Senior Manager, Head of Workforce Planning

Cengage Group

Head of Workforce Planning at Cengage establishing workforce planning as a core organizational capability. Partnering with Finance and HR to develop hiring forecasts and long-term workforce strategy.

Posted 6/13/2026full-timeRemote • Arizona • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $160,000 - $165,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build and Lead Workforce Planning
Establish and operationalize workforce planning at Cengage
Design and implement workforce planning methodologies, frameworks, governance, and operating rhythms
Develop short-, medium-, and long-term workforce plans aligned with financial targets
Create workforce planning processes that enable proactive talent decisions and resource allocation
Build executive-ready workforce insights, dashboards, and recommendations to support strategic decision-making
Develop Hiring Forecasts and Talent Demand Planning
Partner closely with Finance, Talent Acquisition, HR Business Partners, and business leaders to create and maintain workforce demand forecasts
Own enterprise hiring forecasts, headcount planning processes, and workforce scenario modeling
Establish forecasting accuracy of metrics and continuously improve planning assumptions and methodologies
Translate business strategy, financial plans, and market trends into workforce implications and hiring recommendations
Lead Skills-First Workforce Transformation
Serve as the HR lead for workforce planning capabilities enabled through Eightfold
Partner with Talent Management, Learning & Development, Talent Acquisition, and HR Technology teams to develop a comprehensive skills-based workforce strategy
Build processes and frameworks for skills intelligence, capability mapping, internal mobility, workforce segmentation, and future skills planning
Develop workforce insights that inform build, buy, borrow, and automate talent decisions
Advance AI-Enabled Workforce Strategy
Partner with the Head of AI Strategy and Enablement to assess the workforce implications of AI adoption across the business
Improve productivity, workforce effectiveness, and organizational capability through AI-enabled work models
Help define future workforce requirements, emerging skill needs, and workforce transformation priorities
Support workforce scenario planning related to automation, augmentation, and evolving job architectures
Establish Governance and Strategic Workforce Processes
Create governance structures and recurring planning cadences that support enterprise workforce decision-making
Facilitate regular workforce planning reviews with business and functional leaders
Develop workforce planning standards, tools, and templates
Build strong cross-functional partnerships that enable workforce planning to become an embedded business process

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, Finance, Economics, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Data Analytics, or a related field
10+ years of experience in workforce planning, strategic workforce planning, people analytics, talent strategy, finance, consulting, or related disciplines
Demonstrated experience partnering with senior business leaders and Finance organizations
Experience developing workforce forecasts, headcount plans, or strategic talent plans
Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including workforce modeling and scenario planning
Exceptional communication, influence, and stakeholder management skills
Ability to build new processes and capabilities in a highly collaborative environment.
Preferred Master's degree (MBA, MHRM, Organizational Development, Economics, Analytics, or related field).
Experience building or scaling a workforce planning function from the ground up.
Experience implementing or leveraging workforce planning, talent intelligence, or skills platforms such as Eightfold.
Experience with skills-based talent strategies and workforce transformation initiatives.
Experience partnering on AI, automation, or digital transformation programs.
Experience in a complex, matrixed organization.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Comprehensive Total Rewards package
Discretionary incentive bonus program

ATS Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

workforce planningstrategic workforce planningpeople analyticstalent strategyworkforce modelingscenario planningfinancial forecastingheadcount planningskills-based talent strategiesAI-enabled workforce strategy

Soft Skills

analytical skillsquantitative skillscommunication skillsinfluence skillsstakeholder managementcollaborationleadershipstrategic decision-makingprocess developmentcross-functional partnership

Certifications

Bachelor's degree in HRBachelor's degree in BusinessBachelor's degree in FinanceBachelor's degree in EconomicsBachelor's degree in Industrial/Organizational PsychologyBachelor's degree in Data AnalyticsMaster's degree (MBA)Master's degree (MHRM)Master's degree in Organizational DevelopmentMaster's degree in Analytics