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About the Role

The SRSC (Student Recruitment Support Centre) and Financial Support office operates from Milton Keynes, Manchester and Nottingham and is responsible for developing and maintaining excellent customer relationships, supporting Open University enquirers and students from initial contact through to their module start right through to fee collections. SRFS (Student Recruitment and Student Fees) aims to focus on the needs of individual students, offering an impartial and confidential service which is accessible to everyone who seeks to use it. Specific responsibilities include the effective delivery of resource management of the Contact Centre operations ensuring that service levels are met.

Key Responsibilities

To support the WFM Manager by producing and maintaining effective workforce plans to achieve service levels:

• To create and implement optimal workforce plans to match forecast demand whilst achieving service level targets considering cost.
• Generate weekly hotspot analysis and communicate recommendations for service level attainment to operational colleagues to reduce additional ad-hoc costs such as overtime.
• Responsible for scheduling and maintaining offline activities as required by operational colleagues whilst maintaining varying SLA’s.
• Transform the capacity plan specifications into the parameters for multi Contact Centre scheduling at minimum cost. Recommend cost saving solutions and continually evaluate the cost/ benefit of meeting customer needs within budget.
• Evaluate data statistics for each service at all Centre to provide basis for continuous re- evaluation and improvement of the service we offer to our students. Ensure all Service level Agreements are met and adhered to. To optimise and reforecast ‘on the day’ intraday requirements and communicate any changes to plan to the operation with recommendations for service level optimisation.
• To optimise and reforecast ‘on the day’ intraday requirements and communicate any changes to plan to the operation with recommendations for service level optimisation.
• Ensure Agent schedules are at maximum efficiency with on the day optimisation of breaks and lunches and off-phone activity used to enhance service levels.

To ensure all tools and processes that relate to Resource Planning are maintained and documented:

• Working with team members and stakeholders agree, document, implement and maintain ‘best practice’ resource planning processes.
• Ensure resource planning tools (Aspect WFM) are utilised and maintained in line with operational and resource planning requirements.
• Working with stakeholders, ensure accurate recording of exceptions data including holidays, absence and sickness are all within staff shrinkage targets.

All staff are expected:

• To undertake any other duties which may reasonably be required.
• To take reasonable care of the Health and Safety of themselves and that of any other person who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work.
• The post holder will be required to travel to Centre locations and regional offices when required.
• To demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles and practice of equality and diversity.

About You

Essential criteria:

• Literacy and numeracy skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Proficient in the use of the MS Office Suite with substantial experience of using MS Excel.
• Resource planning experience within a multichannel multisite Contact Centre operation environment.
• Experience using workforce management tool(s) (e.g. Aspect eWFM, IEX Totalview).
• Excellent communication, presentation and analytical skills.
• Highly self-motivated and performance orientated with the ability to prioritise.
• Professional and flexible approach with a ‘can do’ attitude.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of intraday management and its place in a Contact Centre resource planning function.
• Experience of using Contact Centre ACD (Automated Call Distributor) software.
• Detailed approach to data accuracy and developing effective and simple-to-follow procedures.

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email careers@open.ac.uk quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

Flexible working

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

Working Location: It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, this role can be contractually aligned to several of our offices listed above. It is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We’d expect this to be at least once per quarter, but this could be more often if business needs dictate.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

Interviews are likely to be held in early February 2026.

Early closing date notification

We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.

How to apply

To apply for this role please submit the following document(s):

• CV
• A Supporting Statement of up to 1000 words. You should set out in your statement why you are interested in the role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the essential criteria for this role as detailed in the job description.

You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.