Planning Lead

JLL; Ahmedabad District; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

JLL is seeking a Planning Lead for the Adani Data Centre project in Dholera, Gujarat. You will develop, maintain and control the integrated master program across design, construction, commissioning and handover, with emphasis on critical path, lookahead planning and interface coordination.

The role requires expertise in planning complex, fast-track facilities and providing strategic schedule insights to ensure on-time delivery of a landmark data centre facility.

Qualifications

• Experience leading schedules for large-scale data centre projects.
• Ability to develop detailed Level 3/4 schedules and baselines.
• Strong capability in schedule risk assessment and mitigation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage the integrated master schedule for the project.
• Create detailed schedules for civil, MEP, data centre infra, and utilities.
• Manage baseline changes and quarterly reviews with stakeholders.
• Provide weekly progress updates and 2–3 month lookaheads.
• Coordinate with contractors to align schedules and interfaces.
• Analyze critical path and propose optimization strategies.

Skills

Master Schedule Dev

Baseline Scheduling

Progress Reporting

Critical Path Analysis

Contractor Coordination

Data Centre Planning

Job description

JLL empowers you to shape a brighter way .

Our people at JLL are shaping the future of real estate for a better world by combining world class services, advisory and technology for our clients. We are committed to hiring the best, most talented people and empowering them to thrive, grow meaningful careers and to find a place where they belong. Whether you've got deep experience in commercial real estate, skilled trades or technology, or you're looking to apply your relevant experience to a new industry, join our team as we help shape a brighter way forward.

Planning Lead - Data Centre Construction

JLL Project and Development Services

Adani Data Centre Project, Dholera, Gujarat

Position Overview

The Planning Lead will be responsible for developing, maintaining, and controlling comprehensive project schedules for the Adani Data Centre project in Dholera. This critical role requires expertise in planning and scheduling complex, mission-critical facilities with multiple interfaces, fast-track delivery requirements, and stringent milestone commitments. The Planning Lead will serve as the primary schedule management authority, providing strategic insights to support project decision-making and ensure on-time delivery of this landmark data centre facility.

Key Responsibilities

• Master Schedule Development & Management Develop and maintain the integrated master project schedule encompassing all phases from design development through construction, commissioning, and handover. Create detailed Level 3 and Level 4 schedules for all work packages including civil works, structural, MEP systems, data centre infrastructure, façade, interiors, and specialty systems. Establish logical relationships, activity sequencing, and resource loading to accurately reflect project execution strategy and constraints. Define critical path, near-critical activities, and float analysis to identify schedule risks and optimization opportunities. Integrate contractor schedules into the master program ensuring consistency, interface coordination, and alignment with project milestones.
• Baseline Schedule Management Establish baseline schedules for all project phases and major work packages following approval by project leadership and Adani stakeholders. Manage baseline change control processes, documenting approved revisions and maintaining historical records of schedule evolution. Conduct quarterly baseline reviews to assess schedule performance, analyze trends, and recommend corrective actions. Ensure all schedule changes are properly documented with clear justification, impact assessment, and stakeholder approval.
• Progress Monitoring & Reporting Conduct weekly schedule updates based on actual site progress, resource deployment, and milestone achievements verified through site inspections and contractor reports. Prepare comprehensive progress reports including earned value analysis, schedule variance analysis, and critical path updates for internal and client stakeholders. Generate lookahead schedules for 2-week, 4-week, and 3-month horizons to facilitate proactive resource planning and coordination. Prepare monthly executive summaries highlighting schedule performance, key achievements, upcoming milestones, and areas of concern. Develop dashboard presentations showing schedule health metrics, milestone tracking, and performance indicators for steering committee meetings.
• Critical Path Analysis & Optimization Continuously monitor and analyze critical path activities, identifying potential delays and recommending proactive mitigation measures. Conduct "what-if" scenario analysis to evaluate impacts of design changes, weather delays, resource constraints, or scope modifications. Recommend schedule acceleration strategies including fast-tracking opportunities, activity overlapping, resource augmentation, or alternative construction methodologies. Optimize construction sequencing to minimize activity conflicts, reduce downtime, and maximize workforce productivity. Identify opportunities for parallel execution and early commissioning of independent systems.
• Contractor Schedule Coordination Review and approve contractor schedules ensuring they align with master program requirements, interface commitments, and milestone obligations. Facilitate schedule coordination meetings with multiple contractors to resolve interface conflicts, sequence dependencies, and resource allocation issues. Monitor contractor schedule compliance and implement corrective actions when performance deviates from planned progress. Ensure contractor schedules reflect appropriate level of detail, realistic durations, and proper logic ties. Verify that contractor updates accurately represent field conditions and remaining work scope.
• Data Centre-Specific Planning Develop specialized schedules for mission-critical data centre systems including UPS installation, generator commissioning, precision cooling deployment, electrical distribution, raised floor installation, and cable mana