Head, Workforce Planning and HR Data Insights

The Head of Workforce Planning and Data Insights leads the University's strategic workforce planning, HR reporting and workforce intelligence and insights activities. The role is responsible for establishing and providing a contemporary people analytics capability within the University Group that enables evidence-based insights to support the achievement of the people and organisational culture elements of the University's Strategy and Operational Plan.

• Salary $198K - $209K per annum plus 17% superannuation
• Full-time continuing position
• Macquarie University, Wallumattagal Campus, North Ryde

Shape the workforce of the future through insight, evidence and analytics that inform decisions at an enterprise scale

Macquarie University is building a contemporary people analytics capability, and this newly shaped role sits at the centre of that work. As Head of Workforce Planning and HR Data Insights, you will create the frameworks, data and insights that help University and entity leaders understand their workforce today and plan for the workforce they will need tomorrow.

Reporting to the Chief People Officer and working as part of the HR Leadership Team, you will guide enterprise workforce planning cycles, scenario modelling and workforce intelligence for the University Group including Macquarie University Hospital. Your work will connect people data to budget planning, operating plans and the people and culture ambitions set out in the University's Strategy and Operational Plan.

This is a genuine opportunity to shape something from the ground up. With a team of two HR Reporting and Insights Analysts, close partnerships across HR, Finance, IT and Business Intelligence, and the chance to apply emerging technologies including AI and advanced analytics, you will help move the conversation from reporting on what happened to anticipating what comes next.

About the Role

In this role you will:

• Guide enterprise workforce planning cycles and scenario modelling that shape the budget, operating plans and strategic initiatives, and embed the University's workforce planning framework.
• Work alongside the Chief People Officer, HR Leadership Team and HR Business Partners to pinpoint workforce risks, capability gaps and future requirements, turning insight into prioritised action.
• Build and oversee an enterprise-wide people analytics and workforce intelligence function, delivering reporting and evidence-based advice that supports decisions across the Executive Group and the University's entities.
• Set shared HR data governance standards, definitions and reporting frameworks, partnering with HR Shared Services on data quality and accuracy.
• Oversee workforce compliance and external reporting obligations — including the Higher

Education

• Statistics Collection, WGEA reporting and remuneration benchmarking.

Education

• Statistics Collection, WGEA, remuneration benchmarking and internal governance reporting — so reporting stays accurate and trusted.

• Partner with Information Technology and Business Intelligence teams to improve workforce systems and reporting tools, and apply emerging technologies such as AI and advanced analytics.

• Guide and develop a team of workforce planning and analytics professionals, bringing people together around collaboration, service excellence, continuous improvement and data literacy.

• About Us

• Macquarie University is a place of inspiration and ideas, where curiosity is encouraged and where people are given the scope to make a real contribution. Our Wallumattagal Campus in North Ryde is one of the largest and greenest university campuses in Australia, with its own metro station, health precinct and a vibrant community of students, researchers and professional staff.

• Human Resources provides advice and services to the University and its controlled entities across attraction, selection, performance, development and remuneration, and oversees leadership capability and workforce compliance.

• The Workforce Planning and Data Insights team is one of four specialist teams alongside Talent Acquisition, Capability, Culture and Inclusion, and Employee Relations that partner with the Chief People Officer, HR Business Partners and University leaders.

• About You

• You are an experienced workforce planning or people analytics professional who enjoys turning complex data into clear direction. You are comfortable in the detail of datasets and equally comfortable in the room with executives, and you bring the credibility, curiosity and judgement needed to establish a new capability in a large, multi-entity organisation.

• Selection Criteria

• Extensive experience in workforce planning, people analytics and/or HR reporting in a large, complex organisation.

• Proven record of scenario modelling and workforce forecasting that informs budget and operating plans.

• Demonstrated skill in translating workforce data into clear insights and recommendations for executive audiences.

• Experience establishing data governance standards, definitions and reporting frameworks, with a focus on data quality.

• Working knowledge of workforce compliance and reporting obligations (for example WGEA, sector statistical collections, remuneration benchmarking).

• Experience with HRIS, business intelligence and analytics tools, and interest in applying emerging technologies such as AI.

• Experience guiding and developing a team, with a collaborative, service-focused approach to partnering across an organisation.