Principal Project Planner

Babcock International Group; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence contractor in the UK is seeking a Principal Project Planner to oversee complex defence programmes, ensuring integration of planning tools and project schedules. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in project planning, particularly in defence or engineering settings. This role offers a competitive salary, hybrid working arrangements, and numerous employee benefits, including generous holiday allowance and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Matched contribution pension scheme

Access to a Digital GP and health check

Employee share scheme

Employee shopping savings portal

Payment of Professional Fees

Special paid leave for reservists

Volunteering day leave

Excellent development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience supporting Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis required.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills needed.
• Proven ability to create and maintain governance artefacts.

Responsibilities

• Drive performance measurement and delivery focus across programmes.
• Collaborate with Control Account Managers and senior stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain robust integrated project schedules.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Governance artefacts

Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis

Primavera P6 proficiency

Education

Professional qualifications in project planning or engineering

Certifications in project management methodologies

Tools

Primavera P6

Job description

Job Title : Principal Project Planner

Location : Ashton Vale, Bristol + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation : Competitive Salary + Benefits

Role Type : Full time / Permanent

Role ID : SF

At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Principal Project Planner at our Ashton Vale, Bristol site.

The Role

As a Principal Project Planner, you’ll be central to delivering some of the UK’s most complex and strategically important defence programmes. You’ll take the lead in managing project schedules, ensuring seamless integration between planning tools and financial or material demand systems.

Your work will have a direct impact on national security and drive innovation across aerospace and engineering, while also advancing your own career and leadership capabilities.

Day-to-day, you’ll be required to :

• Drive performance measurement and delivery focus across programmes.
• Collaborate with Control Account Managers, project controllers, and senior stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain robust integrated project schedules.
• Champion project outcomes and mentor junior planners.
• Embed governance and assurance into schedule management.

This role is full time, 37 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with days onsite and days working from home.

Essential Experience of the Principal Project Planner

• Experience supporting Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Proven ability to create and maintain governance artefacts.
• Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6.
• Extensive recent experience in a similar role within defence, engineering, or complex project environments.

Qualifications for the Principal Project Planner

• Relevant professional qualifications in project planning or engineering.
• Certifications in project management methodologies.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.

Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at .

What We Offer

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
• Employee share scheme
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Babcock employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement. This Window opens February through to March annually
• ‘Be Kind Day’ enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
• Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing