Planning Team Leader | South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust in Crawley

Planning Team Leader | South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Company

Company: South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Are you organised, confident working with data and systems, and able to bring people together to get things done?

Do you enjoy working in a busy environment where attention to detail really matters?

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Planning Team as a Planning Team Leader, supporting the effective planning and deployment of our operational workforce.

Our Planning Team plays an important part in ensuring we have the right people in the right place at the right time.

From maintaining accurate workforce information and managing rotas to supporting operational teams with scheduling queries, the work of the team helps us make the best possible use of our resources and supports the delivery of services to our patients.

As Planning Team Leader, you will provide day-to-day coordination and guidance to our Resource Planners, helping to maintain a consistent, responsive and professional planning service.

You will work closely with operational managers and colleagues across the Trust, using your organisational skills, judgement and attention to detail to resolve routine planning issues and ensure our workforce management information remains accurate.

You will have a varied role, including

• providing day-to-day support, coordination and guidance to Resource Planners
• overseeing the accurate recording of staff working hours and working patterns
• supporting the management and uploading of operational rotas using the Trust's workforce management system, currently GRS
• managing abstractions in line with Trust policy to help optimise the unit hours available to patients
• working with operational managers and staff to resolve scheduling and rota queries
• collating and analysing planning and performance information, producing reports for senior colleagues
• identifying and escalating variances or more complex issues where appropriate
• supporting the induction, training and ongoing development of colleagues within the Planning Team
• acting as a senior point of contact and role-modelling positive leadership behaviours
• working collaboratively with teams including Operations, HR, Payroll, IT and Predictive Analytics.

This is a role whereaccuracy, relationships and communication are equally important.

You will need to be comfortable balancing competing priorities, meeting deadlines and working with colleagues at different levels across the organisation.

• Option to join NHS pension scheme
• A minimum 27 days' holiday each year, increasing after 5 years’ service.
• Personal and professional development and training opportunities.
• Salary Sacrifice schemes for cars or push bikes.
• Access to occupational health and counselling services.
• Access to NHS discounts, offering NHS employees a range of money-saving deals.

Other than in exceptional circumstances, the starting salary for staff new to the NHS will be the bottom point of the band to which they have been appointed.

We are looking for someone who can combine strong organisational skills with a positive and collaborative approach.

You will beeducated to diploma level or equivalentand have experience of working within an administrative or corporate services environment.

You will also need experience of analysing and interpreting complex and varied information and producing assessments or reports for senior management.

You will be someone who

• builds effective relationships with colleagues and stakeholders
• communicates clearly and adapts their approach to different audiences
• takes ownership and accountability for their work
• can work independently while contributing positively to a wider team
• manages competing priorities and deadlines with excellent attention to detail
• demonstrates positive leadership behaviours and supports others to develop
• is confident working with information and data to support effective decision-making.

This is a great opportunity for someone looking to take the next step in their career and develop their leadership experience within a busy operational environment.

You will have the opportunity to work with colleagues across a wide range of operational and corporate services and gain a valuable understanding of how effective workforce planning supports frontline service delivery.

We are looking for someone who will bring our values of Kindness, Courage and Integrity to the role and help us continue to develop a professional, supportive and effective Planning service.

Please note

The post is based on site at an agreed Trust location and requires flexibility in relation to location, duties and working hours, including travel to other Trust locations where required.

The successful candidate will also be required to participate in an on-call rota which may involve being on site during the day, at night and at weekends.

Previous NHS or operational experience, knowledge of improvement methodologies and experience of project or change management would be advantageous, but are not essential.

• This advert closes on Tuesday 25 Aug 2026
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