Planning Manager – Utility-Scale Solar / Power Projects

Terracotta Outsourcing; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 446,000 - 670,000; Full time

Job summary

Terracotta Outsourcing is recruiting a Planning Manager for a landmark utility-scale Solar PV IPP project in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The role leads overall planning, IMS governance, and interfaces across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and grid connections.

The candidate will manage Integrated Master Schedule, coordinate EPC/contractor planning, and drive schedule risk analysis, recovery planning, and governance with senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Project Management, or equivalent.
• 12+ years of project planning/project controls experience.
• Minimum 5 years in a managerial or senior planning leadership capacity on large EPC/IPP power or renewable energy projects.
• Proven experience developing and managing integrated EPC schedules for utility-scale Solar PV or major power-generation projects.
• Strong hands-on expertise with Primavera P6 and MS Project.
• Strong understanding of the complete EPC project lifecycle, including engineering, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning, and handover.
• Strong knowledge of construction sequencing across civil, mechanical, electrical, and commissioning disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience managing planning interfaces involving power plants/Solar PV facilities, substations, and grid connections.
• Strong experience with critical-path analysis, schedule-risk analysis, scenario modelling, and recovery planning.
• Contractual awareness covering delay analysis, Time Impact Assessments, EOTs, variations, and claims support.
• Experience reviewing and challenging EPC contractor schedules.
• Proven ability to present schedule performance and project risks to senior/executive management and external project stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder-management, negotiation, communication, and leadership capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Establish, develop, and govern the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) covering engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and interfaces.
• Ensure project schedules reflect contractual, technical, commercial, and execution requirements.
• Establish planning-control methodologies, reporting structures, progress-measurement systems, and scheduling standards.
• Monitor project progress against baselines and identify potential schedule deviations at an early stage.
• Lead critical-path analysis, schedule-risk assessments, scenario modelling, and what-if analysis.
• Develop and challenge mitigation, acceleration, and recovery plans where schedule delays or disruptions arise.
• Act as the primary planning counterpart to the EPC Contractor's Planning Manager.
• Review, challenge, and validate EPC contractor and subcontractor schedules, progress updates, forecasts, and recovery plans.
• Coordinate multiple EPC and subcontractor planning teams to ensure consistency across the overall project schedule.
• Ensure engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning activities are appropriately integrated.
• Challenge contractor assumptions and provide clear recommendations to project leadership regarding schedule performance and delivery risks.
• Manage planning interfaces across the Solar PV plant, substations, transmission/grid connection, and commissioning milestones.
• Integrate procurement and logistics schedules for major equipment including PV modules, inverters, transformers, and associated electrical systems.
• Ensure construction sequencing appropriately integrates civil, mechanical, electrical, testing, and commissioning activities.
• Coordinate critical interface dates and grid-related milestones with relevant project stakeholders.
• Drive alignment between schedule, cost, risk, procurement, and overall project controls.
• Identify critical schedule risks and provide strategic recommendations to senior project management.
• Provide schedule and time-related analysis supporting variations, claims, delay assessments, and Extension of Time (EOT) evaluations.
• Support Time Impact Assessments and evaluation of contractor delay submissions.
• Maintain robust schedule records and supporting documentation to protect the project's contractual position.
• Incorporate HSE-related milestones and safe-execution requirements within project planning activities.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Project planning

Scheduling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/PM

Master's degree in Engineering/PM

PMP/PSP certification

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Job description

At Terracotta – Driving Business Growth in Recruitment, Outsourcing & Corporate Services

We are a leading outsourcing company in the UAE, delivering recruitment, manpower, visa outsourcing, EOR/PEO, business setup, PRO services, and corporate solutions across the region.

We are currently hiring an experienced Planning Manager to support a key client on a landmark utility‑scale Solar PV Independent Power Project (IPP) in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

This is a senior project planning position responsible for leading the overall planning, scheduling, and schedule-governance function across a major renewable energy development. The successful candidate will oversee the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and grid interfaces while ensuring alignment with EPC contractual requirements and key project milestones.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience delivering large‑scale EPC/IPP power or renewable energy projects, with particularly strong exposure to utility‑scale solar PV, power generation, substations, and grid connection interfaces.

Position: Planning Manager

Employment: Permanent

Reporting To: Site Manager

Key Responsibilities

Project Planning & Scheduling

• Establish, develop, and govern the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) covering engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and associated project interfaces.
• Ensure project schedules accurately reflect contractual, technical, commercial, and execution requirements.
• Establish planning‑control methodologies, reporting structures, progress‑measurement systems, and scheduling standards.
• Monitor project progress against approved baselines and identify potential schedule deviations at an early stage.
• Lead critical‑path analysis, schedule‑risk assessments, scenario modelling, and what‑if analysis.
• Develop and challenge mitigation, acceleration, and recovery plans where schedule delays or disruptions arise.

EPC & Contractor Planning Management

• Act as the primary planning counterpart to the EPC Contractor's Planning Manager.
• Review, challenge, and validate EPC contractor and subcontractor schedules, progress updates, forecasts, and recovery plans.
• Coordinate multiple EPC and subcontractor planning teams to ensure consistency across the overall project schedule.
• Ensure engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning activities are appropriately integrated.
• Challenge contractor assumptions and provide clear recommendations to project leadership regarding schedule performance and delivery risks.
• Manage planning interfaces across the Solar PV plant, substations, transmission/grid connection, and commissioning milestones.
• Integrate procurement and logistics schedules for major equipment including PV modules, inverters, transformers, and associated electrical systems with site construction activities.
• Ensure construction sequencing appropriately integrates civil, mechanical, electrical, testing, and commissioning activities.
• Coordinate critical interface dates and grid‑related milestones with relevant project stakeholders.
• Drive alignment between schedule, cost, risk, procurement, and overall project controls.
• Identify critical schedule risks and provide strategic recommendations to senior project management.
• Provide schedule and time‑related analysis supporting variations, claims, delay assessments, and Extension of Time (EOT) evaluations.
• Support Time Impact Assessments and evaluation of contractor delay submissions.
• Maintain robust schedule records and supporting documentation to protect the project's contractual position.
• Incorporate HSE‑related milestones and safe‑execution requirements within project planning activities.

Reporting & Stakeholder Management

• Prepare and present schedule‑performance reports, critical‑path assessments, milestone status, risks, and recovery recommendations to senior management.
• Communicate complex planning information clearly to executive and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Coordinate schedule‑related matters with the Owner's Engineer, EPC contractors, subcontractors, grid/interface stakeholders, lenders, and independent auditors.
• Provide accurate schedule information for management and project‑governance reporting.
• Influence contractors and multidisciplinary stakeholders to maintain alignment with project delivery objectives.

Leadership

• Lead and coordinate planning resources across the project.
• Coach and develop junior Planning Engineers and strengthen planning capability within the project team.
• Establish consistent planning standards and promote strong schedule ownership across engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning functions.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Project Management, or equivalent.
• 12+ years of project planning/project controls experience.
• Minimum 5 years in a managerial or senior planning leadership capacity on large‑scale EPC/IPP power or renewable energy projects.
• Proven experience developing and managing integrated EPC schedules for utility‑scale Solar PV or major power‑generation projects.
• Strong hands‑on expertise with Primavera P6 and MS Project.
• Strong understanding of the complete EPC project lifecycle, including engineering, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning, and handover.
• Strong knowledge of construction sequencing across civil, mechanical, electrical, and commissioning disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience managing planning interfaces involving power plants/Solar PV facilities, substations, and grid connections.
• Strong experience with critical‑path analysis, schedule‑risk analysis, scenario modelling, and recovery planning.
• Contractual awareness covering delay analysis, Time Impact Assessments, EOTs, variations, and claims support.
• Experience reviewing and challenging EPC contractor schedules rather than solely maintaining internal schedules.
• Proven ability to present schedule performance and project risks to senior/executive management and external project stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder‑management, negotiation, communication, and leadership capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management, or a related discipline.
• PMP and/or PSP certification.
• Previous experience working from an Owner/Developer, Owner's Engineer, PMC, or major EPC environment.
• UAE/GCC experience on major power, renewable energy, or infrastructure developments.
• Direct experience with utility‑scale Solar PV IPP projects.
• Experience working within complex project structures involving developers, EPC contractors, utilities/offtakers, lenders, regulators, and independent auditors.