Assistant Planner - Nottingham

Stepnell; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced pension 7%

Generous annual leave

Employee referral programme

Health coverage

Car allowance or company car

Job summary

Stepnell, based in Nottingham, is seeking an Assistant Planner to support the Planning Lead during preconstruction and live construction phases. You will help develop programmes and logistics proposals to maximise tender opportunities while protecting margins.

During construction you will monitor and analyse site progress to ensure projects are delivered safely, on time and within budget, contributing to strategy and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Experience in planning or site engineering/management with planning focus.
• Familiarity with planning software and visual planning tools (PowerPoint, SketchUp, Synchro).
• Analytical mindset to spot risks, bottlenecks and opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Planning Lead across preconstruction and live construction phases.
• Help develop tender programmes, design and procurement schedules, and site logistics plans.
• Collaborate with site teams to transition Tender Programmes into live Construction, Master, and Managing programmes.
• Monitor procurement against schedules and review subcontractor progress and resources.
• Support monthly progress reports and documentation related to Extensions of Time and variations.

Skills

Planning experience

Proficient with planning tools

Strong communication

Tools

PowerPoint

SketchUp

Synchro

Job description

As an Assistant Planner at our Nottingham office, you will support the Planning Lead across both preconstruction and live construction phases. At the tender stage, you will help develop programmes and logistics proposals designed to maximise work-winning opportunities while protecting margins. During construction, you will assist in monitoring, analysing, and critiquing site progress to ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and according to strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Work Winning & Tenders: Assess tender documentation to identify risks and opportunities. Assist in (and occasionally lead) the creation of resourced Tender Programmes, design and procurement schedules, and site logistics plans (using tools like PowerPoint and Google SketchUp, with potential exposure to 4D planning software like Synchro).
• Preconstruction Support: Carry out site appraisals, assist with method statements, analyse preliminary item enquiries (such as scaffold, tower crane, and temporary power schedules), and engage with key suppliers and subcontractors to verify lead times and durations.
• Site & Construction Planning: Collaborate with site delivery teams to transition Tender Programmes into live Construction, Master, and Managing programmes. Monitor procurement against construction schedules and review subcontractor progress and resources.
• Progress Monitoring & Reporting: Track project progress against baseline plans, highlight delays, recommend recovery measures, and help develop countdown-to-completion programmes prior to Practical Completion. Support the preparation of monthly progress reports and documentation related to Extensions of Time (EOTs) and variations.
• Client & Team Collaboration: Assist with project launch presentations to site teams, attend tender and client interviews, and participate in formal tender-to-construction handovers.

Who We Are Looking For

• Relevant Experience / Background: Experience within construction planning or site engineering/management looking to specialise in planning and project controls.
• Technical Skills: Familiarity with planning software and visual planning tools (e.g., PowerPoint, SketchUp, Synchro, or standard industry programming tools).
• Analytical Mindset: Ability to examine drawings, schedules, and site data to spot potential risks, bottlenecks, and opportunities.
• Strong Communication: Good interpersonal and reporting skills to collaborate effectively with planners, estimators, bid managers, site teams, and subcontractors.
• Organised & Proactive: Highly organised with a keen eye for detail and a desire to learn and implement modern planning procedures and emerging technology.

Why Stepnell

At Stepnell, we’re passionate about empowering our people to thrive. We believe in building fulfilling and rewarding careers by investing in talent, nurturing growth, and inspiring innovation. With the prestigious Investors in People Gold accreditation, we’re proud to place our people at the heart of everything we do. Every team member is valued, and curiosity and collaboration are central to our team culture. We’re committed to enabling our people to make a real impact and drive meaningful change throughout our business.

To show our appreciation, we offer generous and competitive benefits including, an enhanced pension scheme with a Stepnell contribution of 7% to help secure your financial future, annual leave that increases with service and the flexibility to purchase more, a market leading employee referral scheme, and for eligible roles comprehensive health coverage, adjustable start and finish times and a car allowance or company car.

Join us in a collaborative and inclusive environment where your well-being is our priority, and your contributions are truly valued.

About Stepnell

As a family-owned business with over 159 years of history, Stepnell is built on stability, trust, and long-term thinking. We make decisions with the future in mind for our people, our clients and our communities.

Our capabilities span construction, property, development, energy solutions, bespoke joinery and concrete repair, allowing us to offer services that meet a wide range of client needs. Operating through eight regional offices in Rugby, Nottingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Wantage, Bristol, Southampton, and Exeter and across three core business units, we maintain a strong local presence while delivering consistently high standards.

Today, repeat clients account for 75% of our turnover a testament to our reliability and the quality of our relationships.