and be detail-oriented. In some contact centres, workforce planners must also be able to forecast future demand and take into account future business plans. Progression beyond the role As you gain experience in the Scheduler role, you may move into the following positions. In larger contact centres, Schedulers responsible for preparing staffing schedules may move into the Intra-Day Manager role In some organizations Schedulers may move into specific roles such as forecasting only and have input into the strategic plan (i.e., recruitment, training, workforce succession planning) as opposed to day-to-day, or weekly staff scheduling Process improvement roles which also require analytical abilities similar to what is required for workforce planning Risk and compliance roles Audit control roles Other roles within operations CAREER IMPACTS External environmental factors impacting the role External factors such as changes in technology can influence the qualifications for the role. These changes impact how Schedulers do their job and prepare staffing schedules. As software becomes more sophisticated, a Scheduler more advanced computer skills and knowledge. Schedulers ability to effectively use technology plays an important role in their success in the role. Demand The demand for this type of work has been steady and it is anticipated that there will always be a need for this type of role particularly as organizations rely more heavily on Contact Centres for providing sales and services to their clients. Compensation Compensation typically would consist of base salary. A team-based incentive may be included based on performance of the team and results achieved. 6 P age