Senior Construction Planning Lead

Role Overview

A leading construction organisation is seeking an experienced Planning Manager to oversee planning, scheduling, and programme governance across a portfolio of large scale projects. This senior role provides strategic leadership across pre construction and delivery phases, driving programme certainty, risk mitigation, and cross functional coordination.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, manage, and optimise baseline construction programmes across design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover.
• Establish critical path logic, sequencing, dependencies, and scenario modelling to support project success.
• Ensure all programmes are robust, compliant, and reflective of project methodology and constraints.

Project Controls & Reporting

• Lead the planning and scheduling function across multiple projects, ensuring consistency, quality, and alignment with internal standards.
• Oversee progress measurement, earned value analysis, S curves, resource modelling, and reporting dashboards.
• Produce monthly programme reports, progress forecasts, and risk assessments for senior leadership.
• Maintain accurate as built programmes, variance analyses, and delay impact assessments.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Work closely with project management, design teams, commercial teams, and site leadership to ensure cohesive planning inputs and outputs.
• Engage subcontractors and suppliers to gather programme critical information including design release dates, long lead items, and installation durations.
• Represent the planning function in progress meetings, tender reviews, and client presentations.

Risk, Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Lead schedule risk assessments, mitigation strategies, recovery planning, and what if modelling.
• Ensure compliance with relevant contract forms (NEC, RIAI, JCT, FIDIC, etc.) where applicable.
• Drive continuous improvement across planning systems, templates, controls, and digital workflows.

Leadership & Team Development

• Manage and mentor planners across multiple project teams.
• Support capability development and knowledge sharing across planning and delivery functions.
• Maintain a high standard of programme governance across all projects under management.

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in construction planning, including significant experience in a senior or lead planning role.
• Proven planning experience on major residential, commercial, industrial, infrastructure, or mission critical projects.
• Expert user of Primavera P6 (essential).
• Strong competency with MS Project, Asta Powerproject, Excel, Power BI, and reporting platforms.
• Deep understanding of construction sequencing, resource planning, and cost/time integration.
• Experience with 4D planning and BIM-linked digital planning workflows is advantageous.

Core Skills

• Strong communicator with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.
• Highly analytical, detail oriented, and solutions focused.
• Comfortable leading planning functions on complex, multi phase projects.
• Travel or vehicle allowance
• Life insurance & income protection
• Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
• Employee wellbeing and lifestyle benefits

For more information on this position please call Allan Daly on or apply online and a member of the Ward Personnel team will be in touch.