Graduate Planner

Balfour Beatty plc; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

25 days holiday

Permanent contract from day one

Bi-annual progression reviews

Graduate networking events

Duke of Edinburgh Award involvement

Job summary

Balfour Beatty is recruiting a Graduate Planner as part of its 2027 Early Careers programme. Based in Middlesbrough, you’ll support planning for UK projects, work with experienced teams, and gain hands-on experience from day one while pursuing professional accreditations.

You will develop technical and analytical skills in planning, forecasting, and project controls, contributing to successful delivery on major infrastructure schemes while benefiting from a structured graduate development

Qualifications

• Degree in Construction Management/Construction Planning with minimum 2:2 honours.
• Full UK driving license required.
• Flexibility to travel and stay away from home; travel expenses reimbursed.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day planning across projects, ensuring programmes remain accurate and aligned with delivery requirements.
• Develop, maintain, and update short- and long-term project programmes to reflect progress and changes.
• Manage and update project and contractual programmes in line with reporting requirements and project objectives.
• Monitor progress, analyse programme performance, identify variances, risks and opportunities.
• Assist in collecting, analysing, and presenting progress information to support decisions.
• Apply planning techniques including sequencing, logic development, critical path analysis, resource planning, and forecasting.
• Produce planning reports, dashboards, and performance information for teams and stakeholders.
• Support project controls activities such as baseline management and change management.
• Work with project teams to understand requirements, construction activities, and delivery strategies.

Skills

Curiosity

Proactivity

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Degree in Construction Management/Construction Planning

Job description

About the role

We are Balfour Beatty. You may not know us by name, but you’ll recognise what we do. We’re a leading international infrastructure group, building, maintaining and improving infrastructure that supports communities for generations to come.

As a Graduate Planner, you'll join our 2027 Early Careers programme and gain hands‑on experience while contributing to some of the UK’s most significant infrastructure projects. From day one, you'll take on real responsibility, develop technical and professional skills, and work alongside experienced colleagues who will support your growth. You'll also be part of a supportive graduate community, building the skills, experience and industry‑recognised accreditations needed for a successful career.

In this role, you’ll join one of our Balfour Beatty Power T&D teams as a Graduate Planner, based in Middlesbrough, supporting projects across UK.

What you'll be doing

As a Graduate Planner you’ll play an important role in supporting the planning and successful delivery of major infrastructure and construction projects. Working alongside experienced planners, engineers, and project teams, you’ll apply your academic knowledge in a practical environment while developing the technical, analytical, and professional skills needed for a successful career in project planning and project controls.

You’ll gain experience developing and maintaining project programmes, monitoring performance, analysing progress data, and supporting project teams to achieve delivery objectives. Through a structured graduate development programme, you’ll build expertise in planning, project controls, programme management, forecasting, and project delivery while working towards professional accreditation.

You’ll support with:

• Supporting the day-to-day planning function across projects, helping to ensure programmes remain accurate, updated, and aligned with delivery requirements
• Developing, maintaining, and updating short-term and long-term project programmes to reflect progress and project changes
• Managing and updating project and contractual programmes in line with reporting requirements and project objectives
• Monitoring project progress, analysing programme performance, and identifying variances, risks, and opportunities
• Supporting the collection, analysis, and presentation of progress and performance information to support project decision-making
• Applying planning techniques including sequencing, logic development, critical path analysis, resource planning, and forecasting
• Producing planning reports, programme updates, dashboards, and performance information for project teams and stakeholders
• Supporting project controls activities, including baseline management, change management, and programme assurance
• Working with project teams to understand project requirements, construction activities, and delivery strategies
• Supporting forecasting activities relating to labour, plant, materials, subcontractors, and project resources
• Building strong working relationships with project managers, engineers, subcontractors, and other stakeholders to support successful project delivery
• Contributing to continuous improvement initiatives that enhance programme management, reporting, and project performance
• Using industry-standard planning software and digital tools to support project planning and controls activities

Who we're looking for

We value your potential over past experience and are looking for graduates with a degree in Construction Management/Construction Planning and a genuine interest in our industry. To be eligible, you’ll need to achieve a minimum 2:2 honours degree by the time you start.

We’d love to receive your application if you:

• Are curious, proactive and motivated to develop professionally.
• Enjoy solving problems and finding practical solutions.
• Work well with others and build positive relationships.
• Communicate clearly and confidently with different people.
• Take ownership, adapt to challenges and are committed to achieving results.

Please note that this role may require travel to various locations, which means you may occasionally need to work and stay away from home. Flexibility is essential, as assignments can vary based on project needs. All reasonable travel and accommodation expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with company policy. Before joining Balfour Beatty, you must hold a full UK driver's license.

Why work for us as a Graduate

• Work on high-profile projects that make a real difference, while building your career with one of the UK’s leading infrastructure groups.
• Be part of a supportive early careers network, with structured training and with structured training and coaching from experienced industry professionals.
• Take part in unique development experiences, including residential trips in the Lake District and personal development delivered by our external partners.
• Take ownership of your ongoing professional development, with support towards professional membership and chartership or professional registration where relevant to your career path.

What we can offer you

• Competitive salary and flexible benefits, giving you the freedom to shape a rewards package that works for you.
• 25 days' holiday, with the option to buy or sell additional days.
• A permanent contract from day one, reflecting our commitment to your long-term career.
• Clear progression opportunities, with bi-annual performance and pay reviews throughout your programme.
• Opportunities to connect with fellow graduates through networking events, development activities and our Early Careers Showcase.
• Opportunities to get involved in wider business initiatives, community projects and programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

About us

The power sector is one of the fastest-growing areas in infrastructure, helping to keep homes, businesses and communities connected. It plays a vital role in supporting the UK’s transition to a low-carbon future by strengthening electricity networks and enabling the integration of renewable energy sources.

At Balfour Beatty, our Power Transmission & Distribution teams work with regional, national and international electricity network owners and operators to deliver engineering solutions across the electricity grid, including overhead lines, cabling, substations and distribution networks.

From early-stage planning and design through to construction and maintenance, our teams help deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious power projects, improving network resilience and supporting a more sustainable energy future.

At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone is able to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. To find out how we are making this a reality, visit www.balfourbeatty.com/diversityandinclusion

To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. For more info, visit https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/

We’re committed to making our recruitment process as inclusive as possible. If you need any adjustments, please let us know at any stage of the process.