Arada | Planning Manager

Arada; Sharjah; On-site; AED 300,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Arada is seeking an experienced Planning & Scheduling lead to manage and govern master programmes across its development portfolio in the UAE. The role coordinates with Development, Design, Procurement and Delivery teams to ensure on-time milestones and robust reporting.

Applicants should have 10–12 years in project planning within real estate development or construction, a Civil Engineering degree, and professional certifications such as PMP/PMI-SP.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering or related discipline.
• PMI-SP, PMP or equivalent certification highly desirable.
• 10-12 years of planning and scheduling experience in real estate development or construction.

Responsibilities

• Master Programme Ownership & Governance: oversee integrated master programmes across portfolio.
• Portfolio Schedule Management: develop and govern schedules across design, procurement, construction and handover.
• Programme Review & Validation: review baseline programmes for realism and logic.
• Development Coordination: align milestones with Development, Design, Procurement, Commercial and Delivery teams.
• Planning Standards: ensure activities comply with Planning Manual and procedures.
• Progress Monitoring & Schedule Control: establish and maintain progress reporting systems.
• Executive Reporting: develop dashboards using Power BI and Primavera P6 for status updates and trend analysis.
• Performance Analysis: monitor KPIs and forecasting metrics.

Skills

Planning & scheduling

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering

PMP/PMI-SP certification desirable

Tools

Primavera P6

Power BI

Job description

About Us

At Arada, we create communities that inspire healthier, happier and more meaningful lives. Through innovative developments, exceptional customer experiences and a commitment to sustainability, we are shaping places where people can live, work and thrive.

About Us

At Arada, we create communities that inspire healthier, happier and more meaningful lives. Through innovative developments, exceptional customer experiences and a commitment to sustainability, we are shaping places where people can live, work and thrive.

Joining Arada means becoming part of a collaborative, ambitious and forward-thinking team dedicated to delivering excellence across every aspect of our business.

Role Purpose

Manage, coordinate and govern all project planning and scheduling activities across ARADA's assigned development portfolio. Operating as a critical project controls function, this role is responsible for translating master development programmes into integrated project schedules, reviewing consultant and contractor baseline programmes, monitoring progress, and maintaining robust reporting systems to safeguard project delivery milestones and handover commitments.

Key Responsibilities

• Master Programme Ownership & Governance
• Portfolio Schedule Management: Develop, maintain and govern integrated master programmes across the assigned development portfolio, tracking design, authority approvals, procurement, construction, infrastructure and project completion milestones.
• Programme Review & Validation: Review, challenge and validate consultant and contractor baseline programmes, ensuring realistic sequencing, construction methodologies, resource allocation and critical path logic.
• Development Coordination: Work closely with Development Managers, Design, Procurement, Commercial and Delivery teams to align key project milestones across the full development lifecycle.

Planning Standards: Ensure all planning activities comply with ARADA's Project Controls Manual, planning procedures and reporting standards.

• Progress Monitoring & Schedule Control
• Reporting Governance: Establish and maintain planning and reporting systems for consultants and contractors, ensuring consistency, transparency and timely submission of progress information.
• Critical Path Analysis: Conduct regular reviews of project critical paths, identifying schedule risks, delays and potential impacts before they affect key milestones.
• Recovery Planning: Develop and evaluate recovery programmes, schedule simulations and mitigation strategies to minimise delays and improve project performance.Site Progress Verification: Carry out periodic site progress reviews and independent verification to ensure reported progress accurately reflects physical completion.
• Cost & Schedule Integration
• Earned Value Management (EVM): Collaborate with Commercial and Cost Control teams to integrate physical progress with project budgets and cost reporting.
• Executive Reporting: Develop and maintain executive dashboards using Power BI and Primavera P6, providing clear project status updates, trend analysis and management-by-exception reporting.
• Performance Analysis: Monitor project KPIs, schedule performance indicators and forecasting metrics to support informed decision-making.
• Stakeholder & Team Management
• Planning Team Leadership: Mentor and support Planning Engineers, promoting high standards of planning quality, schedule integrity and reporting accuracy.
• Consultant & Contractor Interface: Lead planning coordination meetings with consultants, PMCs and contractors to ensure compliance with ARADA planning standards and contractual programme requirements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work collaboratively with Development, Design, Commercial, Procurement and Construction teams to proactively resolve programme issues and maintain project momentum

QUALIFICATION

• Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management or a related discipline.
• PMP, PMI-SP, AACE or equivalent professional certification is highly desirable

Experience

• 10-12 years of project planning and scheduling experience within the real estate development or construction industry.
• Proven client-side or PMC experience delivering large-scale residential, mixed-use, infrastructure or master-planned developments.
• Experience managing consultant and contractor programmes through all project phases from design to handover.
• Strong understanding of project controls, planning governance and development programme management.

Using GenAI in Your Application Process

To support a fair and consistent experience for all candidates, we ask that assessments and interviews are completed independently and without assistance from generative AI tools. This ensures we understand your strengths, your thinking, and how you approach real situations.

Why join Arada?

At Arada, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to projects that transform communities while working alongside talented professionals in a culture that values innovation, collaboration and continuous growth. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and make a meaningful impact.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Arada is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and make employment decisions based on merit, experience and business needs.