Manager Call Center Operations & Workforce Planning

$90,400 - $135,600/Yr

Alaska Airlines - Seattle, WA

Full-time - Manager

Seattle, WA

Air Transportation

About the position

The Manager, Call Center Ops & Workforce Planning at Alaska Airlines is a pivotal role that oversees the operational performance and real-time management of call center systems, staffing levels, and workforce planning for various departments including the Reservation Call Centers, Central Baggage Services, Customer Care, and Passenger Record Support. This position is responsible for managing a 24/7 operation with over 1350 representatives, ensuring that all lines of business meet their key performance indicators (KPIs). The Manager fosters a work environment that values employee engagement and commitment to the company’s mission of creating an airline that people love. In this role, the Manager leads a team of workforce planning and call center operation specialists, providing mentorship and coaching to promote professional development and growth. Daily oversight of Call Center Operations is crucial to ensure that each business line meets its performance metrics. The Manager is tasked with accurate forecasting of contact center volumes and staffing needs, managing workforce adjustments, and ensuring that the team provides timely technical support to frontline staff. Additionally, the Manager is responsible for long-term workforce planning, including the administration of shift bids and vacation schedules. The position requires close collaboration with the call center technology team to optimize routing strategies and ensure efficient workforce utilization. The Manager analyzes daily call center metrics to identify performance issues and develop corrective actions in partnership with call center leadership. This role also involves coordinating training and upskilling initiatives to maintain adequate support coverage and ensuring that leadership is informed of any service-impacting issues. The Manager plays a key role in maintaining operational budgets and ensuring that all workgroups meet their performance and financial objectives, while also building relationships with union representatives and managing emergency response protocols.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of workforce planning and call center operation specialists through mentoring and coaching.
• Provide day-to-day oversight of Call Center Operations to ensure KPIs are met.
• Own accurate forecasting of contact center volumes and required staffing levels.
• Ensure timely first-level technical support is provided to frontline staff.
• Administer long-term workforce planning, including shift bids and vacation schedules.
• Coordinate training and scheduling of personnel overseeing real-time operations.
• Integrate closely with the call center technology team on routing strategy and logic.
• Analyze daily call center scorecard metrics and prepare corrective actions.
• Collaborate with Training and Development teams for upskilling training.
• Maintain and communicate overtime plans and staffing adjustment processes.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for call center reporting of metrics.
• Partner with the Director of Call Center Ops & Technology to develop operational budget plans.
• Maintain partnerships with Systems Operations Control and Guest Operations for customer notifications during irregular operations.
• Conduct emergency response drills and maintain the CCO Emergency Response Checklist.
• Build and maintain cooperative relationships with Union representatives.

Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in call center operations.
• A minimum of 2 years of contact center leadership experience with proven operational management skills.
• Bachelor's degree or an additional two years of relevant training/experience in lieu of this degree.
• Strong analytical and leadership skills.
• Strong communication skills (verbal, written, and listening).
• Self-motivated with the ability to learn quickly.
• Detail-oriented and highly organized with the ability to prioritize and multi-task.
• Ability to provide on-call work and responses during off-schedule hours.
• High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Nice-to-haves

• A minimum of 3 years of airline experience with proven operational management skills.
• Experience using e-Workforce Management and e-Schedule Planning Systems.
• Knowledge of forecasting, planning, and scheduling.
• Familiarity with COPS contract for bidding processes and work rules.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid time off
• 401(k) matching
• Free stand-by travel privileges
• Comprehensive well-being programs
• Generous 401k match program
• Quarterly and annual bonus plans
• Generous holiday and paid time off