Project Planner

Lonza; Oberwallis; Hybrid; Vertraulich; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Agile culture

Inclusive workplace

Job summary

Lonza is seeking a Project Controls Planner to drive end-to-end schedule management for global capital projects. The role is office-first with the option to work remotely up to 20% of the time, enabling real-time collaboration and alignment.

You will develop master plans for large-scale investments (> CHF 20M), perform critical path analyses, and deliver progress metrics while maintaining comprehensive records and facilitating scheduling reviews with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• 5–8+ years planning large-scale capital projects (> CHF 20M) across pharma/biotech or similar industries.
• Experience in an EPCM environment; client-side capital project exposure is a plus.
• Fluent English (written and spoken); basic German is a plus.
• Degree in Engineering, Science, or Business Management (or equivalent practical experience).

Responsibilities

• Drive development, monitoring, and updating of integrated project master plans for major capital investments across global sites.
• Prepare baseline schedules and schedule-basis documentation for key stakeholders.
• Perform critical path and near-critical path analyses to identify risks and bottlenecks.
• Evaluate schedule deviations, calculate variances, and work with teams to implement corrective actions.
• Deliver progress reports, trend charts, and schedule performance metrics regularly.
• Maintain records of scope changes, trends, and variances affecting timelines.
• Facilitate planning sessions and scheduling review meetings with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Analytical mindset

Problem-solving

Collaborative communication

Education

Engineering/Science/Business Management degree

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Excel

Job description

Are you ready to shape the infrastructure that manufactures tomorrow’s life-saving medicines? We are seeking a skilled Project Controls Planner to drive end-to-end schedule management across Lonza’s global capital project portfolio.

This is an office-first role. Working together in person supports close, real‑time collaboration and team alignment, enabling us to deliver our best work. You will work primarily in the office, with the flexibility to work remotely for 20% of your time (one day per week).

What you will get:

• An agile career and dynamic working culture.
• An inclusive and ethical workplace.

What you will do:

• Drive the development, monitoring, and updating of integrated project master plans for major capital investments (> CHF 20M–300M+) across global sites.
• Prepare baseline schedules and comprehensive schedule-basis documentation for key project stakeholders.
• Perform critical path and near-critical path analyses to proactively identify project risks and potential bottlenecks.
• Evaluate schedule deviations, calculate variances, and collaborate with project teams to implement corrective action plans.
• Deliver clear progress reports, trend charts, and schedule performance metrics on a periodic basis.
• Maintain transparent records of scope changes, trends, and variances affecting overall timeline performance.
• Facilitate interactive planning sessions and project scheduling review meetings with cross-functional project teams.

What we are looking for:

• Proven experience (5–8+ years) planning large-scale capital projects (> CHF 20M) from design through commissioning and start-up within pharma, biotech, CDMO, or similar process industries.
• Demonstrated background working within an EPCM environment; client-side capital project experience is a distinct advantage.
• Technical mastery of Primavera P6, MS Project, and advanced Excel analytical capabilities for complex scheduling datasets.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset with the ability to draw clear conclusions and guide project leadership decisions.
• Degree in Engineering, Science, or Business Management (or equivalent practical experience).
• Business-fluent English skills (written and spoken); basic German language skills are a plus.
• Collaborative communicator capable of operating independently and within fast-paced global team structures.

About Lonza

At Lonza, their people are our greatest strength. With 30+ sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. Everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and that’s the kind of work we want you to be part of.

Innovation thrives when people from all backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table.

At Lonza, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment.