JOB SUMMARY

Are you passionate about shaping the future of the workforce using data and insights?
We’re looking for a Strategic Workforce Planning Consultant to join our team at Defra, where you’ll play a vital role in helping us plan for the people and skills we need to deliver for the environment, the economy and the nation.
To achieve Defra’s outcomes the Strategic workforce planning team play a critical role in ensuring Defra has the right people, skills, and structure to deliver its priorities, now and in the future.
Collaborating with HR and business leaders, we drive a consistent, strategic approach to workforce planning and action planning, helping to embed best practice and build capability across the group.
Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people’s day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

JOB DESCRIPTION

In this exciting and varied role, you’ll work closely with HR Business Partners, HR Expert Services teams, and senior leaders across the department to develop and embed workforce planning strategies that are aligned with our organisational goals. You’ll use your analytical expertise and relationship-building skills to help turn workforce data into actionable insights, supporting teams to make informed decisions about their current and future workforce needs.
You’ll also enable the development of workforce planning capability across the organisation—building confidence, sharing best practice, and helping to embed a strategic approach to people planning.
This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys working collaboratively, thinking ahead, and making a real impact on how we shape and support our people.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

To thrive in this role, you’ll bring a blend of analytical thinking, collaborative working, and a proactive mindset. You’ll be comfortable working with data, engaging with stakeholders, and supporting the delivery of workforce strategies that make a real difference.

We’re looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Experience in workforce planning or related areas, such as HR analytics, HR business partnering, business planning, organisational strategy, or organisational development.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex workforce data, identify trends, and support scenario modelling and forecasting.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to support HR Business Partners and collaborate across HR and business teams.
• A consultative and proactive approach, with the ability to contribute to strategic discussions and offer evidence-based recommendations.
• Familiarity with workforce planning tools, methodologies, and best practices.
• Good working knowledge of spreadsheets, databases, and business intelligence tools, with the ability to present insights clearly and effectively.
• A collaborative mindset, with a willingness to learn, share knowledge, and support capability-building across the organisation.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Data Analysis and Presentation Skills

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support Workforce Planning Activities: Assist in the development and implementation of workforce planning frameworks, tools, and guidance that support departmental priorities and business needs.
• Collaborate with HR Teams: Work closely with HR Business Partners and HR Expert Services teams to support the delivery of workforce planning initiatives, providing relevant data, insights, and coordination.
• Build Workforce Planning Confidence: Help build workforce planning capability across HR and the wider business by offering guidance, resources, and informal coaching.
• Provide Data and Insights: Collect, analyse, and interpret workforce data to identify trends and support evidence-based decision-making. Contribute to scenario modelling and forecasting activities.
• Contribute to Strategic Discussions: Support conversations with HR and business stakeholders by preparing materials, summarising insights, and helping to translate workforce data into practical recommendations.
• Support Capability and Skills Planning: Contribute to skills gap analysis, succession planning, and talent pipeline development by providing data and supporting tools.
• Coordinate Delivery: Track and prioritise workforce planning activities using project management approaches, ensuring timely progress and alignment with wider HR initiatives.
• Promote Collaboration: Build effective working relationships across HR and business teams, helping to ensure a joined-up approach to workforce planning.