Posted On: 06-06-2023
Position Title: Analyst – Workforce Management Forecasting
Job Location: Hybrid – Providence, RI
Company: Rhode Island Energy (PPL)

 

Company Summary Statement

Rhode Island Energy provides essential energy services to over 770,000 customers across Rhode Island through the delivery of electricity or natural gas. Our team is dedicated to helping Rhode Island customers and communities thrive while supporting the transition to a cleaner energy future. Rhode Island Energy is part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies addressing energy challenges head-on by building smarter, more resilient, and more dynamic power grids and advancing sustainable energy solutions. PPL is a positive force in the cities and towns where we do business, providing support for programs and organizations that empower the success of future generations by helping to build and maintain strong, diverse communities today.

Overview

Reporting to the Manager of Workforce Management Performance and Strategy in Customer Operations Support, the Workforce Management Forecasting Analyst is responsible for developing accurate long-term volume forecasts and capacity plans for Rhode Island Energy Customer Service. This individual will work to develop long-term forecasts and capacity planning models to ensure that staffing levels can be maintained to deliver the desired service level to customers on a consistent basis.

Responsibilities

  • Create long-term forecast to be used for capacity planning using Excel models for front- and back-office work.
  • Collect, validate, and analyze historical data regarding the volume and average handle time of each type of contact.
  • Coordinate with contact center departments to identify business drivers that can impact performance, including timing and potential impact.
  • Attend meetings with departments who drive workload to ensure complete and timely information is used in forecasts.
  • Apply statistical analysis tools to identify distribution patterns of workload by interval (intraday, daily, weekly, and monthly).
  • Collaborate with others on the workforce management team to track attrition, shrinkage, and occupancy.
  • Maintain updated records of assumptions regarding historical data, department goals, and business drivers.
  • Maintain a forecasting accuracy level with an acceptable standard deviation.
  • Identify intervals where forecasting accuracy is outside of the acceptable range so that root causes of the discrepancies can be found and corrected.
  • Work with the operational team to identify causes of any significant variation between forecast and actual volume and AHT.
  • Create long-term staffing requirements for capacity planning to determine future growth needs for front- and back-office.
  • Regularly review forecast model and staffing plans with contact center leadership
  • Emergency and storm role commitment; this is a special assignment that comes into play during storms and other emergencies when the company needs to restore power or respond to other issues affecting customer service.
  • The company reserves the right to determine if this position will be assigned to work on-site, remotely, or a combination of both. Assigned work location may change. In the case of remote work, physical presence in the office/on-site may be required to engage in face-to-face interaction and coordination of work among direct reports and co-workers.

Qualifications

Education/ Experience​ 

  • Bachelor’s degree with at least 3 years of experience in contact center forecasting and capacity planning, or at least 7 years of relevant work experience
  • Demonstrated advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel
  • A demonstrated knowledge of statistical methods.
  • Ability to communicate complex concepts effectively.
  • Excellent organizational, analytical, and trouble-shooting skills with the ability to self-manage multiple tasks to completion.

Preferred Qualifications 

  • Bachelor’s degree with emphasis in math, statistics, and analytical disciplines a plus.
  • Utility experience preferred but not required.
  • Experience with WFM software (e.g., Calabrio, Verint, NICE).
  • Knowledge of SQL or other DB platforms is preferred.
  • Knowledge of MS Access, Tableau, Power BI, or comparable BI applications a plus.