GroupM | Staffing Strategist, APAC Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Staffing Strategist, APAC

GroupM is the world's largest media investment company and is a part of WPP. In fact, we are responsible for one in every three ads you see globally. We are currently looking for an Experienced staffing strategist to build and strengthen our resource management capability at GroupM in APAC that drives a cultural shift towards people accountability by developing a forward-looking, data-driven workforce strategy.

OVERVIEW OF JOB

As a Staffing Strategist at GroupM, you play a crucial role in connecting internal talent with growth opportunities, supporting client teams with optimal staffing solutions, and maintaining accurate people data and processes that shape business growth and success. This position requires a deep understanding of employee needs, skills, and aspirations, and a strategic approach to balancing the interests of people, clients, and the business.

REPORTING OF THE ROLE: Chief People Officer, Centre of Values, APAC

This role will partner closely with Capacity Planners and business leaders, Data and Systems teams, and Resource Management leadership and in future with Workforce Planning (as the operating model matures/evolves) to drive daily role success.

MEASURES OF SUCCESS:

IN THREE MONTHS

1. Develop a comprehensive understanding of GroupM's staffing strategies, processes, and tools.
2. Build relationships with HRBPs, Learning & Effectiveness, Job Family leadership, Capacity Planners, Data and Operations Leads, Talent Acquisition and the broader people function.
3. Gain a clear understanding of the current staffing landscape, including internal talent job families and client demands.
4. Familiarize yourself with the people data systems and ensure accurate maintenance of staffing-related operations.
5. Begin supporting client teams and Capacity Planners with staffing needs, ensuring alignment with current processes and understanding initial challenges.

IN SIX MONTHS

1. Actively contribute to connecting internal talent with growth opportunities – operating seamlessly in the Resource Management systems.
2. Start providing staffing recommendations that balance people, clients, and business interests.
3. Collaborate effectively with Capacity Planners and the Talent Acquisition team to address staffing needs, including external hires as required.
4. Ensure all relevant people data is up-to-date and begin identifying trends and patterns to inform staffing decisions.
5. Proactively flag and address any staffing delays or timeline issues with strategic solutions.
6. Understand your specific internal talent base – grasping skills needed, aspirations, and opportunities within your pod of people.

IN TWELVE MONTHS

1. Demonstrate a strong understanding of job family needs and skillsets, supporting client demands with well-aligned internal talent.
2. Have a deep understanding of the people in your pod's skillsets, strengths, and career aspirations to effectively allocate resources and ensure employee satisfaction.
3. Regularly identify and assess employee interests and development areas, providing tailored opportunities that align with client scopes.
4. Drive strategic staffing recommendations based on a thorough understanding of budgets, timelines, and skill sets across all job families in the market.
5. Lead initiatives to ensure employees are effectively leveraged during downtime, enhancing overall utilization and contributing to client work and opportunities.
6. Continuously refine and optimize staffing-related processes and data tracking, contributing to the overall success and growth of GroupM's talent management strategy.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE

Understanding our People

1. Help internal people connect to opportunities at GroupM.
2. Work closely with HRBPs and Learning & Effectiveness to understand people needs, opportunities and trainings in preparation for future opportunities.
3. Work with Job Family leadership to understand Job Family needs & skillsets to support client demands with Client Teams and Capacity Planners.
4. Work with the broader people team to identify and assess employee's interests and development areas, offering opportunities to align client scopes to employee's growth and mobility desires.

Fulfillment

1. Support Client Teams by staffing people to the right client opportunities.
2. Balance people, client, and business interests at all times.
3. Work closely with capacity planners to understand the right people to allocate to staff plans, ensuring the right skillset, location and level.
4. Partner with the Talent Acquisition team (including contract positions) to staff external hires against staff plans as needed.

Data, Tracking & Processes

1. Maintain (people data) and all staffing related operations for the people you are responsible for including but not limited to time tracking, rotations, allocation breakage, open aging roles, time in client, utilization, and attrition.
2. Understand additional people data, outside of the Resource Management function (Example: Tenure, performance, time in role, time in level, professional goals).
3. Drive high level of resource utilization ensuring available time is allocated to client work, sales opportunities, etc.
4. Flag any delays on movement or timeline issues to capacity planners to work through strategic solutions and risk management.

ROLE EXPECTATIONS

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

1. Strong understanding of HR processes, employee development, and talent management.
2. Experience in Resource Management, Talent Acquisition and/or Workforce Planning.
3. Familiarity or experience in the advertising or media industry is a plus.
4. Proficiency in data management and analysis tools.
5. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
6. Ability to handle confidential and sensitive data and information.

IMPACT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

1. Connect internal talent with growth opportunities, significantly contributing to employee satisfaction and retention.
2. Provide strategic staffing recommendations that balance the interests of people, clients, and the business.
3. Ensure accuracy and reliability of staffing-related data and processes.
4. Support client teams by ensuring the right talent is allocated to meet client needs effectively.

AUTONOMY AND MANAGEMENT

1. Operate with a high level of autonomy, making informed decisions about staffing and talent management.
2. Lead initiatives to improve staffing-related processes and systems.
3. Proactively manage and resolve staffing delays or issues, continuously keeping partners in the loop on problem solving and risk mitigation strategies.

INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY

1. Identify and implement process improvements for tracking time, rotations, and allocations.
2. Develop creative solutions to align employee development opportunities with client demands.
3. Continuously refine and optimize staffing-related processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

More about GroupM

GroupM leads and shapes media markets by delivering performance-enhancing media products and services, powered by data and technology. Our global network agencies and businesses enable our people to work collaboratively across borders with the best in class, providing them the opportunity to accelerate their progress and development. We are not limited by teams or geographies; our scale and diverse range of clients lets us be more adventurous with our business and talent. We give our talent the space, support and tools to innovate and grow.

GroupM is an equal opportunity employer. We view everyone as an individual and we understand that inclusion is more than just diversity – it's about belonging. We celebrate the fact that everyone is unique and that's what makes us so good at what we do. We pride ourselves on being a company that embraces difference and truly represents the global clients we work with.

Discover more about GroupM at www.groupm.com
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