Highlights of the job
EPCOR Energy Services is hiring a Manager, Workforce Management (Temporary Full-Time, up to 24 months) to join our Specialized Care team based at our Edmonton office location. This position is open to both internal and external applicants and may be eligible for EPCOR's Where We Work hybrid program, based on business needs and eligibility.
The Manager, Workforce Management is accountable for workforce planning, forecasting, scheduling, and real-time operations for Customer Care (Canada and U.S.), Support, Billing and Collections teams. This role ensures appropriate resource coverage to meet customer needs while supporting operational efficiency and service level performance. The position also supports the management of operational impacts related to network connectivity, telephony, and customer information system (CIS) issues and executes business continuity procedures (BCP) as required within Energy Services.
What you’d be responsible for
Reporting to the Associate Director, Specialized Care, you will be responsible for the following (including but not limited to):
Planning
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Providing input into the Specialized Care operational plan, including annual objectives and priorities.
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Maintaining an understanding of Energy Services and EPCOR Utilities Inc. strategies and ensuring alignment across Specialized Care and key business partners.
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Developing and implementing department deliverables that support business plan objectives.
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Ensuring direct reports have clear performance expectations, deliverables, and performance metrics aligned to departmental goals.
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Monitoring business plan execution and providing regular updates on progress, risks, and mitigation strategies.
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Identifying resource and budget requirements necessary to support Workforce Management activities and service delivery.
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Anticipating challenges and developing plans to address potential operational impacts.
Execution
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Establishing, monitoring, and reporting on performance metrics related to workforce management and customer service operations.
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Analyzing operational performance data and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity, quality, reliability, and employee experience.
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Ensuring activities are aligned across teams and responding effectively to changing priorities and operational requirements.
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Executing annual objectives and priorities while removing barriers that may impact success.
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Identifying and addressing operational issues and concerns to support achievement of business targets.
Leadership
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Building and developing a capable, engaged, and high-performing team.
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Setting clear performance expectations and holding employees accountable for results and behaviours.
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Fostering strong relationships with internal stakeholders to support collaboration and effective problem solving.
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Partnering with business leaders to address concerns, identify opportunities, and support operational priorities.
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Providing leadership and subject matter expertise related to workforce management practices and processes.
Workforce Management and Scheduling
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Creating, managing, and optimizing workforce schedules.
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Managing scheduling requirements related to holidays, vacations, training, meetings, and other offline activities.
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Analyzing and implementing changes to forecasts, including customer call volumes, handle times, and other variables affecting staffing requirements.
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Ensuring workforce schedules are efficient and comply with applicable collective agreement obligations.
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Balancing service levels, employee experience, and operational costs.
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Developing and implementing resource plans to ensure sufficient support during periods of peak customer demand.
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Collaborating with business partners to resolve issues and streamline processes.
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Establishing workforce management standards, processes, and governance.
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Identifying future staffing gaps and recommending appropriate actions, including hiring, overtime, and shift adjustments.
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Developing scenario models to assess the operational impact of changes in customer demand, business processes, or operating hours.
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Benchmarking workforce management practices against industry standards and leading practices.
Real-Time Operations and Service Level Performance
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Leading real-time and intraday management of customer service queues to ensure adequate coverage and service delivery.
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Monitoring service levels, wait times, abandonment rates, queue volumes, and employee availability.
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Making real-time staffing and routing decisions in response to unexpected changes in demand.
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Developing and implementing intraday management strategies and escalation protocols.
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Identifying operational risks and taking proactive corrective action.
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Coordinating with contact centre leadership when service levels are at risk.
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Managing the balance between customer demand and workforce availability throughout the day.
Genesys Cloud Optimization and Administration
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Optimizing routing, queues, skills, schedules, agent configurations, and other platform capabilities.
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Partnering with technology teams on platform administration, system integrations, upgrades, and enhancements.
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Translating operational requirements into effective Genesys Cloud solutions.
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Identifying opportunities to leverage system capabilities to improve customer experience and operational efficiency.
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Supporting the implementation and adoption of new Genesys Cloud functionality.
Operational Excellence and Business Continuity
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Supporting regulatory filings and business cases by providing workforce management data, analysis, operational insights, and subject matter expertise as required.
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Ensuring adherence to established processes, procedures, and standards.
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Identifying and implementing process improvements that enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency.
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Supporting the delivery of initiatives that improve workforce management practices and customer service outcomes.
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Promoting the use of industry’s best practices to support workforce planning, scheduling, and service delivery.
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Supporting communication between business operations and technology teams during operational disruptions.
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Ensuring impacted users are informed and executing required response activities in accordance with the Business Continuity Plan.
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Executing business recovery procedures as required.
What’s required to be successful
Qualifications, experience, and behaviours you possess are:
Education:
- Degree in business, economics, operations management, or a related area.
- A post-secondary school diploma may be considered.
Experience that includes:
- 7+ years of progressively responsible experience leading workforce management, scheduling, support, collections, and/or customer care teams, including unionized employees.
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5+ years of directly related experience within the electricity, energy, or utilities industry in workforce management, collections, support, customer care, billing, regulatory, or customer service functions.
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Collecting and analyzing operational data to support business decision-making and service improvements.
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Managing budgets and monitoring financial performance within an area of responsibility.
Technical Skills
- Knowledge of industry best practices related to customer care operations, workforce management, and service delivery.
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Knowledge of call centre infrastructure operations and utility environments.
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Strong ability to collect, analyze, interpret, and present complex data to support business outcomes.
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Demonstrated ability to analyze operational performance metrics and identify improvement opportunities.
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Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis.
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Proficiency with workforce management software and contact centre technologies, including Genesys, CIS, and Vertex.
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Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience using reporting and analytics tools.
Behaviours
- Communicating effectively and influencing positive outcomes.
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Demonstrating accountability for results and operational performance.
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Making data-driven decisions that balance customer, employee, and business needs.
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Taking initiative to identify issues, recommend solutions, and drive improvements.
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Applying a continuous improvement mindset to identify opportunities and implement operational changes.
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Applying critical thinking and sound judgment to solve complex operational challenges.
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Fostering an inclusive, respectful, and high-performing team environment.
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Demonstrating strong safety leadership and a solid understanding of Occupational Health and Safety requirements.
Other important facts about this job
Jurisdiction: MGMT
Hours of work: 40 hours per week
EPCOR Employees: Please ensure that you are using your “@epcor.com” email address.
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Please note the following information:
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A requirement of working for EPCOR is that you are at least 18 years of age, successfully attained a high school diploma (GED, or equivalent level of secondary education) and legally entitled to work in Canada. (A copy of a valid work permit may be required.)
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If you are considered for the position, clearance on all applicable background checks (which may include criminal, identity, educational, and/or credit) and professional reference checks are required. Some EPCOR positions require an enhanced level of background assessment, which is dictated by law. These positions require advanced criminal record checks that must also be conducted from time to time after commencement of employment.
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A technical/practical assessment may be administered during the selection process, and this exercise will be used as a part of the selection criterion.
