Planning Lead, Railway (Dammam)

SupportFinity™; Saudi Arabia; On-site; SAR 374,000 - 488,000; Full time

Job summary

A global consultancy and engineering firm is seeking a highly skilled Planning Lead for railway projects in Saudi Arabia. The successful candidate will have over 15 years of project management experience and advanced skills in Primavera P6. Responsibilities include developing project schedules, managing resources, and producing progress reports. This role offers an opportunity to contribute to significant infrastructure development in the region.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of experience in planning/scheduling large-scale railway projects.
• At least 5 years of experience in the Middle East, preferably Saudi Arabia.
• Demonstrated experience in PMC environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and update project schedules using Primavera P6.
• Act as the primary planning interface between PMC and stakeholders.
• Produce regular progress reports and dashboards for management.

Skills

Project Management

Primavera P6

Delay Analysis

Communication skills

Resource Allocation

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related field

Master’s Degree (preferred)

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Job description

SYSTRA is one of the world's leading engineering and consultancy groups specialising in public transport and sustainable mobility. With over 10,300 employees, SYSTRA's mission is to design safe and sustainable transport solutions to bring people together, develop social inclusion and facilitate access to employment, education and leisure throughout the world.

For 65 years, the Group has been working alongside cities and regions to contribute to their development by creating, improving and modernising their infrastructure and transport systems, throughout the life cycle of their projects. SYSTRA is involved from the earliest stages of design through to the testing, deployment and maintenance phases. The company provides all its services in over 80 countries worldwide and generates 74% of its turnover internationally. With its new services, SYSTRA supports its clients and partners in their digital, ecological and energy transition, in order to invent the mobility of tomorrow.

Context

We are seeking a highly skilled Planning Lead with a solid background in Project Management Consultancy (PMC) roles within major railway projects. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in project planning and controls using Primavera P6, have extensive experience in the Middle East, and ideally in Saudi Arabia.

Missions / Main Duties

• Project Planning: Develop, monitor, and update detailed project schedules for large-scale railway projects using Primavera P6.
• PMC Liaison: Act as the primary planning interface between the PMC, client, contractors, and other stakeholders.
• Progress Reporting: Produce regular progress reports, dashboards, and presentations for senior management and client review.
• Delay Analysis: Analyze project delays, develop mitigation plans, and provide expert advice on recovery strategies.
• Resource Allocation: Manage and optimize resources and project timelines to ensure practical and achievable plans.
• Change Management: Assess and incorporate changes into the schedule, forecast impacts, and maintain program integrity.
• Risk Assessment: Identify scheduling risks and participate in risk workshops with the project team.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and support planning and scheduling teams to ensure high performance.
• Compliance: Ensure alignment of schedules with project scope, contract requirements, and quality standards.

Profile / Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related field (Master’s preferred)
• Minimum 15 years of experience in planning/scheduling large-scale railway projects, with at least 5 years in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia preferred)
• Demonstrated experience in PMC environments
• Advanced user of Primavera P6 and MS Project
• Strong understanding of railway project components (track, systems, civils, stations)
• Proven track record in delay analysis and claims support
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Systra is an equal opportunities company; this position is open to all applicants.