Job Description

Planning Manager

Location: Stockton, UK

Employment Type: Permanent

Role Overview

We are recruiting on behalf of our client for an experienced Planning Manager to lead planning and project controls across bids and live projects.

This is a hands-on role, responsible for developing and managing project programmes, monitoring progress on site and ensuring projects are delivered productively, on programme and within budget.

Working closely with project, construction and commercial teams, you will monitor planned versus actual progress and man-hours, identify productivity issues and implement recovery plans where required. You will also lead and develop the planning team, ensuring consistent planning standards across the business.

Key Responsibilities

Planning and Programming

• Build, own and maintain detailed baseline programmes in Primavera P6 for bids and live projects, including logic, durations, resources and key client milestones.

• Produce 3-week look-ahead and short-term programmes with site teams.

• Update programmes weekly against actual site progress, providing clear narratives outlining changes and reasons for delays.

• Ensure planning standards, templates and procedures are consistently applied across all projects.

Progress and Productivity

• Regularly visit sites, working with supervisors to verify progress at the workface.

• Establish and manage progress measurement across projects, including installed quantities, earned hours and percentage completion against plan.

• Monitor planned versus actual man-hours and productivity by discipline and area, identifying potential issues early.

• Work with Project Managers and supervisors to identify the root causes of lost productivity and implement solutions.

• Develop labour histograms and resource forecasts to ensure appropriate resource allocation.

• Lead recovery planning where projects fall behind schedule, developing realistic and costed recovery options.

Project Controls and Reporting

• Work with the Commercial team to link programme and cost information, providing accurate progress, earned value and forecast data.

• Manage change control, capturing early warnings, variations and scope changes, including their time and cost implications.

• Maintain risk and opportunity registers, ensuring these are reflected in project programmes.

• Produce accurate weekly and monthly reports for project teams, leadership and clients.

Contracts and Delay

• Record project delays and their causes, ensuring supporting evidence is maintained.

• Prepare extension of time submissions and time impact analysis under NEC, JCT, FIDIC and bespoke contracts.

• Support the Commercial team with claims and disputes requiring programme evidence.

Bids

• Produce tender programmes, durations and resource histograms that are realistic and competitive.

• Develop planning and project controls sections of technical submissions and Project Execution Plans.

• Attend client interviews to present and explain programme and planning approaches.

Leadership and People

• Lead, mentor and develop planners and project controls staff.

• Manage planning resources, recruitment and succession planning across the business.

• Work collaboratively with Project Managers, Operations, Commercial and Estimating teams.

Person Specification

Education, Certification and Qualifications

• Degree or HNC/HND in Engineering, Construction Management or a related discipline, or equivalent industry experience.

• Professional membership (APM, CIOB, AACE or PMI) is desirable.

• SSSTS/SMSTS or equivalent health and safety qualification is desirable.

Experience and Competencies

• Proven experience leading planning or project controls within engineering, construction, energy or infrastructure.

• Hands-on, site-based planning experience on electrical, E&I or MEP projects within power, renewables, oil and gas, data centres or similar environments.

• Experience establishing progress measurement and productivity tracking, including earned hours and planned versus actual man-hours.

• Experience managing, developing and mentoring planners across multiple projects.

• Expert user of Primavera P6.