Are you a strategic leader passionate about shaping the future workforce? We are seeking a dynamic Head of Strategic Workforce Planning & Skills to spearhead the development and execution of a comprehensive workforce planning and skills‑centric talent management strategy. In this pivotal role you will proactively anticipate future workforce needs, identify critical skills gaps, and craft targeted talent initiatives aligned with our business objectives.
During this role you will work at least two days a week (40%) away from home, moving to three days a week (60%) in the future. We also offer flexible working arrangements that can be discussed with Talent Acquisition.
What you’ll be doing
* Lead the design and implementation of an integrated SWP and skills management strategy that supports current and future organisational needs.
* Collaborate with senior leadership, Strategic People Partners and the Chief People Officer to align SWP initiatives with overarching business goals, leveraging insights from industry trends, labour markets and strategic forecasts.
* Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP)
o Build and govern a robust SWP framework, utilising data analysis, scenario planning and predictive modelling to forecast workforce demand and supply.
o Partner with business leaders to identify skills gaps, succession needs and talent risks, devising proactive strategies to mitigate them.
o Develop talent pipelines through targeted upskilling, reskilling and mobility initiatives aligned with future workforce requirements.
o Regularly monitor external labour‑market dynamics and incorporate these insights into SWP models.
o Define and track KPIs to evaluate the effectiveness of SWP activities and continuously improve planning accuracy.
* Skills framework & taxonomy
o Create and maintain a skills taxonomy that supports workforce planning, talent development and organisational agility.
o Transition from traditional job architecture to a skills‑based model that enhances resourcing flexibility and future‑proofing.
* Data & analytics for workforce decision‑making
o Lead the transformation of HR systems (e.g. Workday, L&D platforms, TA tools) to optimise data collection, analysis and reporting related to SWP and skills.
o Use insights and metrics to inform talent acquisition, development, redeployment and restructuring initiatives.
o Provide regular reports and dashboards to stakeholders to support strategic decision‑making.
* Stakeholder engagement & change management
o Influence senior leaders to adopt a strategic and data‑driven approach to workforce planning and skills management.
o Enable HR and People Partners with tools, training and best practices to embed SWP and skills initiatives into business processes.
* Technology and data platform optimisation
o Oversee technology platform enhancements to support SWP and skills data gathering, analysis and reporting.
o Drive continuous improvement in data quality, analytics and platform functionality to support strategic HR practices.
* Thought leadership & continuous improvement
o Stay abreast of industry trends, best practices and innovative approaches in SWP and skills management.
o Foster a culture of agility, learning and resilience to adapt to changing workforce demands and market conditions.
* Collaboration and relationship building
o Establish strong partnerships across Talent Acquisition, L&D, Reward and business units to align SWP and skills strategies with broader organisational priorities.
* Capability building
o Work with L&D and TA to develop targeted upskilling and reskilling programmes to fill identified skills gaps and support future workforce needs.
* Budget management
o Manage the budgets for SWP and skills transformation initiatives, ensuring resource allocation maximises strategic impact and ROI.
Qualifications
* Extensive experience in talent management, HR or organisational development with a focus on strategic workforce planning and skills management.
* Proven success in designing and implementing SWP frameworks integrated with skills strategies.
* Strong analytical skills with expertise in workforce data analytics, scenario modelling and forecasting.
* Ability to influence and collaborate with senior stakeholders and executive leadership.
* Knowledge of HR technology platforms supporting workforce planning and skills data.
* Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
* Excellent communication, change management and stakeholder engagement skills.
* Eligibility to work in the United Kingdom.
As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorised to work in the United Kingdom.
We are committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, and we actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. AXA UK is a Disability Confident Leader and actively encourages applications from people who face barriers in the workplace due to a disability or long‑term health condition.
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