Project Planner

ACCIONA Energía; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 400,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

ACCIONA Energía seeks a Project Planner based in Cape Town to prepare Level I and II planning for renewable energy projects. The role involves developing project scenarios, coordinating planning efforts, and ensuring effective communication among all stakeholders. Suitable candidates will have an Engineering Degree, specific planning training, and experience in renewable energy sectors. This permanent position offers an opportunity to contribute to sustainable energy solutions.

Qualifications

• Experience in renewable energy installations (wind farms and PV projects).
• Advanced/Intermediate English, other South African languages are a plus.
• Previous involvement in scheduling and planning work on EPC projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop and analyze project scenarios in the bidding phase.
• Monitor construction work progress and prepare planning reports.
• Coordinate with various disciplines to achieve project goals.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Teamwork abilities

Technical analysis

Education

Engineering Degree or equivalent technical certification

Project management qualification

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Job description

ACCIONA Energía is the biggest 100% renewable energy company with no fossil legacy in the world. With more than 30 years of experience and operations in 20 countries on five continents, ACCIONA Energía offers a wide portfolio of tailored energy solutions so that its corporate and institutional clients can meet their decarbonisation goals. This includes the development, engineering, construction, operation and maintenance of renewable power plants -mainly wind and photovoltaic technologies-, energy sales and management and marketing, energy services, self-consumption, electric mobility and new technologies such as storage and green hydrogen. ACCIONA Energía is governed by the most demanding environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria.

Job Purpose

Prepare the Level I planning based on the department’s procedures and within the required timeframe for the assigned projects in the bidding phase, in coordination with the Project Manager and based on the information provided by the Business Development team.

Prepare the Level II planning based on the department’s procedures and within the required timeframe for the investment-approved projects assigned, in coordination with the Project Manager and the other involved disciplines.

This is a permanent role based in Cape Town.

Job Description

• Develop and analyze scenarios for projects in the bidding phase (Level I-preliminary stages and Level II-in Eskom preferred bidder stage), consolidating the main technical and legal aspects (permits), as well as the reasonable deadlines from the utility (Eskom), based on feedback received from the Engineering and Construction project management team as well as Business Development and department procedures.
• Update and prepare the Level I (high level) & Level II (detailed planning) for the investment-approved projects assigned in South Africa HQ, based on the department’s procedures, available information on bidding stage, participant BOP contractors, Engineering and Construction project management team, utility (Eskom) timeframes and follow up as well as Project Manager and based on the information provided by the Business Development team.
• Organize and coordinate the integration of the schedules provided by Business Development into the Level I and Level II planning of the assigned projects.
• Develop and maintain planning templates for each type of project (wind and photovoltaic), identifying the activities, their durations, and their dependency relationships
• Develop and adjust the detailed planning templates for each specific project (together with the Project Manager), covering procurement, engineering, construction, and commissioning.
• Monitor the progress of the construction work and prepare the weekly and monthly planning reports.
• Analyze projects in detail during their execution to identify critical paths and associated risks, while also proposing and updating the necessary changes to forecast the expected completion date.
• Determine the critical and sub-critical paths of the projects, from the moment the project becomes the responsibility of Engineering and Construction until its handover to Operations and Maintenance.
• Prepare progress curves and other planning reports as specified in the department's guidelines and in accordance with the requirements of the planning department's reporting.
• Optimal coordination with the Project Management and with the other discipline coordinators to achieve the best possible results.
• Ensure that the project planning documentation is properly uploaded to SharePoint and that the information is available in the various applications used within the department.
• Identify improvements in the department’s instructions. Obtain information from other departments (Business Development, Procurement, Engineering, Construction, Grid Code, etc.) involved in meeting the project execution deadlines.
• Identify and channel the most relevant lessons learned from the project planning processes, as well as assist in the implementation of future projects.
• Identify and channel the most relevant lessons learned from the project planning processes, as well as assist in the implementation of future projects.
• Assist with ad hoc requests and projects that may reasonably be expected within the company from time to time to promote the aims of the company
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

Required Skills and Competencies

• Engineering Degree, or the equivalent in a technical certification with a project management qualification.
• Specific training in planning, knowledge of Primavera P6 is required (MS Project shall be valued as additional).
• Additional specialized courses or training related to planning and project management will be valued.
• Previous experience in construction, especially in renewable energy installations (wind farms and PV projects).
• Scheduling and planning work on industrial EPC projects (wind farms or solar PV plants preferred, also combined cycle plants, cogeneration plants, LNG plants, solar thermal plants, oil & gas sector plants shall be valued).
• English: Advanced/Intermediate level, both spoken and written. Other South African languages will be considered an asset.
• Negotiation skills with third parties, teamwork abilities, and technical analysis of projects
• Position based in Cape Town (Western Cape) with availability to travel to projects as required
  
  

As a company that values diversity as a source of talent, we work to foster an inclusive environment that promotes respect, belonging and engagement so that all people can participate on an equal opportunity basis. We invite everyone to apply regardless of origin, circumstances, background or condition.