Strategic Planning Manager

SCS Railways; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Strategic Planning Manager at SCS Railways will lead the development, transformation, and continuous improvement of the Planning Function to enable delivery of major infrastructure projects.

The role partners with the Head of Planning, DU, Project Controls, Risk, Commercial and PMO to embed planning standards, governance and modern digital reporting, including Power BI and data integration, across the organisation.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in planning and project controls within major infrastructure.
• Extensive knowledge of NEC contracts and programme management.
• Experience with Clause 32 submissions, programme governance, change management, and PMO integration.
• Advanced Primavera P6 capability.
• Strong stakeholder management and facilitation skills.
• Degree qualified in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Controls or similar discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of the SCS Planning Strategy and Improvement Roadmap.
• Transition planning processes and governance to align with DU structure.
• Assess and improve Clause 32 processes, programme governance, and reporting.
• Develop long-term initiatives to support delivery and completion.
• Act as trusted advisor to Head of Planning on planning strategies.
• Drive a One Planning Team approach and promote consistency in outputs and reporting.
• Lead development of modern planning solutions and digital reporting capabilities.
• Collaborate with IT/Data teams to enhance reporting through Power BI and data integration.
• Investigate AI opportunities within planning, reporting and project controls.

Skills

Planning

Project controls

Stakeholder mgmt

Governance

NEC contracts

Clause 32

PMO integration

Power BI

Primavera P6

Risk management

Change management

Education

Engineering degree

Construction Management

Project Controls

Related discipline

Tools

Primavera P6

Power BI

Data warehousing

Job description

The Strategic Planning Manager will lead the development, transformation, and continuous improvement of the SCS Planning Function, ensuring planning remains a key enabler of project delivery, programme assurance, change management, and project completion.

The role will act as a strategic partner to the Head of Planning, Delivery Units, Project Controls, Risk, Commercial, Technical Services and PMO teams to ensure planning standards, governance, reporting and systems are consistently applied across SCS.

The Strategic Planning Manager will be responsible for driving planning excellence, embedding the "One Team" planning culture, improving visibility of planning across the business, integrating digital technologies and AI-enabled solutions.

The role will also provide strategic leadership for Clause 32 processes, programme governance, planning standards, reporting development, Power BI integration and cross-functional collaboration across the wider SCS structure.

The Strategic Planning Manager is responsible for:

• Support development and implementation of the SCS Planning Strategy and Planning Improvement Roadmap.
• Lead the transition of planning processes and governance arrangements to align with the Delivery Unit (DU) structure.
• Assess and recommend improvements to:
  • Clause 32 processes
  • Programme reviews
  • Planning governance
  • Reporting frameworks
  • P6 structures
  • Planning assurance requirements
• Develop long-term improvement initiatives that support successful project delivery and completion.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the Head of Planning on planning strategies.

Planning Transformation and Continuous Improvement

• Drive the implementation of a "One Planning Team" approach across SCS.
• Develop and maintain consistent:
  • Planning procedures
  • Standards
  • Templates
  • Working methodologies
  • Assurance arrangements
• Lead planning lessons learned, best practice reviews and maturity assessments.
• Facilitate planning workshops, collaboration forums and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Promote consistency of planning outputs, reporting and programme management practices across all Delivery Units.
• Lead development of modern planning solutions and digital reporting capabilities.
• Collaborate with IT and Data teams to:
  • Enhance reporting through Power BI
  • Develop data warehouse integration
  • Improve planning automation
  • Reduce manual reporting effort
• Investigate and implement AI opportunities within planning, reporting and project controls.

Required Experience, Qualifications & Skills

• Significant experience in planning and project controls within major infrastructure projects.
• Extensive knowledge of NEC contracts and programme management.
• Experience in:
  • Clause 32 programme submissions
  • Programme governance
  • Change management
  • PMO integration
  • Risk management
  • Reporting development
• Advanced Primavera P6 capability.
• Experience developing planning standards and procedures.
• Strong stakeholder management and facilitation skills.
• Degree qualified in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Controls or similar discipline.