Workforce Design & Optimisation Manager

Brighter Futures Start Here

We are an inclusive team who power two of the most iconic and loved brands, Kmart and Target. We have more than 50,000 passionate individuals across our stores, distribution centres, and offices around the globe.

With our brands touching the lives of almost two million customers every week, you’ll feel the impact of the work you’ll do every day. As a leader in the retail market, we’re optimistic about our future and yours. We’re changing at a rapid rate, giving you challenging work that you’ll be proud of.

Join the team

We're looking for a Workforce Design and Optimisation Manager to join our Customer & Team Member Experience team and help shape the future of workforce planning across Kmart's store network.

Reporting to the Head of Workforce Planning, you'll play a critical role in designing and optimising workforce models, labour standards and operating frameworks that enable our stores to deliver great customer and team experiences. Working closely with Store Operations, Demand Planning and Workforce Operations, you'll turn data and insights into practical solutions that improve productivity, support operational execution and drive sustainable business outcomes.

This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic and commercially minded leader who enjoys solving complex operational challenges, influencing key stakeholders and delivering meaningful change at scale.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead the design, optimisation and continuous improvement of workforce models, labour standards and operating frameworks across the store network.
• Develop and maintain labour standards, productivity assumptions and workforce structures that support operational excellence and business performance.
• Partner with Demand Planning teams to translate demand forecasts into effective workforce design solutions.
• Identify and deliver optimisation initiatives that improve productivity, labour efficiency and cost outcomes.
• Lead scenario modelling and workforce planning analysis to support strategic decision-making and future workforce requirements.
• Work closely with Store Operations and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure workforce frameworks are practical, scalable and adopted across stores.
• Embed workforce design principles into workforce management systems and scheduling tools to drive consistency and execution.
• Lead, coach and develop a small team while fostering a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and collaboration.

To be successful in this role you’ll have:

• Experience in workforce planning, workforce design, operational excellence, productivity improvement or a related discipline within a large and complex retail environment.
• Demonstrated experience designing labour models, workforce frameworks, labour standards or operating models.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data and insights into practical business solutions.
• Experience delivering productivity, efficiency or cost improvement initiatives that drive measurable business outcomes.
• Proven ability to partner with operational and cross-functional stakeholders to influence decision-making and deliver change.
• Experience working with UKG Pro Workforce Management as the workforce management platforms.
• Strong commercial acumen and an understanding of the relationship between workforce planning, productivity and operational performance.
• Leadership experience with a passion for developing teams and building strong stakeholder relationships.
• The ability to balance analytical rigour with operational practicality, ensuring solutions are scalable, simple and easily adopted.

Benefits we’ll offer you:

• Flexible hybrid working options through our Flex Where, Flex When, Flex Well policy.  
• A team member discount card that gives you a discount at Kmart, Target, Officeworks and Bunnings 
• Access to the Brighter Benefits program which entitles you to exclusive discounts and benefits in the areas of entertainment, travel, lifestyle, and health – with over 60 suppliers!  
• We want you to feel rewarded for your commitment and hard work that's why eligible team members get the opportunity to participate in a bonus program 
• We offer inclusive parental leave, and ongoing support offered through our partnership with Circle In for team members of all backgrounds and family circumstances  
• A dynamic learning and support program 
• Opportunity to fast track your career through our Mentor Program as a Mentee or Mentor 
• A Kudos recognition program, where you are nominated by your peers to spin a wheel, to win a stack of cool prizes 
• Great career opportunities across the broader Wesfarmers Group 

We celebrate the rich diversity of the communities in which we operate. We are committed to creating inclusive and safe environments where all our team members can contribute and succeed. We believe that all team members should feel valued, respected and safe, and strive to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and welcoming, with applications encouraged from all candidates.

We encourage you to tell us about any workplace adjustments that you would like, by emailing kmartgroupcareers@kmart.com.au.

If you would like to explore a career with Kmart and this sounds like the perfect role for you – apply now!

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