Lead Planner

Lead Planner
Location: London
Salary: £80,000 - £90,000 per annum + package and benefits

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Planning Lead to join a major infrastructure project in London. This is a key leadership role responsible for managing all planning, scheduling and project performance reporting activities, ensuring programmes are developed, maintained and delivered in line with project objectives.
Working closely with Project Managers, Construction Teams, Commercial Teams and the Supply Chain, you will play a critical role in driving programme performance, managing interfaces, identifying risks and ensuring the successful delivery of complex civil engineering, tunnelling and infrastructure works.

Responsibilities:
- Develop, maintain and manage fully resourced project programmes.
- Review programme outputs to ensure compliance with project requirements and delivery expectations.
- Produce visual planning materials and programme reports to support project delivery.
- Undertake programme and schedule risk analysis, identifying opportunities and constraints.
- Act as the focal point for planning activities across project teams and stakeholders.
- Introduce and manage programme changes while monitoring progress against key milestones.
- Coordinate planning activities with design, construction and commercial teams.
- Support the development and implementation of efficient construction methodologies.
- Plan temporary works design activities and ensure designs are completed and approved in line with project requirements.
- Develop and maintain schedules for temporary works and indirect cost items.
- Produce internal and external project programmes throughout the project lifecycle.
- Monitor construction progress, update programmes and prepare detailed progress reports.
- Identify programme risks and delays, developing mitigation and recovery plans where required.
- Manage the programming and assessment of compensation events.
- Support effective interface coordination and early works planning.
- Review contract documentation to develop and maintain detailed project schedules.
- Coordinate and integrate subcontractor programmes into the master project programme.
- Work closely with commercial teams regarding programme impacts, change management and contractual obligations.
- Ensure planning processes, procedures and best practices are consistently applied.
- Support project teams in achieving key programme milestones and delivery objectives.
- Provide planning expertise to senior management and project stakeholders.

Requirements:
- Significant planning experience within civil engineering, infrastructure, tunnelling or major construction projects.
- Strong understanding of project planning techniques across both tender and delivery phases.
- Experience developing and managing complex, fully resourced project schedules.
- Proven experience working on large-scale infrastructure or heavy civil engineering projects.
- Experience in tunnelling and ground engineering environments is highly desirable.
- Strong understanding of construction sequencing, logistics and programme management principles.
- Knowledge of commercial and contractual interfaces associated with project planning.
- Experience managing compensation events and programme impacts.
- Advanced knowledge of planning software, including Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project.
- Strong analytical and reporting capabilities.
- Ability to identify risks, opportunities and programme improvement initiatives.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Experience coordinating multiple project interfaces and subcontractor programmes.
- Ability to work collaboratively with construction, engineering, commercial and client teams.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence project outcomes and drive programme performance.