Workforce Planner

Role overview

Air New Zealand is seeking a Workforce Planner to help ensure the right people are scheduled in the right place at the right time across a large and complex operation. This position suits someone who enjoys working with data, spotting patterns, and turning analysis into practical workforce plans.

You will partner with operational leaders and other stakeholders to create workforce and leave plans that align customer demand, operational resilience, cost control, contractual commitments, and regulatory obligations. Your work will directly support day-to-day planning, business decisions, and service delivery.

What you will do

• Build and keep up-to-date workforce and leave plans for medium- and long-range horizons, covering roughly 6 months through 5 years ahead.
• Review workforce demand, staffing capacity, leave needs, operational risk, and performance trends.
• Weigh operational needs against labour costs, contractual terms, and regulatory requirements to produce workable plans.
• Track workforce plans and prepare reports, insights, options, and recommendations to guide decision-making.
• Spot workforce bottlenecks, risks, and opportunities, then propose practical solutions that improve readiness.
• Use data analysis, modelling, and structured problem-solving to support decisions and bring clarity to complex situations.
• Develop trusted relationships with operational leaders and key stakeholders, challenge assumptions constructively, and convert business needs into actionable plans.
• Contribute to better workforce planning methods, tools, systems, and ways of working.
• Keep workforce planning data and systems accurate so reporting, compliance, and decisions are well supported.
• Promote safety, security, and compliance in everything you do.

What we are looking for

• Background in workforce planning, workforce management, resource planning, rostering, operational planning, or a similar analytical planning role.
• Strong analytical ability, numerical confidence, logical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to read data, identify patterns, assess alternatives, and convert findings into clear, practical recommendations.
• Excellent organisation and planning capability, with strong attention to detail and the ability to juggle competing priorities.
• Confidence working with stakeholders, challenging constructively, and influencing outcomes through clear communication and evidence-based reasoning.
• Ability to take ownership, work effectively in ambiguity, and help create structure when the path is unclear.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel skills and comfort using data-led planning tools.
• Experience with tools such as GroundStar Planning, Power BI, or similar workforce planning/reporting/visualisation systems is an advantage.
• A continuous improvement mindset and genuine interest in improving how work gets done.
• A relevant tertiary qualification is helpful but not required if you can show equivalent experience.

Additional information

Applications close on 13/07/2026.

Air New Zealand is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and aims to provide a workplace where people can be themselves and thrive. The company values the differences and diversity of thought its people bring to their roles and welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities, additional health and mental health needs, and neurodiverse candidates.

If you face accessibility barriers or need reasonable accommodations during recruitment, you are encouraged to contact the recruiter listed in the job advertisement so support can be arranged for fair participation in the process.

“Seek to bring distant horizons closer. Once near, seize them and make them your reality.”