Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the creation of a strategic workforce plan for a major public sector organisation.
- Company: Join a leading Scottish public-sector organisation making a real impact.
- Benefits: Competitive daily rate, hybrid working, and the chance to influence key decisions.
- Why this job: Shape workforce strategy through to 2030 and engage with senior leaders.
- Qualifications: Experience in strategic workforce planning and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities to work across diverse teams.
We are supporting a leading Scottish public‑sector organisation in the recruitment of an experienced Strategic Workforce Planning Lead. This is a key role responsible for shaping the organisation's workforce strategy through to 2030, ensuring alignment with corporate priorities, financial planning, and future operational needs.
This assignment offers the opportunity to influence senior decision‑makers, lead cross‑functional collaboration, and be the principal author of a high‑impact workforce plan for a nationally significant organisation.
The Role
Working closely with the Head of People (HR, Learning & Skills Development), you will lead the creation of a comprehensive Strategic Workforce Plan for the period 2026-2030. You'll engage senior leaders to understand business priorities, analyse workforce MI and financial data, and translate organisational strategy into clear, evidence‑based workforce requirements. You will also identify gaps in current workforce planning activity, source missing data, and coordinate inputs from People, Finance, Cost Centres, Corporate Affairs and Communications teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop a clear, robust and future‑focused workforce plan mapping the current workforce and defining the route to 2030.
- Engage senior leaders to understand directorate challenges, strategic objectives, and anticipated workforce demand.
- Analyse staffing MI, multi‑year financial plans, budgets and corporate goals to predict workforce impacts across 2026-2030.
- Lead scenario planning and workforce modelling to test different strategic, operational and financial outcomes.
- Assess the organisation's culture, resourcing approach, development pathways and retention challenges to inform workforce strategy.
- Identify information gaps and coordinate data gathering from key internal stakeholders.
- Act as the lead author of the Strategic Workforce Plan, producing clear, well‑structured documentation for senior approval.
- Work collaboratively across HR, L&D, Finance, and Corporate teams to ensure alignment with policy, operations and budget planning.
Skills & Experience Required
- Proven experience developing and delivering strategic workforce plans (public sector experience highly desirable).
- Strong ability to quickly interpret and align work to organisational strategy, corporate plans and long‑term objectives.
- Skilled in analysing and interpreting financial data relating to workforce planning and future workforce cost modelling.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, particularly when engaging senior staff and cross‑functional leaders.
- Confident in scenario planning and modelling techniques.
- Strong understanding of the public sector, Scottish Government bodies or Arms‑Length Agencies.
- Ability to work effectively across diverse professional teams, bringing clarity, structure and leadership to complex planning work.
Workforce Planning Lead - Edinburgh employer: Lorien
Contact Detail:
Lorien Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Workforce Planning Lead - Edinburgh
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to connections in the public sector or those who have experience with workforce planning. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation's current workforce strategy and challenges. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in shaping their future.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your scenario planning skills! Be ready to discuss how you would approach different workforce modelling situations. This shows you’re not just a thinker, but a doer who can adapt to changing needs.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed and you’re considered for this exciting opportunity in Edinburgh.
We think you need these skills to ace Workforce Planning Lead - Edinburgh
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in strategic workforce planning. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant projects or achievements!
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role involves a lot of data analysis, be sure to mention any experience you have with interpreting financial data and workforce metrics. We love seeing candidates who can turn numbers into actionable insights!
Communicate Clearly: Your written application should reflect your excellent communication skills. Keep it clear and concise, and make sure to proofread for any typos or errors. We appreciate attention to detail, especially when it comes to documentation!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Lorien
✨Know Your Workforce Strategy
Before the interview, dive deep into the organisation's current workforce strategy and future goals. Familiarise yourself with their corporate priorities and how they align with workforce planning. This will help you demonstrate your understanding of their needs and how you can contribute to shaping their workforce plan.
✨Prepare for Data Analysis Questions
Given the role's focus on analysing workforce MI and financial data, be ready to discuss your experience with data interpretation. Bring examples of how you've used data to inform strategic decisions in previous roles. Practising how to explain complex data insights clearly will show your analytical skills and communication prowess.
✨Engage with Scenario Planning
Brush up on scenario planning techniques and be prepared to discuss how you've applied them in past projects. Think about different strategic outcomes and how you would model workforce impacts based on varying scenarios. This will showcase your ability to think critically and strategically about workforce challenges.
✨Showcase Your Collaborative Spirit
This role requires working across various teams, so highlight your experience in cross-functional collaboration. Prepare anecdotes that illustrate how you've successfully engaged with senior leaders and other departments to achieve common goals. Emphasising your teamwork skills will resonate well with the interviewers.
