Project Planner

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We are seeking an experienced Project Planner to lead the planning and scheduling function for large-scale rail and transport infrastructure projects. The successful candidate will be accountable for developing, monitoring, and maintaining fully integrated project schedules, ensuring alignment with strategic project objectives, and providing high level insights to support executive decision-making. This senior role requires deep expertise in planning methodologies, scheduling tools, governance, and coordination with multidisciplinary teams to drive timely, efficient, and compliant project delivery. Candidates must have extensive experience working in the concept, design, and procurement phases of the project lifecycle, as well as solid experience in a Project Management or Engineering Consultancy environment. The Senior Planner/Scheduler will play a key role in leading schedule development, analyzing project data, identifying risks and opportunities, mentoring junior planners, and ensuring compliance with project governance and client requirements.

What You'll Be Doing;

• Champion a culture of health, safety, wellbeing, and security across the project, ensuring compliance with organizational policies, client requirements, and local regulations.
• Promote and reinforce safety initiatives, including the Stop Work authority, and ensure that planning and scheduling activities reflect safety constraints and considerations.
• Lead the development, updating, and maintenance of detailed, resource-loaded project schedules for all phases of the project lifecycle, including concept, design, procurement, and construction.
• Perform advanced critical path analysis and scenario planning; identify schedule risks, delays, interfaces, and opportunities to optimize project timelines.
• Coordinate closely with project managers, discipline leads, and commercial teams to ensure schedules are realistic, achievable, and aligned with project objectives and contractual requirements.
• Provide guidance, direction, and specialized assistance for the resolution of complex planning and scheduling problems, acting as the subject-matter expert.
• Interface with clients and senior stakeholders, attend regular progress and governance meetings, and provide clear recommendations on schedule strategy and recovery plans.
• Lead the development and maintenance of the master coding structure (WBS, CBS, OBS, etc.), ensuring consistent application across the program and effective integration with cost and scope management.
• Support/perform integration of scope, cost, and schedule within the WBS and ensure mapping is accurate, robust, and maintained on an ongoing basis.
• Undertake advanced analysis, evaluation, and development of forecasts for project resources and cost, in collaboration with project controls and commercial teams.
• Accumulate and access historical data, applying earned value management principles, to maintain a realistic basis for future planning, forecasting, and benchmarking.
• Analyze, evaluate, forecast, and report schedule status against established baselines; lead schedule variance and trend analysis and propose corrective actions.
• Assess the impacts of pre/post-contract risks, changes, and schedule slippages, and develop mitigation and recovery strategies, including change requests and time impact analyses.
• Prepare and present statistical and analytical reports for management on a recurring and ad hoc basis, including dashboards and executive summaries.
• Mentor and support junior planners/schedulers, promoting best practices in planning, scheduling, and reporting.
• Perform other senior responsibilities associated with this position as may be appropriate.
• Lead the gathering, compilation, and analysis of data on economic, social, technical, and physical factors affecting project timelines and resource allocations.
• Monitor project progress and performance against key milestones and baselines, providing regular, structured updates and reports to stakeholders and senior management.
• Use data-driven insights to support decisions on phasing, sequencing, resourcing, and contractual strategies.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including contractors, consultants, and local authorities, to ensure alignment on project schedules, key interfaces, and milestones.
• Facilitate and often lead planning workshops and coordination meetings to build consensus on project timelines, resolve scheduling conflicts, and agree on mitigation strategies.
• Act as a primary point of contact on all planning and scheduling matters, representing the project controls function in client and governance forums.
• Utilize advanced planning and scheduling software (e.g., Primavera P6, Microsoft Project) to create, manage, and optimize complex project and program schedules..

What Required Skills You'll Bring;

• Bachelor s degree in Civil Engineering, Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management, or a related field. A Higher National Diploma in a relevant field may be considered with strong, demonstrable experience.

• Project Management Professional (PMP), PRINCE2, AgilePM, or equivalent certifications are desirable.

• Certified Planner or equivalent professional planning credential (preferred).

• Formal certification/training in Primavera P6 or other recognized scheduling tools is highly desirable.

• Minimum of 6+ years of experience in project planning and scheduling, preferably within rail, transport, infrastructure, or large-scale construction projects.

• Demonstrable experience in leading the development and management of schedules for multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder projects.

• Extensive experience working in the concept, design, and procurement phases of the project lifecycle, with proven ability to integrate these with construction and commissioning phases.

• Prior experience in a Project Management or Engineering Consultancy environment, operating in a client-facing

• Bachelor s degree in Civil Engineering, Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management, or a related field. A Higher National Diploma in a relevant field may be considered with strong, demonstrable experience.

• Project Management Professional (PMP), PRINCE2, AgilePM, or equivalent certifications are desirable.

• Certified Planner or equivalent professional planning credential (preferred).

• Formal certification/training in Primavera P6 or other recognized scheduling tools is highly desirable.

• Minimum of 6+ years of experience in project planning and scheduling, preferably within rail, transport, infrastructure, or large-scale construction projects.

• Demonstrable experience in leading the development and management of schedules for multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder projects.

• Extensive experience working in the concept, design, and procurement phases of the project lifecycle, with proven ability to integrate these with construction and commissioning phases.

• Prior experience in a Project Management or Engineering Consultancy environment, operating in a client-facing role.

• High proficiency in planning and scheduling software such as Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, and other relevant tools.

• Strong knowledge of planning methodologies, critical path analysis, earned value management, and resource allocation/leveling techniques.

• Ability to develop and manage complex, integrated schedules (including interfaces, constraints, and dependencies) for large programs.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to prepare clear reports and deliver effective presentations to senior stakeholders.

• Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and conflict resolution abilities, especially in high-pressure, time-constrained environments.

• Demonstrated leadership and mentoring skills, with the ability to guide and develop junior planning staff.

• Must be fluent in English, both written and spoken, with excellent technical writing and communication skills.

• Proactive and delivery-focused, with a strong ability to align stakeholders around a common vision and agreed timelines.

• Flexible and adaptable to changing business needs, with proven ability to prioritize workloads and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong organizational and leadership skills, with a focus on continuous improvement, innovation, and best practice adoption in planning and project controls.

• Experience working in Saudi Arabia and/or the Gulf region, with familiarity with local regulations and client expectations, is highly preferred.