Planning Engineer / Senior Planning Engineer

Turner & Townsend; Manchester; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global professional services company in Manchester is seeking an experienced Project Planner to support major construction projects in the Life Sciences, Pharma, and Data Centre sectors. The ideal candidate will have a degree and proven experience in project controls, guiding contractors, and managing project risks. Proficiency with tools such as Oracle Primavera and strong communication skills are essential for success in this dynamic role.

Benefits

Flexible working environment

Equal opportunity employer

Qualifications

• Experience in a project controls environment within life sciences, pharmaceutical, or data center sectors.
• Rigorous adherence to documented processes and governance.
• Innovative problem-solving in a changing project environment.

Responsibilities

• Identify trends and recommend remedial actions.
• Lead evaluation of time, cost, and quality targets.
• Guide general contractors towards schedule progression.
• Act as the key contact for clients, addressing delivery issues.

Skills

Project Controls Management

Earned Value Management (EVM)

Change Management

Planning

Risk Management

Vendor Management

Communication skills

Education

Degree in relevant field

Tools

Oracle Primavera

MS Project

Excel

PRISM Cost Management System

Job description

We are currently recruiting for a Project Planner to undertake duties within our Project Controls team, supporting major construction projects across the Life Sciences / Pharma / Data Centre sectors. The Project Planner will work as part of our Project Controls team on high-profile construction projects throughout the UK and Europe, providing performance reporting and analysis support. This may be part of a large team or as the key day-to-day contact point with the client. Key activities include:

1. Identify trends and root causes of deviations against the baseline using lead and lag indicators, recommend remedial actions to drive best value for the client.
2. Lead the evaluation of the project's time, cost, and quality targets, applying governance controls as necessary to enable successful delivery.
3. Cooperate with a remote team of cost managers responsible for reaching an agreed, market-tested cost baseline and ensuring value for money for the client.
4. Guide and influence the general contractor, ensuring they are progressing in line with the schedule and within agreed cash flow parameters.
5. Act as the key point of contact to the client, overcoming delivery and commercial issues, and preparing formal and ad hoc reports focusing on time, cost, and quality targets.
6. Control costs with knowledge of conceptual estimating, funding stage gates, basic contingency principles, and procurement principles.
7. Create and/or work within a cost report, summarizing financials in an executive-level dashboard.
8. Understand change management principles, lead the agreed change management process and workflow, providing a platform for adding, tracking, monitoring, and approving changes.
9. Coordinate and lead planning sessions and workshops with clients and vendors to compile the master project/program schedule, agreeing on baselines and a critical path.
10. Understand procurement principles, collate lead times from vendors and clients into the master schedule, and communicate the prioritization of ordering materials and equipment to meet scheduled install dates.
11. Work closely with the client to define vendor schedule requirements.
12. Participate actively in project team risk evaluations, incorporating risks into Monte Carlo simulations to output quantitative impacts on project cost and schedule.
13. Stay informed on project changes, communicate these to the project team, and incorporate them into the change management process.
14. Hold vendors accountable for schedule updates and reporting to ensure timely and accurate updates of the master schedule, adhering to the defined process and quality expectations.

It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee related to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend email accounts are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. To be an authorized Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, a formal written agreement must be in place, and the agency must be invited by the Recruitment Team to submit candidates.

SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Previous experience working in a project controls environment within the life sciences, pharmaceutical, or data centre sectors is required, as is experience in at least one of the following: Programme Controls Management, Earned Value (EVM), Change & Risk Management, Planning, Project Controls, and/or PMO.

Applicants will ideally be degree-educated, with previous industry and sector experience being essential.

Experience with tools such as Oracle Primavera, MS Project, Excel, PRISM (Cost Management System) is required.

Applicants must have excellent written and verbal communication skills, be rigorous in following documented processes and governance, and demonstrate the ability to innovate to meet the challenges of the changing project environment.

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries, working across real estate, infrastructure, energy, and natural resources sectors. We aim to transform projects into impactful outcomes, promoting a healthy, productive, and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance. We are an equal opportunity employer, celebrating diversity and committed to an inclusive environment for all employees.