Lead Planner

Millbank; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Millbank seeks an experienced Planning Lead to steer planning for a major infrastructure programme. You will develop and maintain fully resourced, delivery-focused programmes working with project management, design and commercial teams.

You will influence strategy, risk management and optimisation, ensuring milestones are met safely and efficiently through robust planning, scheduling, and reporting."

Qualifications

• HNC in construction discipline or equivalent industry experience.
• Extensive planning experience in civil engineering, infrastructure or construction.
• Experience developing and managing programmes during tender and project delivery phases.
• Strong understanding of planning methodologies and programme controls.
• Experience with commercial and contractual aspects of project planning.
• Proficiency with industry-standard planning software.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain fully resourced project programmes.
• Review programme outputs to ensure alignment with project requirements and objectives.
• Produce visual planning materials and undertake programme risk analysis.
• Act as a key communication link between planning stakeholders.
• Define construction methodologies and establish achievable outputs in collaboration with project teams and supply chain partners.
• Coordinate with design teams to establish briefs for temporary works.
• Introduce and manage programme changes whilst monitoring progress against plan.
• Plan temporary works design activities to ensure design approvals are in place ahead of construction activities.
• Develop and maintain schedules for temporary works and indirect cost activities.
• Provide planning advice, support and performance reporting to project teams.
• Identify project risks, opportunities and areas requiring intervention.
• Manage compensation event programmes and programme revisions.
• Coordinate interfaces between multiple workstreams and stakeholders.
• Evaluate contract documentation and develop detailed delivery programmes.
• Produce and maintain both internal and external project programmes.
• Review progress with construction teams and produce programme reports.
• Identify potential delays and collaborate with teams to develop mitigation measures.
• Assess scope changes and additional works, considering commercial and contractual implications.
• Ensure planning standards, procedures and best practices are consistently applied.
• Coordinate subcontractor programmes and integrate them into the master programme.

Skills

Extensive planning experience

Strong planning methodologies

Commercial & contractual planning

Proficiency with planning software

Communication & stakeholder management

Programme performance analysis & mitig

Education

HNC in construction-related discipline

Equivalent industry experience

Tools

Primavera P6

Job description

Would you like to lead planning activities on a complex infrastructure programme where your expertise will directly influence project success, programme performance and delivery outcomes?

Do you have proven planning experience within major civil engineering, infrastructure, tunnelling or ground engineering projects?

Are you experienced in developing, managing and updating fully resourced construction programmes while working closely with commercial, construction and design teams?

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Planning Lead to join a major infrastructure delivery team. This role has become available as part of an ongoing programme of work and offers the chance to play a key role in driving project performance through robust planning, scheduling and reporting.

As Planning Lead, you will work closely with project management, construction, design and commercial teams to develop and maintain programmes that support the successful delivery of complex engineering activities. You will have significant influence over project strategy, risk management and programme optimisation, ensuring key milestones are achieved safely and efficiently.

Your duties and responsibilities will be

• Develop and maintain fully resourced project programmes.
• Review programme outputs to ensure alignment with project requirements and objectives.
• Produce visual planning materials and undertake programme risk analysis.
• Act as a key communication link between planning stakeholders.
• Define construction methodologies and establish achievable outputs in collaboration with project teams and supply chain partners.
• Coordinate with design teams to establish briefs for temporary works.
• Introduce and manage programme changes whilst monitoring progress against plan.
• Plan temporary works design activities to ensure design approvals are in place ahead of construction activities.
• Develop and maintain schedules for temporary works and indirect cost activities.
• Provide planning advice, support and performance reporting to project teams.
• Identify project risks, opportunities and areas requiring intervention.
• Manage compensation event programmes and programme revisions.
• Coordinate interfaces between multiple workstreams and stakeholders.
• Evaluate contract documentation and develop detailed delivery programmes.
• Produce and maintain both internal and external project programmes.
• Review progress with construction teams and produce programme reports.
• Identify potential delays and collaborate with teams to develop mitigation measures.
• Assess scope changes and additional works, considering commercial and contractual implications.
• Ensure planning standards, procedures and best practices are consistently applied.
• Coordinate subcontractor programmes and integrate them into the master programme.

You will have the following qualifications & experience:

• HNC in a construction-related discipline or equivalent industry experience.
• Extensive planning experience within civil engineering, infrastructure or construction environments.
• Experience developing and managing programmes during both tender and project delivery phases.
• Strong understanding of planning methodologies and programme controls.
• Experience working with commercial and contractual aspects of project planning.
• Proficiency with industry-standard planning software.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to analyse programme performance and implement recovery strategies where required.

It's great if you also have the following

• Experience working on tunnelling projects.
• Experience within ground engineering environments.
• Knowledge of NEC contracts and compensation event management.
• Experience coordinating multiple subcontractors across complex project programmes.
• Advanced Primavera P6 experience.
• Experience working on large-scale, multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.

The setting for the role

This role is based within a major construction and infrastructure environment, working closely with project managers, commercial teams, engineers and construction delivery teams. You will be responsible for providing planning leadership across multiple project activities, ensuring programmes accurately reflect delivery requirements, risks and opportunities. The position combines office-based planning activities with regular engagement with project stakeholders to monitor progress and support successful delivery.