Planning Manager

Arada; Sharjah; On-site; AED 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Arada is seeking a Senior Project Planner in the UAE to lead master programme ownership across the development portfolio and translate master plans into integrated schedules, ensuring alignment with milestones and governance.

You will drive progress monitoring, critical path analysis and recovery planning, while coordinating with Development, Design, Procurement and Construction teams to maintain momentum and provide clear reporting to stakeholders.

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Master Programme Ownership & Governance: Develop and govern integrated master programmes across the portfolio and align milestones across the lifecycle.
• Progress Monitoring & Schedule Control: Establish planning and reporting systems, review critical paths and develop recovery plans to minimize delays.
• Cost & Schedule Integration: Integrate physical progress with budgets; maintain executive dashboards and KPI forecasting.
• Stakeholder & Team Management: Lead planning engineers and coordinate with consultants and contractors to ensure compliance with standards.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management or a related discipline

Job description

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.

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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

Requirements: