26.146 Workforce Modelling Manager

Job summary

The Workforce Modelling Manager will deliver workforce modelling and capacity planning across DBS, translating demand forecasts into optimised workforce strategies that ensure resources, skills and deployment are aligned to operational and strategic requirements.

The role is accountable for delivering robust modelling that supports efficient, effective and sustainable service delivery, identifying capacity risks, informing workforce strategy and enabling evidence‑based decisions on resource allocation and organisational design.

The postholder will drive continuous improvement in modelling approaches and tools, ensuring workforce insight is fully integrated into business planning, performance frameworks and delivery of DBS priorities.

The postholder will also lead DBS's compliance with the Government Functional Standard for Analysis, organisational data maturity, and delivery of the DBS Data Strategy, overseeing assessments and driving cross‑business improvement to strengthen capability, data quality, resilience and risk management.

The successful applicant will initially need to attend office in Liverpool and Darlington for desk training, thereafter the role can be hybrid (remote/office based).

In the case of system outages and business needs, attendance in the office will be required.

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and develop the DBS Workforce Modelling function (including Operational resources and wider DBS resources) to deliver a high-quality, trusted service, supporting DBS service delivery and decision-making.
• Translate demand forecasts into resource requirements (FTE, skills, deployment).
• Develop and maintain workforce models covering productivity, utilisation, and throughput.
• Support resource allocation, work distribution, and demand management processes.
• Identify gaps between capacity and demand and recommend solutions.
• Extend resource planning across end-to-end processes and new service areas.
• Contribute to workforce strategy, including skills planning and organisational design inputs.
• Support SLA and KPI development through understanding of capacity constraints.
• Work with Operations to assess impact of demand changes on workforce requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement in workforce modelling techniques and tools.
• Manage compliance with the Government Functional Standard for Analysis, including organisation‑wide assessments and delivery of improvement actions to support continuous improvement in analytical practice.
• Manage organisational data maturity improvement, including maturity assessments and delivery of improvement actions to strengthen data capability and reduce risk.
• Manage and drive delivery of the DBS Data Strategy action plan, coordinating activity across business areas and ensuring progress against agreed priorities to improve data quality, resilience and use.
• Ensure that work processes and approaches, comply with Government Functional Standard 010 (Analysis).
• Build strong, collaborative relationships across DBS and with customers.
• Work collectively to ensure end-to-end service delivery across teams.
• Identify and deliver continuous improvement in quality, efficiency, and processes.
• Ensure accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of data, analysis, and outputs.
• Contribute to business planning, operational delivery, and strategic decision-making.
• Provide clear narrative, insight, and implications alongside data outputs and draw out the 'So What' to enable confident decision making.
• Ensure risks are identified, communicated, and mitigated.
• Support organisational objectives including service transition, LTER, and new products.
• Lead and develop a multi-grade team, setting objectives, managing performance and workload, and building the capability required to deliver current priorities and adapt to future business needs.
• Contribute to governance reporting (Executive Team, Board, committees, Ministers).
• Deputise for the Head of Service as required.

Corporate Responsibilities:

• Support the Head of Service in their role as a member of the Directorate Leadership Team (DLT) and by engaging in and helping to drive change as required.
• From time to time, the postholder may be asked to support corporate activity with duties that are commensurate with the grade (e.g. supporting other parts of the business with HR related matters).

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Ability to lead the development of Workforce Modelling tools.
• Understanding of workforce planning within a large business/operational setting.
• Strong analytical capability, with the ability to interpret complex data and identify key insights.
• Ability to communicate complex data and insight clearly to a range of audiences, including senior management.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
• Ability to lead others and deliver under pressure.
• Ability to prioritise work effectively against competing demands.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office tools.
• Experience of producing, interpreting, and presenting data and Forecasts.
• Experience of developing Forecasting and MI products (including dashboards) and prioritising requirements in line with user needs.
• Proven experience in developing and applying data collection, analysis, and performance reporting approaches to support both operational delivery and strategic decision-making.
• Experience operating in a large, complex business/operational environment (ideally central government or similar).
• Track record of managing performance and providing clear direction to teams.
• Experience of delivering outcomes under pressure, prioritising competing demands and meeting challenging deadlines.
• Experience of building effective strategic relationships across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria:

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills including practical ability in using Power Query in Excel.
• Expert, current knowledge of Business Intelligence tools and technologies and their practical application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,221, Disclosure & Barring Service contributes £12,810 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

The DBS offers a number of excellent benefits for its employees. These can include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Excellent maternity, paternity and adoption schemes (after a qualifying period)
• Commitment to the health and wellbeing of our employees
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Flexible working opportunities
• Eyecare voucher scheme
• Occupational Health Service including referrals for counselling and physiotherapy
• 24/7 Counselling and Wellbeing Service
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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