P6 Planner Rail

Carrington West; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Carrington West is recruiting a Planning Consultant to join a major Network Rail programme in Milton Keynes. The role focuses on an integrated programme schedule, coordinating with suppliers and technical teams to improve planning coordination, reporting and delivery confidence.

You will manage and challenge planning assumptions, identify risks and opportunities, and ensure the programme remains on track while working 2–3 days per week in the Milton Keynes office.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years' experience in planning or project controls.
• Previous rail project or programme experience is essential.
• Strong hands-on experience using Microsoft Project.
• Experience developing, maintaining and managing integrated project or programme schedules.
• Good understanding of critical path analysis, dependencies, milestones and schedule management.
• Experience coordinating planning inputs across multiple teams, suppliers and stakeholders.
• Ability to identify schedule risks, resource constraints and potential delivery delays.
• Experience producing programme reports, forecasts and schedule performance updates.
• Strong communication skills and confidence challenging planning assumptions.
• Existing right to work in the UK without sponsorship.
• Ability to attend the Milton Keynes office 2-3 days per week.

Responsibilities

• Own the integrated Microsoft Project schedule for the programme.
• Coordinate planning inputs across suppliers, technical teams and stakeholders.
• Improve planning coordination, reporting and delivery confidence.
• Provide proactive planning expertise and identify risks and opportunities.

Skills

Integrated planning

Critical path analysis

Stakeholder coordination

Schedule forecasting

Risk identification

Communication

Problem solving

Tools

Microsoft Project

Job description

Are you an experienced Rail Planner with strong hands‑on Microsoft Project experience?

Do you have a solid understanding of integrated programme planning, critical path analysis and managing dependencies across multiple stakeholders?

Salary: Up to £55,000 DOE
Location: Milton Keynes (hybrid, 2-3 days per week in office)
Job Type: Permanent
Closing Date: Friday 6th November 2026

I am recruiting for a Planning Consultant to join my client, a leading engineering consultancy supporting a major Network Rail programme in Milton Keynes.

This is an excellent opportunity to take ownership of an integrated programme schedule, working closely with suppliers, technical teams and programme stakeholders to improve planning coordination, reporting and delivery confidence.

You'll be responsible for more than maintaining a project plan, providing proactive planning expertise, identifying risks and opportunities, challenging assumptions and helping ensure the programme remains on track.

Essential:

• Minimum 3 years' experience in planning or project controls.
• Previous rail project or programme experience is essential.
• Strong hands‑on experience using Microsoft Project.
• Experience developing, maintaining and managing integrated project or programme schedules.
• Good understanding of critical path analysis, dependencies, milestones and schedule management.
• Experience coordinating planning inputs across multiple teams, suppliers and stakeholders.
• Ability to identify schedule risks, resource constraints and potential delivery delays.
• Experience producing programme reports, forecasts and schedule performance updates.
• Strong communication skills and confidence challenging planning assumptions.
• Existing right to work in the UK without sponsorship.
• Ability to attend the Milton Keynes office 2-3 days per week.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience working on Network Rail programmes.
• Resource and capacity planning.
• Schedule baseline management and variance reporting.Programme governance and planning process improvement.
• Recovery planning and schedule risk management.
• Experience working within an engineering consultancy or multidisciplinary infrastructure environment.

This is an opportunity to join an established engineering consultancy and play a key role in improving planning and programme controls across a significant rail programme.

My client is looking for someone who can confidently take ownership of the integrated Microsoft Project plan, coordinate effectively with suppliers and provide meaningful insight into programme performance.

This is an urgent requirement, with suitable candidates needing to be qualified and submitted by Friday 6th November 2026. Previous rail experience and the existing right to work in the UK are essential.