Project Planner | Project Delivery to Planning Opportunity

Laing O'Rourke; Oxford, Dartford, Bentfield; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Insurance

Enhanced pension

Life/Dental/Critical illness insurance

33 days holiday + volunteering day

Job summary

Laing O'Rourke is seeking a Project Planner to move from site delivery into a dedicated planning role. You will develop and maintain construction programmes, coordinate with delivery teams, and identify risks, enabling smarter project outcomes.

This on-site role offers a pathway into strategic project planning while staying closely connected to project delivery, with strong emphasis on risk management and collaboration across the project team.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of construction methodologies and sequencing.
• Experience delivering civil engineering or major construction projects.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills.
• Ability to analyse problems and develop practical solutions.
• Proactive approach and genuine interest in planning, project controls and programme management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed construction programmes.
• Collaborate with project teams to establish optimal construction sequence.
• Monitor progress against programme and identify risks/delays.
• Support project controls, reporting and forecasting activities.
• Analyse project performance data and recommend improvements.
• Coordinate programme information across project stakeholders and supply chain partners.
• Contribute to planning workshops and reviews.
• Support continuous improvement of planning processes and reporting.
• Communicate programme strategy across the project team.
• Develop expertise in planning systems and digital tools with support from experienced planners.

Skills

Construction sequencing

Project planning

Team collaboration

Analytical thinking

IT literacy

Tools

Planning software

Job description

Project Planner

Make the move from Site Delivery into Project Planning

• Have you built your career delivering projects on site as a Site Engineer, Section Engineer, Senior Engineer or Site Agent?
• Are you the person who naturally thinks ahead, plans work, coordinates teams and enjoys solving programme challenges before they become problems.

If so, this could be the opportunity to take your construction knowledge into Project Planning.

At Laing O'Rourke, our planners are integral members of the project leadership team. They influence how projects are delivered, helping teams plan smarter, manage risk and make informed decisions throughout the project lifecycle.

We're looking for experienced site-based engineers who want to build a long-term career in planning. If you've developed a understanding of construction sequencing, temporary works, logistics, programme delivery and stakeholder coordination, we'll help you develop the specialist planning skills needed to succeed.

TheOpportunity

As a Project Planner, you'll work alongside project delivery teams to develop, maintain and improve construction programmes that drive successful project outcomes.

You'll use your practical site knowledge to understand how work is delivered, identify risks and opportunities, monitor progress and support project teams in making informed decisions.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to move from site management into a strategic project planning role while remaining closely connected to project delivery.

What You'll Be Doing

• Develop and maintain detailed construction programmes.
• Work collaboratively with project teams to establish the most effective construction sequence.
• Monitor progress against programme and identify potential risks and delays.
• Support project controls, reporting and forecasting activities.
• Analyse project performance data and recommend improvements.
• Coordinate programme information across project stakeholders and supply chain partners.
• Contribute to planning workshops and collaborative programme reviews.
• Support continuous improvement of planning processes and reporting.
• Help communicate programme strategy across the project team.
• Develop your expertise in planning systems, digital tools and project controls with support from experienced planners.

Who We're Looking For

• Strong understanding of construction methodologies and sequencing.
• Experience delivering civil engineering or major construction projects.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills.
• The ability to analyse problems and develop practical solutions.
• Confidence working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams.
• A proactive approach and genuine interest in planning, project controls and programme management.
• Good IT skills and an appetite to learn new planning software and digital tools.

Previous planning experience is not essential. We'll provide support and development to help you build a successful career in Project Planning.

About Us

Laing O'Rourke is at the forefront of delivering transformative infrastructure. Joining us means being part of a team that is driving the UK's transition to a low-carbon energy future. You'll be empowered to lead, innovate and leave a lasting mark on projects of national significance.

We offer a competitiveremunerationpackage (base salary + car/travel allowance) with access to Private Medical Insurance; enhanced pension and parental leave schemes; Life/Dental/Critical illness insurance and income protection; 33 days holiday inc. bank holidays + 1 paid day for volunteering;professional development opportunities and more!

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term conditions and disabilities through the ‘Offer an interview scheme'. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. Please let us know if you would like to opt in to this scheme and let us know if you require any adjustments for the interview process.

We want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all. If you need the application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please [e-mail]