Job Description

Are you a strategic leader passionate about shaping the future workforce? We are seeking a dynamic Head of Strategic Workforce Planning & Skills to spearhead the development and execution of a comprehensive workforce planning and skills-centric talent management strategy. In this pivotal role, you will proactively anticipate future workforce needs, identify critical skills gaps, and craft targeted talent initiatives aligned with our business objectives. Collaborating closely with Talent Management, Learning & Development, Talent Acquisition, and Business Capability teams, you will embed innovative SWP and skills frameworks into organizational practices, enhancing our workforce's agility, resilience, and readiness for the future. If you are driven to make a strategic impact and lead transformative talent initiatives, we want to hear from you!


At AXA we work smart, empowering our people to balance their time between home and the office in a way that works best for them, their team and our customers. You'll work at least two days a week (40%) away from home, moving to three days a week (60%) in the future. Away from home means either attendance at one of our office locations, visiting clients or attending industry events.


We're also happy to consider flexible working arrangements, which you can discuss with Talent Acquisition.

What you'll be doing:

Develop a Future-Ready SWP & Skills Strategy:

Lead the design and implementation of an integrated SWP and skills management strategy that supports current and future organizational needs. Collaborate with senior leadership, Strategic People Partners and the Chief People Officer (CPO) to align SWP initiatives with overarching business goals, leveraging insights from industry trends, labour markets, and strategic forecasts.

Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP):

Build and govern a robust SWP framework, utilizing data analysis, scenario planning, and predictive modelling to forecast workforce demand and supply. Partner with business leaders to identify skills gaps, succession needs, and talent risks, developing proactive strategies to mitigate them. Develop talent pipelines through targeted upskilling, reskilling, and mobility initiatives aligned with future workforce requirements. Regularly monitor external labour market dynamics and incorporate these insights into SWP models. Define and track KPIs to evaluate the effectiveness of SWP activities and continuously improve planning accuracy.

Skills Framework & Taxonomy:

Create and maintain a skills taxonomy that supports workforce planning, talent development, and organizational agility. Transition from traditional job architecture to a skills-based model that enhances resourcing flexibility and future-proofing.

Data & Analytics for Workforce Decision-Making:

Lead the transformation of HR systems (e.g., Workday, L&D platforms, TA tools) to optimize data collection, analysis, and reporting related to SWP and skills. Use insights and metrics to inform talent acquisition, development, redeployment, and restructuring initiatives. Provide regular reports and dashboards to stakeholders to support strategic decision-making. Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management: Influence senior leaders to adopt a strategic and data-driven approach to workforce planning and skills management. Enable HR and People Partners with tools, training, and best practices to embed SWP and skills initiatives into business processes.

Technology and Data Platform Optimization:

Oversee technology platform enhancements to support SWP and skills data gathering, analysis, and reporting. Drive continuous improvement in data quality, analytics, and platform functionality to support strategic HR practices. Thought Leadership & Continuous Improvement: Stay abreast of industry trends, best practices, and innovative approaches in SWP and skills management. Foster a culture of agility, learning, and resilience to adapt to changing workforce demands and market conditions.

Collaboration and Relationship Building:

Establish strong partnerships across Talent Acquisition, L&D, Reward, and Business units to align SWP and skills strategies with broader organizational priorities. Capability Building: Work with L&D and TA to develop targeted upskilling and reskilling programs to fill identified skills gaps and support future workforce needs. Budget Management: Manage the budgets for SWP and skills transformation initiatives, ensuring resource allocation maximizes strategic impact and ROI.

Due to the number of applications we expect to receive for this role, we reserve the right to close this advert earlier than the listed closing date to ensure we're able to effectively manage interest. Therefore, if you're interested in joining us at AXA, please don't hesitate to apply.

What you'll bring:

Extensive experience in talent management, HR, or organizational development, with a focus on Strategic Workforce Planning and skills management. Proven success in designing and implementing SWP frameworks integrated with skills strategies. Strong analytical skills with expertise in workforce data analytics, scenario modeling, and forecasting. Ability to influence and collaborate with senior stakeholders and executive leadership. Knowledge of HR technology platforms supporting workforce planning and skills data. Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Excellent communication, change management, and stakeholder engagement skills. As a precondition of employment for this role, you must be eligible and authorised to work in the United Kingdom.

What we offer:

At AXA UK, we're appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:


Competitive annual salary


Annual company & performance-based bonus


Contributory pension scheme (up to 12% employer contributions)


Life Assurance (up to 10 x annual salary)


Private medical cover


28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays


Opportunity to buy up to 5 extra days leave or sell up to 5 days leave


Wellbeing services & resources


AXA employee discounts


To apply, click on the 'apply for this job' button, you'll then need to log in or create a profile to submit your CV. We're proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer and don't discriminate against employees or potential employees based on protected characteristics. If you have a long-term condition or disability and require adjustments during the application or interview process, we're proud to offer access to the AXA Accessibility Concierge. For our support, please send an email to suzie.elliott@axa-uk.co.uk.


AXA UK Support Functions power AXA's three customer-facing business units, providing the infrastructure, support and expertise to ensure our customers can always count on us. Whether you've got heaps of experience and qualifications behind you, or you're just starting out, we'll give you the support and opportunities to help you grow and develop with confidence.