Planning Manager

Our Water sector contractor client is seeking a Planning Manager to be based out of their Ilkeston office in a hybrid working arrangement.

The Planning Manager is responsible for the leadership, coordination, and delivery of robust planning and scheduling support across the full lifecycle of MEICA-focused water and wastewater projects, from initiation through to commissioning and handover. Operating within NEC3 and NEC4 contract environments, the role ensures that programmes are contract-compliant, technically sound, and aligned with stakeholder objectives. This role plays a critical part in achieving successful, timely project delivery.

Responsibilities

Programme Development and Management.
Develop robust, logic-linked baseline programmes (Primavera P6) from limited initial information, drawing on experience in delivering complex MEICA works in regulated water environments.
Structure programmes to cover all project stages (initiation to completion), including key stage gates, hold points, and approval milestones.
Support and coordinate the development of integrated design, procurement, construction, and commissioning schedules, ensuring alignment across internal teams and the supply chain.
Ensure all programmes are NEC3/NEC4 compliant, including provisions for Clause 31 and Clause 32 programme submissions.
Interface with commercial and delivery teams to support assessment of early warnings, compensation events, and change impacts on the schedule.
Contribute to the preparation and defence of entitlement for extensions of time and schedule relief in accordance with contract conditions.
Progress Monitoring and Reporting.
Establish consistent project reporting procedures and programme dashboard templates for use by delivery teams and suppliers.
Monitor and update programme performance including progress, critical path, float trends, and earned value metrics.
Collaborate with the Head of PMO and Estimating in developing and deploying standardised tools, templates, and best practices.
Establish the project level collaborative planning approach to drive engagement of the whole project team with the programme. This will include the presentation of programme information in numerous ways – time chainage, 4D, short term planning, phasing diagrams, etc.
Interrogate the programme(s) and identify areas for improvements, risk reduction and potential issues across the whole project. Use this detailed understanding of the programme to deliver strategic planning decisions.
Work with project controls team to develop planning reporting for the project(s). This reporting should be adaptable and be able to be interrogated by different members of the project team maximising automation to focus planners time on value added tasks.

Skills/experience/qualifications

Substantial experience in planning MEICA works within the UK water sector
Strong Primavera P6 skills and familiarity with NEC3/NEC4 contract planning requirements
Proven ability to develop and maintain complex programmes with interdependent design, procurement, and site activities
Deep understanding of construction methodologies, commissioning sequencing, and supply chain dependencies
Experienced in earned value management, critical path analysis, and risk-based scheduling
HND or Degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Process Engineering or other relevant experience with project planning experience
Primavera P6 Advanced User Certification (or demonstrable high-level expertise)
APM, PMI, or equivalent project management/planning accreditation (preferred)
APM Project Planning & Control (PPC) Practitioner or equivalent PMI-SP (Project Scheduling Professional) certification
NEC3 / NEC4 Accredited Project Manager or formal NEC training (e.g. ECC Planning & Programming workshops)
APM PMQ (Project Management Qualification) or PRINCE2 Practitioner
Training in Earned Value Management (EVM) or use of EVM in live projects
Power BI or data analytics training for reporting and visualisation
Familiarity with ISO 21500 / 21502 (project, programme, and portfolio management standards)Benefits

Salary circa 70-80k
Hybrid working
Car/car allowance
Generous holiday and pension