Planning Manager

px Group; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Eye test & glasses contribution

Online company discount site

Long Service Awards

ELITE Awards

Employee Assistance Programme

Flexible Benefits Package

Onsite parking

Job summary

px Group is recruiting a Planning Manager in Sunderland to partner with Project Managers and drive robust project schedules. You will oversee the load plan, ensure resource alignment, and report progress to senior management. A strong background in construction planning and advanced P6/MS Project skills are essential.

You will work with cross-functional teams to manage risks, optimise milestones and deliverables while maintaining accurate reporting and schedule integrity.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Planner in a construction environment.
• Ability to derive corrective actions from facts and data.
• Advanced skills in P6, and working knowledge of MS Project.
• Experience of business-wide, resource-based load plans.
• Reliable, autonomous, and a team player.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and lead planning sessions with Project Managers to define the WBS and baselined schedule.
• Work with Department Managers and Stakeholders to confirm resource assignments.
• Use a shared resource pool to ensure schedules are resource-loaded and levelled.
• Resolve bottlenecks and risks to milestones with project teams.
• Update and report the load plan to SMT to monitor resource utilisation.
• Facilitate weekly/monthly schedule reviews to track progress and risks.
• Create reports on project health, including s-curves and baselining deviations with corrective actions.

Skills

Planning

Scheduling

Resource load planning

Time management

Data analysis

Cross-functional coordination

Tools

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

MS Office

Job description

Planning Manager

Application Deadline: 21 August 2026

Department: Projects

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Sunderland

Reporting To: Head of Projects

Description

Our Business

pxFairport (pxF) is a project delivery specialist offering full turnkey EPC and OEM solutions to the bulk material handling and plant processing markets. Our services cover the aggregates, processing, tunnelling, mining, quarrying, alternative fuels, waste‑to‑energy, ports, and food sectors, globally. With unrivalled industry expertise, pxF manages, specifies, engineers, designs, supplies, installs, operates, and maintains market‑leading equipment for complex material handling needs, guaranteeing performance excellence, reliability, and optimal operating costs.

The Opportunity

We are now recruiting for a Planning Manager.

The Planning Manager works closely with the Project Manager to ensure that all project deliverables are identified and planned accordingly in order to deliver the project scope in a controlled manner, meeting any contractually agreed milestone dates. They are a key figure within the business; helping to drive progress within the project teams but also ensuring the business‑wide load plan is updated regularly to enable accurate reporting on resource requirements against our annual business plan targets.

You’ll be supported with personalised on the job training, coaching, mentoring and twice‑yearly development and performance reviews to help maintain & develop your contributions and competence.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and lead planning sessions/workshops with Project Managers to understand key project deliverables, agree the WBS and any required logic links to produce a robust, base‑lined project schedule.
• Work with cross‑functional Department Managers and Stakeholders to understand norms & resource assignments for each activity.
• Using a shared resource pool across the full project portfolio, ensure that schedules are resource‑loaded and projects are levelled accordingly.
• Work with Project Managers, Project Engineers and Department Managers to resolve any bottlenecks and risk to successful project milestones (both client driven and internal finance targets).
• Update and report on the business‑wide load plan to ensure the Senior Management Team (SMT) are aware of any periods of over/under utilisation of resource.
• Facilitate weekly/monthly schedule reviews to ensure project progress is updated accurately and any slippage/risks are challenged/reported accordingly.
• Create reports which reflect overall project health, including s‑curves and summarising slippage from baseline. Recommendations on corrective actions should also be included.
• More responsibilities can be found in the Role Profile.

Minimum Requirements

• Proven experience as a Planner in a construction environment.
• Demonstrated experience in the ability to determine corrective actions or recommendations based on facts and figures, critically evaluating information and data from various sources.
• Advanced skills in P6, working knowledge of L4‑L5 task level planning in Microsoft Project, MS Office Suite.
• Able to challenge and highlight where logic may not be correct or accurate.
• Experience of working on business‑wide, resource‑based load plans, not only project specific updates.
• Reliable and with the ability to work autonomously, as well as part of a team.
• Strong time management skills, quick thinking, and the ability to meet project deadlines as necessary.

What you will receive from us

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Contribution towards eye test and glasses
• Online company discount benefits site including cinema tickets and gym membership discount
• Long Service Awards
• Employee recognition scheme – ELITE Awards
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Flexible Benefits Package
• Onsite parking

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

Please note this role may close early or be extended depending on the volume of applications.