Senior Project Planner (MEP)

Laing O'Rourke; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Crown House Technologies, part of Laing O\'Rourke, is recruiting a Senior Project Planner to lead planning and project controls on flagship infrastructure projects in the UK. Based in Birmingham, the role evolves into a hybrid position as the Great Grid Project progresses.

You will shape programmes from pre-construction through delivery, mentor planning teams, and collaborate with clients and supply chain partners to drive value and risk management across the project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading planning and project controls on major construction or infrastructure projects.
• Strong experience developing and maintaining complex construction programmes.
• Excellent knowledge of project controls, planning techniques and contract planning.
• Experience working collaboratively with clients, project teams and supply chain partners.
• The ability to communicate programme risks, opportunities and mitigation strategies clearly.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing planning teams.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret programme performance and drive continuous improvement.
• Experience in MEP, utilities, energy, rail or other major infrastructure projects would be highly advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Leading the planning and project controls function throughout the project lifecycle.
• Developing, maintaining and managing integrated project programmes from pre-construction through to delivery.
• Producing contract, construction, procurement and short-term programmes that support successful project delivery.
• Working collaboratively with project teams to develop logical, efficient construction strategies.
• Monitoring progress, analysing programme performance and recommending mitigation strategies where required.
• Providing programme advice to project leadership on commercial and contractual implications.
• Coordinating programme information across clients, stakeholders and supply chain partners.
• Supporting resource planning, team development and mentoring of planning professionals.
• Maintaining robust project controls, reporting and forecasting.
• Identifying trends, risks and opportunities to improve project performance.
• Building strong relationships with clients and key stakeholders while representing the planning function throughout the project.

Skills

Planning leadership

Complex construction programmes

Project controls

Stakeholder collaboration

Risk communication

Team leadership

Analytical skills

MEP / utilities experience

Job description

Senior Project Planner (MEP)

Location: Birmingham
Business: Crown House Technologies, part of Laing O'Rourke

Shape the future of UK infrastructure

At Crown House Technologies, we're redefining how complex engineering projects are delivered. As one of the UK's leading engineering and building services specialists, we combine innovative thinking, digital engineering and modern methods of construction to deliver some of the country's most significant infrastructure projects.

We're looking for an experienced Senior Project Planner to join our team on the Great Grid Project—a landmark programme that will help strengthen the UK's energy infrastructure for generations to come.

Initially based in our Birmingham office during the pre-construction phase, you'll transition to a hybrid role from Q3 2027, working across our Birmingham office and project sites as construction progresses through to the planned completion in 2031.

The opportunity

As Senior Project Planner, you'll play a pivotal role in developing, managing and controlling project programmes across the full project lifecycle. Working closely with project leadership, clients and supply chain partners, you'll provide strategic planning expertise that supports successful project delivery, commercial performance and effective risk management.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced planner who enjoys leading teams, influencing project strategy and driving continuous improvement on major infrastructure projects.

What you'll be doing

You'll be responsible for:

• Leading the planning and project controls function throughout the project lifecycle.
• Developing, maintaining and managing integrated project programmes from pre-construction through to delivery.
• Producing contract, construction, procurement and short-term programmes that support successful project delivery.
• Working collaboratively with project teams to develop logical, efficient construction strategies.
• Monitoring progress, analysing programme performance and recommending mitigation strategies where required.
• Providing programme advice to project leadership on commercial and contractual implications.
• Coordinating programme information across clients, stakeholders and supply chain partners.
• Supporting resource planning, team development and mentoring of planning professionals.
• Maintaining robust project controls, reporting and forecasting.
• Identifying trends, risks and opportunities to improve project performance.
• Building strong relationships with clients and key stakeholders while representing the planning function throughout the project.

What we're looking for

You'll bring significant planning experience gained on complex construction or infrastructure projects together with the ability to influence teams and provide strategic programme advice.

We're particularly interested in candidates who have:

• Proven experience leading planning and project controls on major construction or infrastructure projects.
• Strong experience developing and maintaining complex construction programmes.
• Excellent knowledge of project controls, planning techniques and contract planning.
• Experience working collaboratively with clients, project teams and supply chain partners.
• The ability to communicate programme risks, opportunities and mitigation strategies clearly.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing planning teams.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret programme performance and drive continuous improvement.

Experience in MEP, utilities, energy, rail or other major infrastructure projects would be highly advantageous.

We are an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

Certainty, reliability, quality – this is what our clients want. And at Laing O'Rourke, we have more than 150 years of experience delivering it. Laing O'Rourke's story is one of energy, passion, ambition, people and teamwork. We harness the power of our experience, stretching back over a century and a half to deliver certainty for our clients.

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term health 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 prior to interview what adjustments are required as well as discussing how we can support you in the workplace.

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