Lead Planner - Data Centre

Accenture Construct; England; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Accenture Construct seeks an exceptional Data Centre Lead Planner to drive planning for large-scale data centre programmes, including hyperscale and colocation developments. The role involves leading client relationships, coordinating multi-disciplinary teams, and delivering complex schedules from inception to completion.

The position requires regular travel to Norway for on-site leadership, with a focus on schedule governance, risk management, and value engineering to maximise project outcomes.

Qualifications

• Significant experience delivering large-scale, mission-critical data centre or hyperscale infrastructure projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end planning and scheduling for major data centre programmes, ensuring alignment with goals.
• Serve as senior point of contact for planning matters with clients and stakeholders.
• Provide strategic oversight of programme schedules, baseline management, and progress tracking.
• Drive integrated project governance, reporting, and performance management across workstreams.
• Lead and mentor planning teams across geographically diverse locations.
• Provide on-site planning leadership during key project phases and travel to construction sites.

Skills

Data Centre Planning

Project Leadership

Scheduling & CPM

Stakeholder Management

Commercial Scheduling

Travel Readiness

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Asta Powerproject

Job description

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all of these services. With our thought leadership and culture of innovation, we apply industry expertise, diverse skill sets and next-generation technology to each business challenge.

We believe in inclusion and diversity and supporting the whole person. Our core values comprise of Stewardship, Best People, Client Value Creation, One Global Network, Respect for the Individual and Integrity. Year after year, Accenture is recognized worldwide not just for business performance but for inclusion and diversity too.

“Across the globe, one thing is universally true of the people of Accenture: We care deeply about what we do and the impact we have with our clients and with the communities in which we work and live. It is personal to all of us.” – Julie Sweet, Accenture CEO

About the Opportunity

We're seeking an exceptional Data Centre Lead Planner to lead programme delivery for large-scale, mission-critical data centre projects serving the world's most demanding clients.

You'll join Accenture during a pivotal phase of our global growth. As a senior member of our project delivery team, you'll drive strategic client relationships, lead high-performing project teams, and deliver complex hyperscale and colocation developments from inception to completion.

This role requires regular travel to Norway, to support project delivery, client engagement, and on-site leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end planning and scheduling for major data centre programmes, ensuring alignment with commercial, technical, and operational goals to control time, cost, quality objectives, and scope
• Serve as senior point of contact for planning matters with clients, fostering trusted partnerships through clear communication
• Provide strategic oversight of programme schedules, critical path analysis, baseline management, and progress tracking
• Drive integrated project governance, reporting, and performance management across multiple workstreams
• Lead and mentor planning teams, fostering accountability, high performance, and knowledge sharing
• Provide on-site planning leadership during key project phases, including regular travel to construction sites
• Oversee development and maintenance of robust performance measurement baseline to enable accurate progress and performance tracking aligned with client goals and objectives
• Identify, analyse, and mitigate scheduling risks and critical path threats
• Challenge construction phasing and sequencing to optimise programme delivery and value engineering
• Ensure robust schedule health, forecasting, and earned value performance reporting
• Support contract schedule requirements and delay / disruption analysis as required
• Contribute to business development through planning expertise in proposals and client presentations
• Champion digital planning tools, BIM integration, and innovative scheduling methodologies
• Uphold Soben's Leadership Principles in all client and internal engagements

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Significant experience delivering large-scale, mission-critical data centre or hyperscale infrastructure projects
• Proven track record leading complex construction programmes (£100m+ value) as Lead Planner/Senior Scheduler
• Advanced proficiency with management information tools such as Primavera P6, MS Project, and Asta Powerproject
• Advanced proficiency with planning methodologies independent of management information software used, and ability to adapt across different platforms
• Strong commercial scheduling awareness with expertise in cost/schedule integration and earned value management
• Experience operating at senior stakeholder level, managing executive client relationships
• Demonstrable leadership of high-performing, geographically diverse planning teams
• Deep understanding of data centre construction methodologies, phasing, commissioning, and MEP constraints
• Comfortable with travel, including regular travel to construction sites
• Experience with NEC, JCT, FIDIC or other major contract forms used across Europe
• Strategic thinker able to translate high-level objectives into executable, resource-loaded schedules
• Strong analytical skills for delay analysis, forensic scheduling, and claims support
• Outstanding communication skills for presenting complex schedule information clearly