Head of Planning

Solutions Driven; Leicester; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A technical services organisation in Leicester is seeking a Head of Planning to lead and modernise the planning function across multiple sites. This senior leadership role focuses on improving operational efficiency, managing planning cycles, and supporting financial performance. The ideal candidate will have senior experience in planning teams, strong commercial awareness, and the ability to implement central planning systems. This is a critical role with significant visibility across operations and finance.

Qualifications

• Senior experience leading planning, scheduling, or service coordination teams.
• Experience in multi-site service, engineering, construction, testing, or infrastructure environments.
• Comfortable using data, KPIs, and dashboards to drive decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Planning function across multiple locations.
• Own the planning lifecycle from order handover to work completion.
• Improve utilisation, workflow, and operational efficiency through planning.
• Ensure completed work is handed to Finance fully ready for billing.
• Implement and embed a central planning and scheduling system.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Commercial awareness

Operational efficiency

Data-driven decision making

Job description

Location: Leicester (Hybrid with occasional UK travel)

Reporting to: Managing Director / Operations Director

About the Company

We are working with a well-established, privately backed technical services organisation operating across multiple locations in the UK. The business provides specialist testing, inspection, and compliance services to clients across infrastructure, construction, utilities, and regulated industries.

With continued growth and operational expansion, the company is now looking to appoint a Head of Planning to lead and modernise the national planning and service coordination function.

The Role

This is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing the end-to-end planning lifecycle from order handover through to work completion and handover to finance for billing.

The role is focused on operational flow, planning discipline, utilisation, and billing readiness rather than technical delivery. You will lead the planning function nationally, ensuring work is scheduled efficiently, delivered predictably, and handed over cleanly for invoicing and cash collection.

You will also play a key role in implementing and embedding a central planning system across multiple operational sites.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Planning function across multiple locations
• Own the planning lifecycle from order handover to work completion
• Improve utilisation, workflow, and operational efficiency through planning
• Ensure completed work is handed to Finance fully ready for billing
• Implement and embed a central planning and scheduling system
• Monitor KPIs such as backlog, utilisation, and unbilled work
• Act as the key interface between Planning, Operations, Sales, and Finance
• Support operational performance, revenue flow, and cash collection through planning discipline

About You

• Senior experience leading planning, scheduling, or service coordination teams
• Experience in multi-site service, engineering, construction, testing, or infrastructure environments
• Strong commercial and financial awareness
• Comfortable using data, KPIs, and dashboards to drive decisions
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills
• Experience implementing planning or scheduling systems would be advantageous

Why This Role

This role is critical to ensuring the business delivers work efficiently, improves utilisation, and converts completed work into revenue and cash more effectively. It is a high-impact leadership position with significant visibility across operations, finance, and senior leadership.