Senior Planner - Highways

Senior Planner – Highways & Bridges

Location: Bristol
Employment Type: Permanent

The Opportunity

We are delighted to be recruiting for an experienced Senior Planner to join our client's Specialist Bridges Inspection & Maintenance (SBIM) team based at the Severn Bridge Maintenance Unit.

This is a pivotal role within a highly specialised and safety-critical infrastructure environment. As Senior Planner, you will act as the primary coordinator for planning activities across multidisciplinary projects, ensuring integrated, robust and auditable programmes that reflect the operational complexities of bridge inspection, maintenance and asset management activities.

You will provide expert planning support across the contract, drive programme performance, mentor junior planners and apprentices, and support the continuous improvement of planning systems, reporting processes and governance standards.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Development & Control

• Develop, maintain and control integrated, resource-loaded Primavera P6 programmes covering inspections, investigations, maintenance works and enabling activities.
• Establish and manage programme baselines, change control procedures, critical path analysis and float management.
• Conduct scenario modelling and what-if analysis to assess delivery options, programme risks and opportunities.
• Align programme schedules with access strategies, resource plans, cost forecasts and risk registers to produce accurate and credible delivery plans.
• Ensure all planning information remains accurate, current, auditable and fully version controlled.

NEC4 Contract & Commercial Support

• Prepare and submit NEC4-compliant programmes for client acceptance.
• Support Early Warnings and Compensation Events by providing robust programme evidence and impact assessments.
• Undertake forensic-style schedule analysis to support commercial discussions and claims management.
• Provide planning expertise to support contractual compliance and effective project delivery.

Operational Planning & Coordination

• Plan and manage critical access dependencies, including:
  • Traffic management
  • Lane closures
  • Bridge closures
  • Possessions
  • MEWP and specialist platform access
• Coordinate activities across inspection teams, structures engineers, electrical teams, maintenance teams and operational support services.
• Identify and resolve programme conflicts to optimise access opportunities and maximise productivity.
• Sequence works to minimise disruption to the road network while maintaining operational efficiency.
• Integrate contract activities with wider National Highways programmes and third-party works.

Stakeholder Management & Leadership

• Chair planning meetings with internal teams, subcontractors and client representatives.
• Drive planning discussions, facilitate decision-making and ensure actions are effectively tracked and delivered.
• Build strong working relationships with stakeholders across all levels of the business.

Candidate Requirements

Essential Experience & Qualifications

• Proven experience developing and managing Primavera P6 programmes within complex infrastructure, engineering or construction environments.
• Strong understanding of NEC4 contracts and programme management requirements.
• Experience supporting Early Warnings, Compensation Events and programme-related commercial processes.
• Experience working within highways maintenance, major structures, bridges, civil engineering or similar infrastructure sectors.
• Strong understanding of programme controls, critical path analysis, resource planning, change control and risk management.
• Excellent organisational skills with a highly structured and detail-oriented approach.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to challenge, influence and lead discussions.

Ardour Associates values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are more than happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

For the purposes of the Conduct Regulations 2003, when advertising permanent vacancies we are acting as an Employment Agency, and when advertising temporary/contract vacancies we are acting as an Employment Business.

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