Senior Planner

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior  Planner to take ownership of planning and programme management across a busy and growing construction framework operating within a live, highly regulated and challenging environment Macclesfield.

The role will be responsible for managing and coordinating multiple concurrent project programmes across the framework, from pre-construction through design, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover.

The successful candidate must have previous framework experience and be comfortable working across a portfolio of projects with different priorities, delivery stages, constraints and stakeholders.

As the framework and workload continue to grow, the Senior  Planner will also be responsible for managing and developing a growing team of planners, establishing consistent planning standards, allocating workload and ensuring the planning function has the capability and capacity to support the wider business.

This is not simply a programme-update role. The Senior Planner will be expected to provide active planning leadership, challenge project teams and subcontractors, identify emerging programme risks, test programme logic and drive appropriate mitigation and recovery strategies.

John Sisk & Son have been building excellence as a family-owned international construction company by offering trust, certainty and value to our clients whilst being at the heart of change.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and programme management function across a portfolio of concurrent construction projects.
• Manage and coordinate multiple programmes operating simultaneously within a framework environment.
• Lead, manage and develop a growing team of planners as the framework and business expand.
• Allocate planning resources across projects in accordance with workload, project priorities and delivery requirements.
• Support the recruitment, onboarding and development of additional planning resources as required.
• Provide technical guidance, mentoring and support to planners within the team.
• Establish and maintain consistent planning standards, processes, templates and reporting requirements across the framework.
• Review and assure the quality, logic and consistency of programmes produced by the planning team.
• Develop and maintain detailed programmes from pre-construction, design and procurement through construction, commissioning and handover.
• Establish appropriate programme structures, WBS, activities, logic, dependencies and milestones.
• Develop and maintain an integrated framework-level view of all projects, identifying resource, sequencing and programme interfaces.
• Work closely with Project Managers, Construction Managers and Design Managers to ensure design deliverables, surveys, approvals and information requirements are properly integrated into project programmes.
• Integrate procurement schedules, subcontractor lead times, manufacturing periods and long-lead items into the overall programme.
• Review subcontractor programmes and challenge durations, sequencing, assumptions, logic and resource requirements.
• Identify critical and near-critical activities and clearly communicate programme risks to the wider project team.
• Undertake critical path analysis and assess the impact of delays, changes and emerging constraints.
• Develop programme mitigation and recovery plans in conjunction with delivery teams.
• Monitor actual progress against baseline and current programmes and provide accurate forecasts.
• Highlight programme slippage at an early stage and ensure corrective actions are agreed, allocated and tracked.
• Support Project Managers in assessing the programme impact of client changes, design changes and Early Warning items.
• Maintain appropriate programme records to support commercial and contractual discussions.
• Work closely with the commercial team where programme events may have time or cost implications.
• Support extension-of-time and delay assessments where required.
• Facilitate regular programme reviews with project teams, subcontractors and the client.
• Produce clear weekly and monthly programme reporting covering progress, milestones, critical path, look-ahead activities, variance, constraints, design, procurement, risks and mitigation.
• Prepare short-term look-ahead programmes to support site delivery.
• Ensure shutdowns, isolations, permits, access restrictions and operational constraints are correctly incorporated within project programmes.
• Support development and continuous improvement of standard planning processes and programme templates across the framework.
• Provide planning support during tendering and pre-construction, including programme development, sequencing and buildability assessments.
• Participate in project risk reviews, progress meetings and client programme meetings.
• Ensure programmes remain realistic, forward-looking management tools rather than retrospective reporting documents.
• Work with senior management to forecast future planning-resource requirements in line with expected business growth and workload.
• Ensure programme management and reporting are aligned with the relevant NEC contractual requirements, including accepted programmes, Early Warnings, Compensation Events and programme revisions where applicable.

Experience

Essential Experience

• Significant planning experience within the construction industry.
• Previous experience working within a construction framework environment.
• Proven experience managing and coordinating multiple concurrent project programmes.
• Proven experience leading, managing or mentoring a team of planners.
• Ability to manage and develop a planning function in line with increasing project workload and business growth.
• Experience operating successfully within a challenging, fast-moving environment with competing project priorities.
• Experience as a Senior Planner, Lead Planner or equivalent on complex construction projects.
• Strong working knowledge of Asta Powerproject.
• Ability to develop programmes from first principles rather than solely maintaining existing programmes.
• Strong understanding of critical path methodology, programme logic, float and schedule risk.
• Extensive working knowledge of NEC contracts.
• Strong understanding of the contractual role of the programme under NEC.
• Experience working under NEC Option B is highly desirable, including programme submissions, accepted programmes, Early Warnings, Compensation Events, revised programmes and assessment of time impacts.
• Ability to understand the interaction between programme, contractual obligations and commercial entitlement under NEC.
• Experience integrating design, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover activities.
• Strong understanding of construction sequencing and site delivery.
• Ability to challenge project teams and subcontractors constructively regarding programme performance.
• Strong analytical ability and the capability to identify emerging programme risks before they affect delivery.
• Experience developing mitigation and recovery programmes.
• Ability to interpret drawings, design information, procurement schedules and construction methodologies.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to present complex programme information clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to manage a significant workload while maintaining visibility of priorities across the wider framework.
• Strong leadership and people-management capability, with the ability to establish expectations and maintain consistent standards across a planning team.

Desirable Experience

• Pharmaceutical or life-sciences facilities.
• Live operational manufacturing environments.
• Highly regulated construction environments.
• MEP-intensive projects.
• Complex refurbishment and brownfield projects.
• NEC Option B contracts within a framework environment.
• Projects involving frequent Early Warnings and Compensation Events.
• Projects involving planned shutdowns, isolations and restricted working windows.
• Multi-project capital investment programmes.
• Delay analysis and extension-of-time assessments.
• Growing or restructuring a planning team to support an expanding project portfolio

Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Training

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Construction, Engineering or a related discipline.

• Proven experience in planning complex construction projects.

• Proficiency in planning software such as Primavera P6, Microsoft Project or similar.

Desirable Qualifications and Training

• Membership of a recognised professional planning body (APM, PMI or equivalent).

• Experience in integrating design, procurement and construction planning.

• Knowledge of programme integration with BIM, cost and risk management systems.

Additional Information

• Competitive salary
• 26 days annual leave 
• Pension and benefits
• Unlimited learning and development opportunities
• Much more

Our People and Recruitment Commitment

At Sisk Group our people are at the heart of our success. We offer the chance to work with purpose, build a career with no limits and be part of a great team.

All vacancies are managed directly by our Internal Recruitment Team. Unsolicited contact or speculative CVs from unapproved agencies will not be accepted and no introductory fees will apply.

We are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or any other protected characteristic.

Reasonable adjustments are available during the recruitment process

We know the confidence gap and imposter phenomenon can stop talented candidates applying. You do not need to meet every criterion – your skills and potential matter. Don’t hold back we want to hear from you

All recruitment materials comply with legal and regulatory requirements including the EU Pay Transparency Directive and the Equality Acts UK and Ireland

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