Strategic Planning & Scheduling Lead – Hybrid, Annual Bonus

Cadent Foundation; Willenhall; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Pension scheme 18%

25 days holiday

Extra day off

Career development

Flexible working

ED&I commitments

Family policies

Retail discounts

Gym access

Job summary

Cadent Foundation is seeking a Planning and Scheduling Specialist to lead the development and delivery of operational work plans that ensure safe, efficient and customer-focused performance across the network. This 12-month secondment will shape short-term plans while keeping long-term priorities aligned with regulatory requirements.

You will lead a specialist planning team, translate workload forecasts into practical plans, and drive improvements across the network.

Qualifications

• Leadership and people management experience – Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop teams within a fast-paced operational environment.
• Planning and scheduling expertise – Strong understanding of operational planning, resource management and workload prioritisation.
• Performance improvement experience – Ability to identify issues, understand what's driving them and implement practical solutions to improve performance.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills – Able to use data and operational information to make informed decisions and support effective planning.
• Stakeholder management skills – Experience building effective relationships across operational, planning and business support functions.
• Project and programme management knowledge – Understanding of project management principles and their application within an operational environment.
• Strong communication and influencing skills – Able to communicate clearly, challenge constructively and gain buy-in from a range of stakeholders.
• Technical and regulatory awareness – Knowledge of operational processes, relevant legislation, policies, procedures and HSE requirements, together with a full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Lead a specialist planning team responsible for developing and delivering short-term operational plans that support network performance and customer service.
• Shape operational delivery by turning strategic workload forecasts into practical plans that balance resources, customer requirements and regulatory commitments.
• Drive business performance by identifying opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency and delivery outcomes across the network.
• Build strong relationships across the business by working closely with Operational Planning, Operational Delivery and Network teams to support shared goals and priorities.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives by identifying root causes of performance issues and implementing sustainable solutions.
• Develop and support others through coaching, mentoring and creating an environment where colleagues can perform at their best.
• Help steer performance by reviewing plans, analysing performance data and supporting recovery actions where needed.
• Make a real difference by helping ensure the network delivers safely, efficiently and in line with customer and regulatory expectations.

Skills

Leadership

Planning

Scheduling

Performance improvement

Analytical

Stakeholder mgmt

Project management

Regulatory awareness

UK driving licence

Job description

Cadent Foundation is seeking a Planning and Scheduling Specialist to lead the development and delivery of operational work plans that ensure safe, efficient and customer-focused performance across the network. This 12-month secondment will shape short-term plans while keeping long-term priorities aligned with regulatory requirements.

You will lead a specialist planning team, translate workload forecasts into practical plans, and drive improvements across the network.