Senior Planner

VVB Engineering; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Yearly appraisals

Travel expenses

Perkbox access

Life Assurance

Private Medical Insurance

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Job summary

VVB Engineering seeks a Senior Planner to drive planning for projects across the Midlands and North, ensuring successful delivery, viability, and efficient resource use. You will develop and maintain cost and resource-loaded programmes aligned with contracts and client requirements.

The role requires extensive planning experience, knowledge of infrastructure projects, and the ability to work across disciplines to resolve scheduling issues and support commercial submissions.

Qualifications

• Minimum NVQ/HNC required.
• Electrical or mechanical engineering qualification desirable.
• 10+ years of planning experience.
• Experience in infrastructure environments (utilities/civils).

Responsibilities

• Prepare cost and resource-loaded programmes for the full project scope.
• Create and maintain robust, cost and resource-loaded project programmes.
• Regularly update programmes to align with client expectations.
• Generate EVA reports and review SPI/CPI.

Skills

Planning software

Project planning

Interdisciplinary coordination

Education

NVQ/HNC

Job description

What We Offer

• Competitive salaries with yearly appraisals
• Travel expenses covered for assignments outside your base location
• Perkbox membership for 24/7 access to perks, benefits, discounts, and wellbeing tools
• Life Assurance and Private Medical Insurance schemes provided by leading providers
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (this includes a Christmas shutdown)

What We Offer

• Competitive salaries with yearly appraisals
• Travel expenses covered for assignments outside your base location
• Perkbox membership for 24/7 access to perks, benefits, discounts, and wellbeing tools
• Life Assurance and Private Medical Insurance schemes provided by leading providers
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (this includes a Christmas shutdown)

Role Overview

Are you a proactive, forward-thinking professional with a passion for delivering excellence in project planning? Join our VVB Engineering as a Senior Planner and play a key role in ensuring the successful delivery, commercial viability, and resource optimisation of projects across the Midlands and North region.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare cost and resource-loaded programmes covering the complete project scope in line with the contract.
• Create and maintain robust, logically linked, cost and resource-loaded project programmes.
• Regularly update project programmes, ensuring they align with client expectations.
• Provide comprehensive programme updates and conduct reviews prior to submission.
• Prepare and submit weekly site progress photo reports.
• Carry out regular programme reviews to ensure contractual obligations are met.
• Perform impact assessments, delay analyses, and prepare cause-and-effect delay programmes.
• Monitor project progress through lookahead plans, site diaries, and regular site visits.
• Conduct forensic planning and prepare EOT (Extension of Time) programmes to support commercial submissions.
• Implement and maintain VVB planning standards and programme logic, while maintaining a programme log for all changes.
• Generate Earned Value Analysis (EVA) reports and regularly review SPI (Schedule Performance Index) and CPI (Cost Performance Index).
• Prepare tender programmes and contribute to tender submissions as requested by the Head of Planning.
• Support the commercial team in managing risks and opportunities (R&O) at project level.
• Resolve cross-functional planning issues and elevate concerns where necessary.
• Provide support to other VVB projects as directed by the Planning Manager.

Essential

Person Specification

• Strong understanding of achieving customer satisfaction and maintaining high standards.
• Proficiency in planning software and operational requirements.
• Awareness of inter-discipline requirements of design and construct projects.

Desirable

• Knowledge of major construction contracts (NEC, JCT, ICE).
• Background in electrical or mechanical engineering.

Qualifications

Essential

• Minimum NVQ/HNC.

Desirable

• Electrical or Mechanical Engineering qualifications.

Competencies/ Behaviours

Essential

• Collaborative, decisive, and able to work under pressure.
• Flexible, “can-do” attitude in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to liaise on technical matters at all levels.
• Self-motivated and forward-thinking with the ability to establish good working relationships.

Desirable

• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally.

Essential Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in planning.
• Competence in creating planning documentation.
• Experience in infrastructure environments (utilities/civils).

Desirable

• Previous experience working for an M&E contractor.
• Proven experience of 3–5 years in a similar role.