Senior Planner

Clough Limited; Christchurch; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Clough Limited in New Zealand seeks a Lead Senior Planner to drive the integrated project schedule for a major infrastructure PPP venture in Canterbury. Based in Templeton, Christchurch, you will lead time management, governance, and decision-support across all lifecycle phases, ensuring contractually compliant, robust and cost-integrated schedules.

You will collaborate with senior stakeholders, manage critical path activities, forecast outcomes, and deliver timely reporting, risk-informed

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in Engineering, Construction Management or related discipline (preferred).
• Minimum 5+ years’ experience in project planning, preferably in complex multi-discipline projects.
• Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6 (or equivalent scheduling tools).
• Experience managing critical path and schedule performance.
• Forecasting, recovery planning, EOT, delay analysis, and claims support.
• Ability to operate in a governance-driven project environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, implementation, and governance of the integrated project schedule.
• Maintain ownership of critical path and near-critical activities across the project.
• Define and enforce project-wide progress measurement and reporting standards.
• Validate subcontractor and discipline schedules, ensuring accuracy and alignment.
• Lead schedule forecasting, scenario analysis, and recovery planning activities.
• Communicate forecast completion dates, float utilisation, and schedule risks to senior leadership.
• Proactively identify schedule risks and drive mitigation strategies with project teams.
• Support and lead schedule risk assessments and integrate outcomes into project planning.
• Lead planning inputs for variations, Extensions of Time (EOTs), and delay/disruption assessments.
• Prepare Time Impact Analyses (TIA) and support claims and entitlement processes.
• Ensure all approved changes are captured and accurately reflected in the project schedule.
• Provide expert planning advice to support strategic project decision-making.

Skills

Project planning

Risk management

Stakeholder engagement

Governance

Schedule forecasting

Critical path

Cost integration

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

Primavera P6

Job description

This role supports one of New Zealand's most significant and technically complex vertical infrastructure development currently underway. The project is a large-scale, secure operational facility being delivered through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) and joint venture model, bringing together some of the country's most experienced construction, engineering and service delivery organisations.

Designed to operate around the clock once complete, the facility incorporates high-security environments, complex building systems, and long-term asset management requirements. The project environment is fast-paced, highly collaborative and governance-led, with strong interface management across public and private sector stakeholders.

About the Opportunity

Joining this project offers the rare chance to be part of a high-profile, nationally important build from within an established and well-resourced delivery team. You will work alongside industry specialists in a project setting that values professionalism, discretion and excellence, while offering exposure to sophisticated commercial, security and operational frameworks unique to PPP projects.

This is an opportunity for an experienced planning professional who thrives in structured, high-accountability environments and is motivated by contributing to infrastructure that delivers lasting public value.

About the Role

Based in Templeton, Christchurch and reporting to the Design & Engineering Manager, the Lead Senior Planner will work across all phases of the project lifecycle, providing expert time management leadership and governance.

This role is accountable for the development, integrity, governance, and performance of the integrated project schedule. Acting as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, you will ensure the baseline programme is contractually compliant, logically robust, risk-informed, and fully integrated with cost, progress, and change management systems.

You will play a critical role in enabling informed decision-making, driving schedule performance, and ensuring the project is positioned to achieve successful time-related and commercial outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and governance of the integrated project schedule
• Maintain ownership of critical path and near-critical path activities across the project
• Define and enforce consistent project-wide progress measurement and reporting standards
• Validate subcontractor and discipline schedules, ensuring accuracy and alignment
• Lead schedule forecasting, scenario analysis, and recovery planning activities
• Communicate forecast completion dates, float utilisation, and schedule risks to senior leadership
• Proactively identify schedule risks and drive mitigation strategies with project teams
• Support and lead schedule risk assessments and integrate outcomes into project planning
• Lead planning inputs for variations, Extensions of Time (EOTs), and delay/disruption assessments
• Prepare Time Impact Analyses (TIA) and support claims and entitlement processes
• Ensure all approved changes are captured and accurately reflected in the project schedule
• Provide expert planning advice to support strategic project decision-making

About You

To succeed in this role, you will bring:

• Strong experience in project planning within large-scale or complex infrastructure environments
• Demonstrated advanced competency in Primavera P6, with the ability to develop, manage, and analyse integrated project schedules
• A high level of accountability and ownership in managing programme outcomes
• Advanced understanding of project controls, schedule integration, and contract requirements
• The ability to influence and advise senior stakeholders with confidence
• Strong analytical capability, with a focus on risk identification and solution development
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Tertiary qualification in Engineering, Construction Management or related discipline (preferred)
• Minimum 5+ years’ experience in project planning, ideally within complex or multi-discipline projects
• Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6 (or equivalent scheduling tools)
• Experience managing:
• Critical path and schedule performance
• Forecasting and recovery planning
• EOT, delay analysis, and claims support
• Ability to operate effectively in a structured, governance-driven project environment

What We Offer

This role offers a genuinely unique opportunity to work within a joint-venture environment, combining the strength and capability of a highly respected New Zealand constructor with the scale, systems, and global experience of a leading international infrastructure organisation.

We offer:

• The opportunity to be embedded in a large-scale, high-profile project from early stages through delivery
• Exposure to both local best practice and world-class global systems and processes, providing invaluable professional development
• A collaborative, inclusive project team environment that values expertise, partnership, and shared success
• Strong leadership, structure, and support within a well-resourced organisation
• Competitive remuneration aligned to skills and experience

Working with Clough provides you with access to challenging projects and career opportunities, along with access to professional development through our various internal and external training programs.