Senior Planner

Construction; Warwick (RI); Hybrid; USD 81,000 - 122,000; Full time

Job summary

Pontoon is seeking a Senior Planner for major infrastructure projects in Warwick. The role operates within a PMO, providing strategic oversight and governance across multiple projects. Hybrid working combines home-based tasks with site visits as required in the Midlands and wider UK.

You will lead detailed schedules, assess contractor submissions, and apply EVM techniques to drive on-time, on-budget delivery while coordinating with contractors, consultants and client teams.

Qualifications

• Experience in planning/project controls within complex engineering, construction, infrastructure or critical national infrastructure environments.
• Advanced/expert experience using Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project.
• Experience with NEC4 contracts and multi-disciplinary project coordination.

Responsibilities

• Take overall responsibility for planning and project controls across assigned projects and programmes.
• Develop, maintain and manage detailed project and programme schedules.
• Monitor contractor performance against approved baseline programmes.
• Review monthly contractor programme submissions and provide challenge where needed.
• Identify deviations, delays and issues and escalate to senior management.
• Develop mitigation, recovery and acceleration strategies to support delivery.

Skills

Planning & controls

Stakeholder management

EVM (Earned Value Management)

Schedule risk analysis

Contract management (NEC4)

Education

Engineering qualification (Electrical/Mechanical/Civil)

Tools

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

Job description

Pontoon is an employment consultancy. We put expertise, energy, and enthusiasm into improving everyone's chance of being part of the workplace. We respect and appreciate people of all ethnicities, generations, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, gender identities, and more. We do this by showcasing their talents, skills, and unique experience in an inclusive environment that helps them thrive.

Job Title: Senior Planner - Major Infrastructure Projects

Location: Warwick / Hybrid

Contract Type: 6 months

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Planner to join a highly experienced programme management team delivering a portfolio of major infrastructure and critical national infrastructure projects across the Midlands.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced planning professional to work across a diverse range of complex projects, supporting the successful delivery of multi-million-pound programmes and contracts.

The role sits within a Programme Management Office (PMO), providing strategic oversight across multiple projects and ensuring effective programme visibility, governance and project controls.

You will work closely with internal teams, contractors, consultants and other key stakeholders to ensure projects are effectively planned, monitored and delivered against agreed objectives.

The role operates on a hybrid basis, with a combination of home working and attendance at project sites across the Midlands and wider UK as required.

Key Responsibilities

• Take overall responsibility for planning and project controls across assigned projects and programmes.
• Develop, maintain and manage detailed project and programme schedules.
• Monitor contractor performance against approved baseline programmes.
• Review and assess monthly contractor programme submissions, providing recommendations and appropriate challenge.
• Identify programme deviations, delays and emerging issues, escalating these to senior management where appropriate.
• Develop mitigation, recovery and acceleration strategies to support successful project delivery.
• Review compensation event submissions, including associated programme impacts.
• Monitor progress of client-owned activities, including IT and telecommunications requirements, land acquisition, consenting and other enabling activities.
• Provide accurate project performance data, programme updates and management reports.
• Prepare reports and information to support Senior Managers in making informed project and programme decisions.
• Attend and contribute to project and PMO progress meetings, providing expert planning and project controls guidance.
• Promote effective project controls processes, procedures and best practice across the programme.
• Support the successful delivery of projects against agreed time, cost and performance objectives.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with contractors, consultants, project teams and other stakeholders.
• Produce project programmes, tender programmes and associated planning documentation with limited supervision.
• Apply appropriate project controls techniques, including Earned Value Management (EVM), risk analysis, cost analysis and schedule performance analysis.
• Support claims, change management and forensic programme analysis where required.

Experience & Qualifications

The successful candidate will ideally have:

• Experience in planning/project controls within complex engineering, construction, infrastructure or critical national infrastructure environments.
• Strong understanding of civil engineering and complex built-environment projects, ideally involving significant IT, telecommunications and physical security infrastructure.
• Advanced/expert experience using Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project.
• Proven experience programming multi-disciplinary engineering design and understanding the relationship between design, procurement, construction and commissioning activities.
• Demonstrable experience identifying programme risks, deviations and delays and communicating these effectively to senior stakeholders.
• Experience working with a range of commercial contracts, including NEC4.
• Experience working on large and complex projects with values of up to approximately 150 million.
• Experience in schedule risk analysis, claims, change management, cost analysis and forensic planning.
• Excellent understanding of project lifecycles covering design, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning.
• Ability to undertake project controls responsibilities independently and with limited supervision.
• Practical experience implementing and using Earned Value Management (EVM).
• Experience working with enterprise-level project management, planning or business systems.
• Strong analytical, reporting and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• An engineering qualification in Electrical, Mechanical or Civil Engineering would be advantageous.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel to project sites across the UK.

Please be advised: if you haven't heard from us within 48 hours, then unfortunately your application has not been successful on this occasion. We may, however, keep your details on file for any suitable future vacancies and contact you accordingly.

We use generative AI tools to support our candidate screening process. This helps us ensure a fair, consistent, and efficient experience for all applicants. Rest assured, all final decisions are made by our hiring team, and your application will be reviewed with care and attention.