Workforce Planning Lead

Job Description

Do you have excellent attention to detail and the confidence to advise and influence colleagues and stakeholders at all levels? Would you like a job where you can lead your own team in a fast paced, high priority area? If the answers to the above are yes, then this exciting opportunity could be for you.

The Strategic Workforce Planning Lead sits within National Records of Scotland: People Services, which is the main HR function within the NRS. This role leads both the Workforce Planning and Recruitment Teams, who work collaboratively and are responsible for duties delegated to us from the SG Shared Services.

This role provides support and guidance to NRS Senior Management and is responsible for putting business cases forward (incl. recommendations) to the Chief Executive on all staffing related matters.

The Strategic Workforce Planning Lead is responsible for gathering and analysing HR staffing data to help present a current and holistic view of the organisation. They present recommendations and offer challenge to senior management to ensure that the organisation has the right staff, in the right roles at the right time. They will have a renewed focus on succession planning aligned to current and future business objectives and targets.
 

Responsibilities

• Analysis & Use of Evidence: Gather data on current workforce and vacancy needs within the organisation. Use data to gather skill gaps, recruitment trends, turnover statistics as well as risks and opportunities. 
  
   
• Develop & Maintain Workforce Plans: As the owner of the NRS Workforce Plan, you will ensure this is regularly updated and maintained. You will use this evidence to provide key data for audits and to support ongoing work within NRS: Finance. This plan will ensure that key data required for the position management process on Oracle is readily available and consistent for everyone who requires this.

• Stakeholder Engagement: To ensure the quality of the data within the Workforce Plan is current and correct, you will work closely with all business areas and functions within NRS. You will work collaboratively with other Workforce Planners across the Scottish Government and Delivery Bodies to share best practice and keep up to date on key policy and process changes.

• Senior Business Manager (SBM) Responsibilities: As an SBM you will be responsible for the NRS position management process on Oracle Cloud. You will follow the policy and guidance provided by SG Shared Services and ensure the system is updated to enable recruitment and workforce changes to take place. You will also engage with other SBMs to shared best practice and bring back wider challenges that require local decisions to be made.

• NRS Recruitment Lead: You will be responsible for managing the NRS Recruitment Team providing guidance and support to the Resourcing Manager and Officer to allow vacancies to progress in a timely manner. You will provide NRS : People Services and NRS Senior Management guidance on recruitment current policies and raise any risks/solutions to consider.

Qualifications

Associate CIPD or willingness to work towards.

Success Profile

Technical / Professional Skills:

1. People Practice: Workforce Planning - Associate Level

2. Resourcing: Workforce Planning Data - Chartered Member Level

3. Talent Management: Workforce Planning Approaches - Associate Level

4. Business Acumen: Strategic Planning  - Associate Level

You can find out more about the skills required, here:  CIPD Profession Map

Experience:

1.  Building and managing relationships and partnerships 

2.  Using data and evidence to make decisions and influence 

3.  Digital proficiency

4.  Strong problem solving and analytical experience

Behaviours:
 

1. Communicating and Influencing - Level 3

2. Seeing the Big Picture - Level 3

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here: Behaviour levels - Success profiles: candidate guide - gov.scot

How to apply

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and a presentation. 

Assessments are scheduled for w/c 21st July 2025, however this may be subject to change.

National Records of Scotland (NRS) is Scotland’s record keeper. Our purpose is to collect, preserve and produce information about Scotland's people and history and make it available to inform current and future generations. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

NRS is a Non-Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government & and our staff are part UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Working Pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week.  We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options depending on the needs of the role. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for,  please contact us.

Equality Statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.  

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further information

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

For further information on the role, please contact Steven Andison at [email protected]