Workforce Planning Manager

Join the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: Where Every Voyage is a Symphony of Luxury
Embark on an extraordinary journey with the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, an exquisite extension of the renowned Ritz-Carlton brand, dedicated to redefining ultra-luxury hospitality at sea. As a "Lady or Gentleman" of our esteemed team, you'll be entrusted with the art of delivering the impeccable "Gold Standards" that have made the Ritz-Carlton an epitome of excellence across the globe.
The Essence of Excellence: The Gold Standards
The Gold Standards are the bedrock of the Ritz-Carlton experience, setting us apart in the industry and establishing a legacy of unparalleled service. These standards embody the values and culture that define our brand, and serve as the compass guiding our every endeavor.
The Employee Promise
At The Ritz-Carlton, our Ladies & Gentlemen are the most important resource in our service commitment to each other and our guests.
By applying the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity, and commitment, we empower and nurture talent to the benefit of each individual and the company.
The Ritz-Carlton fosters a culture where all are valued, quality of life is enhanced, individual aspirations are fulfilled, and The Ritz-Carlton Mystique is strengthened.
Join us on a journey where every day is a testament to the highest standard of luxury and service. Apply now and be part of an unparalleled legacy in hospitality.
Position Overview
The Manager, Workforce Planning owns how the contact center is staffed to meet guest demand, from long-range capacity plans to intraday decisions. This is a builder role. The right person creates the models, processes, and tools the team needs rather than waiting for them to exist, finds gaps in forecasting, scheduling, and capacity planning before they affect service levels or sales performance, and owns each issue through to a measurable resolution. The result is a contact center that delivers exceptional guest experience and converts demand into revenue while keeping labor cost under control.
Key Responsibilities:
Problem Solving & Building
Identify issues and inefficiencies across forecasting, scheduling, intraday management, and capacity planning, using data to separate root causes from symptoms.
Quantify areas of opportunity in staffing models, shrinkage, occupancy, and schedule adherence in terms of service level, cost, and revenue impact.
Build scalable solutions where existing processes fall short, including models, workflows, reporting, and planning tools.
Drive issues to resolution end to end: define the problem, align stakeholders, implement the fix, and confirm results hold over time.
Partner with telephony, CRM and IT to maximize efficiency and troubleshoot reporting and system issues which impact the workforce.
Challenge the status quo with evidence and bring recommendations to leadership with a clear business case.
Document processes and models so improvements are repeatable and outlast any one person.
Workforce Strategy & Capacity Planning
Develop and execute a workforce management strategy aligned with business goals and service level targets.
Own long-term capacity planning including budget modeling, hiring plans, and scenario analysis.
Oversee headcount planning to meet service levels while controlling labor cost.
Track shrinkage and attrition trends and adjust hiring and scheduling plans before staffing gaps open.
Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Finance to align staffing plans with financial forecasts, campaign calendars, and growth projections.
Forecasting
Lead short-term and long-term forecasting of contact volume and handle time across all channels.
Build and continuously refine forecasting models using historical data, seasonality, and business drivers such as marketing campaigns, voyage launches, and booking windows.
Run scenario planning for peak periods and business changes, and measure forecast accuracy against actuals.
Scheduling & Real-Time Management
Design schedules that balance service levels, agent experience, and operational constraints.
Oversee real-time adherence, intraday performance, and contingency planning.
Put tools and processes in place that improve real-time decision-making.
Technology, Data & Reporting
Own and optimize WFM systems (e.g., NICE, Verint, Genesys).
Drive automation and reporting enhancements that reduce manual effort.
Ensure data integrity and reporting accuracy across all WFM functions.
People Leadership
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of WFM analysts, building their ability to find and solve problems independently.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Set clear KPIs and development plans for each team member.
Cross-Functional Partnership
Partner with Operations, HR, and IT to align workforce strategy with business needs.
Provide insights and recommendations to senior leadership on staffing, performance, and operational risk.
Qualifications:
Required
8+ years of workforce management experience in a contact center environment, including at least 3 years leading WFM teams.
Proven track record of building workforce planning tools, models, or processes from the ground up, with measurable results.
Demonstrated ability to identify operational issues independently and see them through to sustained resolution.
Proven expertise in forecasting, capacity planning, and headcount modeling.
Deep understanding of contact center metrics, including service level, AHT, occupancy, shrinkage, and adherence.
Advanced Excel skills and hands-on experience with WFM platforms and data visualization tools.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to present recommendations to senior leadership.
Bachelor's degree required.
Preferred
Experience in a sales or revenue-generating contact center, ideally in luxury, hospitality, or travel.
Experience with multi-channel and/or global contact center operations.
SQL, Python, or similar skills for building models and automating reporting.
Six Sigma or WFM certification, or an advanced degree.
Key Competencies
Builder mindset and ownership
Root cause problem solving
Data-driven decision-making
Leadership and team development
Change management
Cross-functional influence
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is an Equal opportunity, inclusive employer and will consider all applicants for employment with the Company on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.