Planning Manager

Morson Group; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Morson Group in Stockport, Greater Manchester, seeks an experienced Planning Manager to lead the planning function on a major water treatment works project worth £150m. You will develop, manage and maintain detailed programmes to ensure timely delivery, coordinating with design, construction, commercial and client teams.

With strong leadership and communication skills, you will drive performance, monitor risks, and implement mitigation strategies across the project lifecycle from tender through

Qualifications

• Proven expertise in planning large civil engineering projects.
• Experience guiding projects through tender to completion.
• Strong risk and opportunity management for schedules.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed project schedules and programmes.
• Monitor progress, identify critical path activities, and flag risks.
• Coordinate with design, construction, commercial teams.
• Produce progress reports, dashboards, and forecasts.
• Lead risk and opportunity management for scheduling.
• Support tender and baseline programme development.
• Coach junior planners and promote best practices.
• Ensure health, safety, environmental, and quality compliance.

Skills

Advanced project scheduling

Civil engineering lifecycles

Risk mitigation

Resource allocation

Stakeholder management

Reading drawings & specs

Problem solving

Time management

Team leadership

Water infrastructure experience

Tools

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Excel

PM reporting tools

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Planning Manager to join a major civil engineering project based in Stockport, delivering a £150m water treatment works scheme. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing, managing, and maintaining detailed project programmes to ensure timely and efficient delivery. This role requires close collaboration with multidisciplinary teams including design, construction, commercial, and client stakeholders to monitor progress, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies. You will lead the planning function throughout the project lifecycle, from tender through to completion, ensuring alignment with project objectives and contractual requirements. Strong communication and leadership skills are essential to drive performance and support decision-making across the project team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, maintain, and update detailed project schedules and programmes using recognised planning methodologies.
• Monitor project progress, identify critical path activities, and highlight potential delays or risks.
• Collaborate with project managers, engineers, and commercial teams to align planning with resource allocation and budget control.
• Produce regular progress reports, dashboards, and forecasts for internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead risk and opportunity management related to project scheduling.
• Support tender and contract planning activities, including baseline programme development and updates.
• Coach and mentor junior planners and promote best practice planning standards.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental, and quality standards within planning activities.

Skills:

• Advanced project scheduling and planning expertise
• Strong knowledge of civil engineering project lifecycles
• Risk identification and mitigation strategies
• Resource allocation and optimisation
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and specifications
• Problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Time management and prioritisation
• Collaborative team working
• Experience with water treatment or infrastructure projects

Software/Tools:

• Primavera P6
• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft Excel (advanced)
• Project management and reporting tools