Job Description

The Senior Labor Strategist is a strategic advisor to Whole Foods Market's Operations leadership team. This role is responsible for developing and implementing innovative workforce planning and scheduling strategies that align with the company's core values of supporting Team Member happiness and excellence, while also satisfying and delighting customers.This role is based in Austin, TX, with an expectation of being in the Store Support office five days a week.

A successful Senior Labor Strategist will: 

 

  • Leverage data and insights from multiple sources to inform the development of comprehensive workforce management strategies. This includes drawing upon Whole Foods' operational data, industry benchmarks, and best practices. 

  • Use these data-driven insights to build a pipeline of continuous improvement initiatives that position workforce planning as a key driver of success in the grocery industry. 

  • Partner closely with cross-functional teams in Store Operations, Human Resources, Finance, and other areas to ensure alignment and effective implementation of workforce strategies. 

  • Provide strategic guidance and recommendations to senior leadership on workforce planning and management, identifying opportunities to optimize labor costs, improve productivity, and enhance the overall team member and customer experience. 

  • Stay ahead of industry trends and innovations in workforce management, continuously evaluating new technologies, tools and approaches that could benefit Whole Foods. 

  • Demonstrate strong leadership, communication and change management skills to drive adoption and sustainable change across the organization. 

  • The ideal candidate will have 10+ years of experience in workforce management, finance or a related field, with a proven track record of developing and implementing successful strategic workforce initiatives in a retail or service-oriented environment. A deep understanding of Whole Foods' operations, culture and values is also highly preferred. 
     

 

Skills 

Strategic Thinking: 

  • Ability to develop comprehensive, data-driven workforce management strategies that align with organizational goals and priorities 

  • Skill in identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and innovation in workforce planning 

  • Capacity to provide strategic guidance and recommendations to senior leadership 

 

Data Analysis and Insights: 

  • Proficiency in extracting, analyzing and deriving actionable insights from multiple data sources 

  • Skilled in translating complex data into clear, impactful visualizations and reporting 

  • Ability to identify trends, patterns and root causes to inform strategic decision-making 

 

Process Improvement: 

  • Experience designing and implementing efficient, scalable workforce management processes 

  • Skill in identifying and mitigating risks associated with workforce planning and scheduling 

  • Capacity to drive organizational change and adoption of new workforce strategies 

 

Cross-Functional Collaboration: 

  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively partner with stakeholders 

  • Ability to build consensus and align diverse teams around shared workforce objectives 

  • Skill in managing multiple priorities and stakeholder needs simultaneously 

 

Industry Knowledge: 

  • Deep understanding of retail and grocery industry workforce management best practices 

  • Awareness of emerging trends, technologies and solutions in the workforce planning space 

  • Ability to benchmark Whole Foods' workforce strategies against industry standards 

 

Leadership: 

  • Proven track record of leading successful workforce management initiatives 

  • Skill in effectively managing, developing and mentoring cross-functional teams 

  • Capacity to champion and drive sustainable change across the organization 

 

Technical Proficiency: 

  • Expertise in using workforce management software, tools and data analysis platforms 

  • Ability to interpret and apply engineered labor standards and field operations data 

  • Comfort with leveraging technology to enable innovative workforce solutions 

 

Education & Experience 

  • BA/BS degree and 8-10 years’ relevant experience OR equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. 

  • Graduate degree and experience in workforce management, business administration, finance, or related field preferred. 

  • Proven track record of developing and implementing successful workforce management strategies 

  • High level of proficiency with workforce management technologies and systems 

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills 

  • Excellent leadership and team management abilities 

  • Effective communication and interpersonal skills 

  • Strategic thinking and business acumen 

 

At Whole Foods Market, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Whole Foods Market hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.Whole Foods Market works with job sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter to promote opportunities at our company. Please be aware that other career sites may not be accurate or up to date and may even be fraudulent. We encourage and recommend all candidates to apply via our site.

Application Instructions

Please click on the link below to apply for this position. A new window will open and direct you to apply at our corporate careers page. We look forward to hearing from you!

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