Senior Planner - Tunnelling

CPB Contractors Pty; Sydney; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

CPB Contractors is seeking a Senior Planner to develop and maintain integrated project programmes for major tunnelling and civil infrastructure works. You will coordinate with delivery teams to meet milestones, forecast risks and manage schedules across tender and delivery phases.

With 8–10 years' planning and project controls experience on large infrastructure, you will have advanced Primavera P6 skills and a solid grasp of critical path, earned value and schedule risk analysis.

Qualifications

• Degree-qualified in a relevant discipline with practical project controls exposure.
• 8–10 years’ planning/controls on infrastructure projects, including tunnelling or civil works.
• Advanced Primavera P6 and schedule/risk management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and scheduling activities across tender and bid phases.
• Collaborate with estimating, engineering, commercial and delivery teams.
• Prepare tender schedules, staging, logistics and critical path analyses.
• Provide planning input for workshops, risk reviews and value engineering.
• Assess tender docs for programme risks and delivery opportunities.
• Support post-award schedule development and transition to delivery baselines.
• Contribute to client presentations with methodology and sequencing input.
• Demonstrated experience delivering major tunnelling/infra projects.
• Work with cross-functional teams during bid and pre-contract phases.
• Understand construction methodologies, staging and resource forecasting.

Skills

Primavera P6

Critical path

Earned value mgmt

Schedule risk analysis

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Education

Engineering degree

Construction Management

PM qualification

Tools

BIM

4D planning

Job description

About The Role

Reporting to the Planning Manager or Project Controls Manager, the Senior Planner is responsible for developing, maintaining and monitoring integrated project programmes across major tunnelling and civil infrastructure works. The role provides schedule leadership and supports project teams in achieving delivery milestones through effective planning, forecasting, risk management and stakeholder engagement.

CPB Contractors

About The Role

Reporting to the Planning Manager or Project Controls Manager, the Senior Planner is responsible for developing, maintaining and monitoring integrated project programmes across major tunnelling and civil infrastructure works. The role provides schedule leadership and supports project teams in achieving delivery milestones through effective planning, forecasting, risk management and stakeholder engagement.

The position will play a critical role in coordinating engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning activities across complex underground works, ensuring alignment with project objectives, contractual requirements and client expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead planning and scheduling activities during tender and bid phases, including development of baseline programmes, construction methodologies, resource forecasts, and tender submissions.
• Collaborate with estimating, engineering, commercial, and delivery teams to develop competitive and deliverable tender programmes aligned with project requirements.
• Prepare and review tender schedules, staging strategies, possession plans, logistics methodologies, and critical path analyses to support bid development and client submissions.
• Provide planning expertise for interactive tender workshops, risk reviews, value engineering initiatives, and programme optimisation opportunities.
• Assess tender documentation, specifications, and contract requirements to identify programme risks, constraints, and delivery opportunities.
• Support post-award programme development and ensure seamless transition of tender schedules into project delivery baselines.
• Contribute to bid interviews and client presentations, providing technical input on programme methodology, sequencing, and project delivery strategies.
• Demonstrated experience developing and delivering successful tender programmes for major infrastructure, tunnelling, rail, transport, or civil construction projects.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with estimating, engineering, commercial, and project delivery teams during bid and pre-contract phases.
• Strong understanding of construction methodologies, staging, logistics planning, and resource forecasting for complex infrastructure projects.

Required Skills & Experience

• Degree qualification in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or related discipline.
• Minimum 8-10 years' experience in planning and project controls on major infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated experience delivering large-scale tunnelling, underground, rail, transport or civil infrastructure projects.
• Advanced Primavera P6 skills.
• Strong understanding of critical path methodology, earned value management and schedule risk analysis.
• Experience working in contractor or joint venture environments on complex infrastructure projects.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management and commercial awareness skills.

Desirable

• Experience on TBM-driven tunnel projects.
• Experience on major transport infrastructure projects such as rail, metro, road tunnels or underground stations.
• Exposure to BIM, 4D planning and digital engineering tools.
• Knowledge of claims, delay analysis and contractual programme requirements