Senior Forecaster

About the Role & Team:

“We make magic.” That’s our motto at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and it permeates everything we do. At Disney, you’ll help inspire that magic by enabling our teams to push the limits of entertainment and create the never-before-seen! Are you ready to join this team and make an impact?

Workload and Staffing are analytical functions within Workforce Management which help to plan for and balance guest service needs with financial constraints, while improving Cast satisfaction. A Forecaster builds labor scenarios and maintains mathematical models for their business areas, to calculate detail workload and/or resolve optimal staffing size and hiring needs for the rest of the year. This role regularly partners with Operations to understand changes to the business, finds solutions to meet changing service needs within a fixed budget, and updates models to reflect decisions made by operational leadership. You will lead tasks related to larger analyses including new location openings, pivotal initiatives, and annual headcount and financial planning.

What You Will Do:

• Building out daily event attendance forecasts based on registration information, schedules, and previous year actuals

• Develop labor forecasts used by Operations, Casting, Finance, and Workforce Management

• Monitor performance in assigned operational areas

• Identify operational issues and risks, and create options for resolution

• Partner with labor team members to continually improve workload and staffing planning

• Listen to requests and validate true need by anticipating context and meaning

• Quantify and articulate impacts from change requests and trends

• Convey information in a timely manner and respond quickly to requests

• Maintain models, using format standards

• Accurately and consistently document changes

• Identify and call out significant changes

• Generate workload and staffing related reporting

• Become workload subject matter expert in assigned area

• Work with General Managers, Proprietors, and Labor Managers and act as point of contact for day-to-day decisions on workload and staffing activities within scope

• Assist Analysts in project analysis; handle task or phase level plans as needed

• Partner with Finance on direct labor impact projects to provide accurate data

• Provide recommendations on labor savings initiatives through direct knowledge and relationships with supported client areas

• Partner with scheduling and workload to ensure positions are flowing accurately for day of deployment and create/modify/delete positions/business areas as required by the area

• Support increased size and complexity of supported clients

• Provide assistance, guidance, and training to peer Workforce Forecasters

• Analyze trends globally for consistency and recommend efficiency solutions

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Ability to balance multiple tasks and perform daily accountabilities in an efficient manner

• Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills with attention to detail, problem solving, and decision-making skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to be flexible with work schedule, including weekends and holidays

• Proven conceptual and analytical thinking skills

• Ability to handle confidential information

• Ability to build and maintain business relationships

• Ability to maintain composure and professionalism under pressure

• Demonstrated flexibility in response to change and support of new initiatives

• Ability to create engaging PowerPoint presentations and facilitate complex data through understandable stories to appropriate audiences

• Proficiency in basic computer functions necessary to operate in a Windows environment and other technologies including basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel analytics

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of and/or experience with labor systems, such as LDPS, GEMS, and CDS

• Previous experience with financial systems and/or processes

• Knowledge of statistical analysis techniques

• Ability to create, develop, and audit reporting, macros and complex statistical tools

Preferred Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Statistical Field or related experience

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