Director, Strategy Workforce and Demand Planning
Optus is an Australian telecommunications company, delivering more than 11 million services to our customers every day across mobile, broadband and digital solutions.
We're looking for a strategic workforce leader to shape how Optus plans, forecasts and deploys talent across Retail, Telesales, Contact Centres, Messaging and TEX. Overseeing a global workforce of more than 5,000 people, you'll optimise how we balance customer demand, cost efficiency and operational performance.
In this role, you'll own the end‐to‐end workforce planning strategy — from long‐term forecasting to real‐time management. You'll drive labour optimisation, uplift planning capability, and influence decisions that directly impact sales, service and customer experience. Working closely with senior leaders, you'll use data, modelling and scenario planning to guide business priorities and future workforce investments.
What You'll Do
* Lead enterprise workforce planning across onshore and offshore operations, including forecasting, scheduling, rostering and real‐time management.
* Develop long‐term workforce strategies, scenario modelling and labour optimisation plans aligned to business priorities.
* Oversee annual labour budgeting and workforce‐related OPEX to ensure accuracy, compliance and efficiency.
* Identify opportunities to lift productivity, reduce cost‐to‐serve and enhance employee experience.
* Partner with leaders across RetailCo, Telesales, TEX and Care to embed workforce insights into decision‐making.
* Lead workforce transformation initiatives and implement multi‐site Workforce Management systems.
* Build and mentor a high‐performing planning team that drives collaboration and continuous improvement.
* Deliver clear reporting, analytics and recommendations that influence business‐wide outcomes.
What makes you perfect
* 10+ years' experience in workforce planning, operations, sales or general management in a large, complex, multi‐site environment.
* Proven success leading large‐scale workforce or operational transformation programs.
* Deep expertise in workforce planning systems, forecasting models and labour optimisation.
* Strong commercial acumen with experience managing substantial labour budgets (OPEX + CAPEX).
* Skilled at building trusted relationships with executives and influencing outcomes across diverse stakeholder groups.
* Highly analytical with the ability to translate insights into strategic recommendations.Experienced leader with a passion for developing teams and uplifting capability.
* Knowledge of industrial instruments, workforce legislation and best practice labour planning.
* Telecom, contact centre or retail experience is essential.
What's in it for you?
* Competitive remuneration and employee discounts. Make life easier (and more affordable) with $80 monthly credit and 25% off Optus products and unique shopping discounts with our retail partners.
* Flexible working arrangements with opportunities to work three days in the office, two days remote or home.
* Competitive leave policies, including additional 'Connected' days to focus on culture, family, health, community, or whatever's important to you.
* We support growing families with inclusive, carer-neutral paid Parental Leave of up to 16 weeks.
* Direct your own development and build future‐ready skills with Optus U's industry‐focused micro‐credentials, developed with La Trobe and Macquarie Universities.
* Build meaningful connections through employee‐led networks and diversity initiatives including Culture Connect, Elevate Women, Disability Network and Express Yourself (LGBTQIA+).
* Put your wellbeing first with free access to counselling and support services, 24/7 — in‐person, by phone, SMS, or video.
At Optus, we are strengthened by others and that means valuing diversity and saying 'yes' to embracing individual differences. We are committed to ensuring that our application process provides an equal employment opportunity to all job seekers, including individuals from diverse gender, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, individuals with a disability, individuals identifying as being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, individuals who may have served in the armed forces or who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. We also want to do our best to make our recruitment process inclusive. If you require any adjustments or accessibility support to participate fairly and equitably in the recruitment process, please email AccessibleRecruitment@optus.com.au or call 1800 309 170. We're here to help. When you contact us, please advise your preferred method of contact and we will be in touch within 48 hours.
For more information on Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at Optus, please visit https://www.optus.com.au/about/inclusion-diversity.
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