Senior Planning Manager

TWG Consulting Services; West of England; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

TWG Consulting is recruiting for an experienced Senior Planning Manager to join a leading UK main contractor delivering a major rail infrastructure programme across the South West and Wales.

Based in Bristol, you will lead the planning function on a major rail project, provide strategic planning oversight across a CP7 framework, and mentor a team of planners while interfacing with senior stakeholders to optimise delivery.

Qualifications

• Significant project planning and controls experience.
• Experience with a main contractor or infrastructure delivery organization.
• Experience leading or managing planners.
• Strong understanding of programme management, project controls, risk and cost.

Responsibilities

• Leading the planning function on a major rail infrastructure project.
• Providing strategic planning oversight across projects within a wider CP7 framework.
• Managing and developing a team of planners.
• Developing and maintaining detailed pre-construction and construction programmes.
• Working closely with operational, commercial and project teams to ensure programmes reflect delivery strategy.
• Monitoring progress against baseline programmes and assessing project performance.
• Identifying critical path issues, programme risks and opportunities.
• Developing mitigation, recovery and programme optimisation strategies.
• Producing programme updates, dashboards, and narrative commentary for senior stakeholders.
• Working with commercial teams on earned value and project performance analysis.
• Ensuring programme submissions meet contractual requirements.
• Presenting programme performance at project, client and progress meetings.
• Supporting tender and pre-construction activities where required.
• Driving continuous improvement across planning processes, systems and standards.

Skills

Project planning

Project controls

Team leadership

Primavera P6

Risk and cost management

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Senior Planning Manager – Rail Infrastructure

Location: Bristol / South West

Sector: Rail / Major Infrastructure

Salary: £90-95,000 per annum plus company vehicle and additional benefits

TWG Consulting is recruiting for an experienced Senior Planning Manager to join a leading UK main contractor delivering a major programme of rail infrastructure projects across the South West and Wales.

This is a senior opportunity for an established planning professional who wants to take ownership of the planning function across a significant rail project while also providing strategic planning oversight across a wider CP7 framework.

You'll become part of the project's Senior Management Team, leading a team of planners and working closely with project, operational and commercial leadership throughout pre-construction and delivery.

The Opportunity:

This isn't simply a role producing and updating programmes.

You'll have genuine responsibility for how projects are planned and delivered, providing strategic planning leadership across a portfolio of complex rail infrastructure works.

You'll work closely with senior project stakeholders to identify programme risks and opportunities, challenge project performance and develop strategies that improve delivery.

You'll also have the opportunity to develop and mentor the planning team while helping to drive planning standards and best practice across the wider framework.

Key Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the planning function on a major rail infrastructure project.
• Providing strategic planning oversight across projects within a wider CP7 framework.
• Managing and developing a team of planners.
• Developing and maintaining detailed pre-construction and construction programmes.
• Working closely with operational, commercial and project teams to ensure programmes accurately reflect delivery strategy.
• Monitoring progress against baseline programmes and independently assessing project performance.
• Identifying critical path issues, programme risks and opportunities.
• Developing mitigation, recovery and programme optimisation strategies.
• Producing programme updates, dashboards, reports and narrative commentary for senior stakeholders.
• Working alongside commercial teams on earned value and project performance analysis.
• Ensuring programme submissions meet contractual requirements.
• Presenting programme performance at project, client and progress meetings.
• Supporting tender and pre-construction activities where required.
• Driving continuous improvement across planning processes, systems and standards.

About You

We're looking for an experienced planning professional with a strong background in major infrastructure, rail, civil engineering or complex construction projects.

You'll ideally have:

• Significant project planning and project controls experience.
• Experience working for a main contractor or major infrastructure delivery organisation.
• Previous experience leading or managing planners.
• Strong understanding of programme management, project controls, risk and cost.
• Experience identifying critical path issues and developing mitigation or recovery strategies.
• Good commercial awareness and an understanding of how contractual and commercial events affect the programme.
• Strong Primavera P6 capability.
• The confidence to work directly with Project Directors, commercial teams, clients and other senior stakeholders.
• An engineering, construction or technical background.

A Degree, HND or equivalent qualification in Engineering, Construction Management or a related discipline would be advantageous, alongside relevant professional membership.

Why Consider It?

This is an opportunity to join a major UK infrastructure contractor with a substantial pipeline of work across the rail sector.

You'll take on a highly visible leadership position with responsibility for planning across complex, long-term infrastructure projects, while also having the opportunity to develop a planning team around you.

For someone currently operating as a Planning Manager or Senior Planning Manager within rail or major infrastructure, this offers an excellent opportunity to take on greater strategic responsibility while remaining close to project delivery.

All conversations will be treated in complete confidence.