Resource Planning Manager - Advisory

Alternatively, Grant Thornton

At Grant Thornton we do things differently - looking to the future, driving ambitious growth and pioneering positive change in our industry. Providing audit, tax and advisory services, we empower clients through strategic insight, curiosity, and genuine partnership. And we empower our people with real opportunity, an inclusive culture and work life balance. A true alternative.

With over 5,000 people in the UK, and a presence in 150 global markets, we're on an ambitious journey, from great to exceptional, and we need the best people to help us achieve our potential. And with that comes the opportunity to help redefine what our industry looks like, and what you want from your career.

Job Description:

Every day our teams are integral to the success of our advisory practice. The Central Talent and Capacity team is a resourcing team incorporating Managers, Assistant Managers, and Advisers who work nationally across all Grant Thornton offices to support practice teams to mobilise teams of advisory professionals to deliver client work to the highest standard.

The Central Talent and Capacity team play a pivotal role in helping the firm to achieve operational excellence and its business objectives, by ensuring optimal utilisation of resources.  The role involves working on a diverse set of activities throughout the day in a fast-paced environment that suits those who can challenge senior stakeholders and be future focused. 

Our team is growing and going through an exciting period of change and an exciting opportunity exists for someone who wants to be part of a team focused on excellence with an opportunity to develop in resource management. 

 A look into the role 
As a Resource Planning Manager in Advisory, within our team, you will: 

• Be working in a professional service environment, to support practice colleagues who are client facing, with resourcing solutions.  

• Drive resource strategy for your business unit and manage a large pool of resources split across offices nationally and across different business operating units. 

• Forecast future resourcing needs based on the firm's pipeline and business plan, so the right people are in the right place at the right time.  

• Have a proven ability to work with, collaborate with and challenge stakeholders at all levels of the business, from trainees to senior leadership, on a day-to-day basis.  

• Have the ability to engage with and work collaboratively with other customer service lead teams such as IS, Training and Development, Recruitment and Finance. 

• Have experience of using a resource management system to manage resourcing effectively across the business. 

• Provide MI insights (leveraging AI tools) and deliver meaningful data to our stakeholders to support them in making data driven decisions while supporting your strategic direction 

• Build strong working relationships with engagement partners and directors to manage resourcing risk on key client accounts.  

• Have people management responsibility, coaching and developing junior team members and sharing knowledge of best resourcing practice and efficient ways of working. 

• Balance business utilisation needs with the development, wellbeing and career progression of the people you resource. 

• Demonstrate excellent analytical and communication skills 

Knowing you’re right for us 

Joining us as a Resource Planning Manager, the minimum criteria you’ll need is at least five years’ relevant experience in resource management, ideally within a professional services environment and Advisory or Consultancy Services in particular, with a proven ability to work with stakeholders at all levels, drive resource strategy for your business unit, manage both reactive and proactive resourcing, manage budgets, and lead and develop people. 

It would be great if you had some of the following skills, but don’t worry if you don’t tick every box, we’ll help you develop along the way. 

• Works as part of the Central Talent & Capacity Team to ensure effective resource deployment to meet quality and utilisation goals aligned to the firm’s business plan 

• You will have a positive attitude and able to use your own initiative to drive continuous improvements of processes and resourcing principles 

• You will lead with a solution driven mindset and be proactive in your approach 

• You will have a proven track record of working as a team and on your own 

• You will have experience of managing multiple tasks and processes in a fast-paced, high-volume environment 

• You will have excellent communication skills, developed through regular interaction with senior management and key business stakeholders with the ability to challenge and lead difficult conversations. 

• You’ll have the ability to work to deadlines, SLAs without compromising integrity and accuracy of data. 

• Responsible for managing the deployment of specialists locally and across business streams 

• Strives to maximise utilisation and optimise employment spend nationally 

• Manages the optimisation of supply and demand across geographies, reporting regularly to management 

• Manages budgets for the business unit, balancing cost efficiency with service delivery 

• Manages and develops team members, providing coaching and feedback to build resourcing capability 

• Provides clarity and challenge around resource allocation, escalating to senior leadership only where required 

• Works effectively with a range of stakeholders across the business and work in an operational and strategic capacity 

• Takes ownership and responsibility of data accuracy
• Experience of working with AI tools to enhance data, user experience and insight.

• Carries out a range of administrative and MI reporting tasks to support the team 

•  Acts with integrity and in line with our organisational values 

Knowing we’re right for you 

Embracing uniqueness, the culture at Grant Thornton thrives on the contributions of all our people, we never settle for what is easy, we look beyond to deliver the right thing, for everyone.  Building an inclusive culture, where we value difference and respect our colleagues helps our people to perform at the best of their ability and realise their potential. 

Our open and accessible culture means you’ll interact with leaders who are interested in you and everything you bring to our firm. The things that set you apart, we value them. That’s why we give you the freedom to bring your whole self to work and pursue your passions inside and outside of work. 

Beyond the job    

Life is more than work. The things you do, and the people you’re with outside of work matter, that’s why we’re happy to look at flexible working options for all our roles, and we’ll always do our best to keep your work and life in balance. 

The impact you can make here will go far beyond your day job. From secondments, to fundraising for local charities, or investing in entrepreneurs in the developing world, you’ll be giving back to society. It’s that drive to do the right thing that runs through our every move, grounded in our firm’s values – purposefully driven, actively curious and candid but kind 

We’re looking for people who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas and go beyond expectations. People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people and themselves. It’s how it should be 

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