Senior Planning Engineer

Turner & Townsend Plc.; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend Plc. is recruiting a Project Planner to join our Project Controls team in Newcastle upon Tyne. This pivotal role will support high-profile construction projects across the UK and Europe, providing performance reporting and client relations.

The ideal candidate will have a degree and experience in Programme Controls Management, along with proficiency in tools like Oracle Primavera and MS Project. The position offers a collaborative environment with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Qualifications

• Experience in Programme Controls Management, Planning or PMO.
• Degree educated with prior industry experience.
• Proficiency in Oracle Primavera, MS Project, Excel, and PRISM.

Responsibilities

• Identify trends and recommend actions to drive client value.
• Lead evaluation of project’s time, cost, and quality targets.
• Control costs and maintain cost baselines.
• Coordinate and lead planning sessions and workshops.
• Manage project changes and vendor schedule requirements.

Skills

Programme Controls Management

Earned Value Management (EVM)

Change & Risk Management

Project Controls

PMO

Excellent communication skills

Education

Degree in relevant field

Tools

Oracle Primavera

MS Project

Excel

PRISM (Cost Management System)

Job description

Job Description

Turner & Townsend is recruiting a Project Planner to join our Project Controls team. The role involves working on high‑profile construction projects across the UK and Europe, providing performance reporting and analysis support. The Project Planner will serve as the key day‑to‑day contact with the client and collaborate closely with cost managers, vendors, and internal project teams.

• Identify trends and root causes of deviations against the baseline using lead and lag indicators, recommend remedial actions to drive best value for the client.
• Lead the evaluation of the project’s time, cost, and quality targets, applying governance controls to enable successful delivery.
• Cooperate with a remote team of cost managers to maintain a market‑tested cost baseline and ensure the client receives value for money.
• Guide and influence the general contractor to progress in line with the schedule and within agreed cash‑flow parameters.
• Act as the primary client contact, resolving delivery and commercial issues while preparing formal and ad‑hoc reports focused on time, cost and quality targets.
• Control costs using knowledge of conceptual estimating, funding stage gates, basic contingency principles, and procurement principles.
• Create or work within a cost report, summarizing financials in an executive‑level dashboard.
• Understand change management principles, lead agreed change‑management processes, and provide a platform for tracking, monitoring, and approving change.
• Coordinate and lead planning sessions and workshops with clients and vendors to compile the master project/programme schedule, agreeing baselines and a critical path.
• Understand procurement principles, collate lead times from vendors and the client into the master schedule, and communicate the prioritisation of ordering materials and equipment to meet scheduled installation dates.
• Work closely with the client to define vendor schedule requirements.
• Actively participate in project‑team risk evaluations, incorporating defined risks into Monte Carlo simulations to output quantitative impacts on overall project cost and schedule.
• Incorporate and communicate project changes to the team, supporting approvals within the change‑management process.
• Hold vendors accountable for required schedule updates and reporting to maintain timely and accurate master‑schedule updates that adhere to defined process and quality expectations.

Qualifications

• Experience in Programme Controls Management, Earned Value (EVM), Change & Risk Management, Planning, Project Controls, or PMO.
• Degree educated with prior industry and sector experience.
• Proficiency in Oracle Primavera, MS Project, Excel, and PRISM (Cost Management System).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; rigorous in following documented processes and governance; ability to innovate creatively to address evolving project challenges.

Equal Opportunity & Inclusion

Turner & Townsend is an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Additional Note

SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.