Head of Planning - Infrastructure & Major Projects Lead

Walker Sime Limited; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Walker Sime Limited is seeking a Head of Planning in Manchester to lead and develop our planning capability across major construction and infrastructure projects. This senior role requires technical planning expertise, leadership, and commercial acumen to shape the service and drive business growth.

You will build relationships with clients, mentor the planning team, and help identify opportunities to extend planning services across existing and new projects.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in planning or project controls within construction, infrastructure or major projects.
• Strong technical understanding of project planning, including baselines, critical path and progress forecasting.
• Experience contributing to business development and growing planning services.
• Experience providing senior planning advice to project teams and clients.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning function, providing technical leadership across projects.
• Oversee development and maintenance of robust project programmes.
• Provide senior input on complex projects with clear, practical advice.
• Review programme performance including critical path, float and delays.
• Provide programme reporting and forecasting for informed decisions.
• Support teams in mitigation and recovery strategies to keep projects on track.
• Collaborate with project, commercial, design and construction teams to reflect delivery needs.
• Develop planning standards and ways of working across the business.
• Lead, mentor and develop planners to create progression opportunities.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Client engagement

Commercial awareness

Mentoring/people development

Tools

Primavera P6

Asta Powerproject

NEC contracts

Job description

Walker Sime Limited is seeking a Head of Planning in Manchester to lead and develop our planning capability across major construction and infrastructure projects. This senior role requires technical planning expertise, leadership, and commercial acumen to shape the service and drive business growth.

You will build relationships with clients, mentor the planning team, and help identify opportunities to extend planning services across existing and new projects.