Senior Planner

An excellent Senior Planner job opportunity is available with a leading construction consultancy in Cardiff, supporting major infrastructure, energy, rail, highways, utilities, defence, nuclear and aviation projects across the UK. This Cardiff based Senior Planner role offers hybrid working, career development and exposure to complex project controls and programme planning commissions.

Project Details

The successful Senior Planner will be based from the Cardiff office and will support the delivery of complex and high-profile construction, infrastructure and energy projects across the UK.

This Senior Planner job in Cardiff will suit candidates based in Cardiff, Newport, Caerphilly, Pontypridd, Barry, Penarth, Bridgend, Cwmbran, Pontypool, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf, the Vale of Glamorgan and other commutable locations across South Wales.

Projects may include major rail, highways, utilities, nuclear, defence, aviation, energy and wider infrastructure programmes. The Senior Planner will help project teams and client organisations improve planning certainty, manage integrated project schedules, analyse programme performance and support better decision making across large and complex UK projects.

This Cardiff Senior Planner role will suit candidates searching for Senior Planner jobs in Cardiff, construction planning jobs in Cardiff, project planner jobs in Cardiff, project controls jobs in Cardiff, planning engineer jobs in Cardiff, infrastructure planning jobs in Cardiff and construction consultancy jobs in South Wales.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Senior Planner will play an important role in supporting the successful delivery of major projects and programmes.

This is a strong opportunity for an experienced construction planner, planning engineer or project controls professional based in or near Cardiff who wants to work on complex and exciting UK infrastructure projects.

Key duties and responsibilities will include:

• Develop, manage and assure fully integrated project and programme schedules
• Ensure project schedules have robust logic, sequencing, dependencies and critical path integrity
• Lead planning input across bids, mobilisation and project delivery phases
• Provide expert guidance on scheduling strategy, programme governance and planning best practice
• Deliver high-quality schedule analysis, including critical path analysis, scenario planning and “what if” modelling
• Identify programme risks, planning issues, delay risks and mitigation options
• Integrate schedule, cost and risk information to support wider project controls reporting
• Support Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis and related project controls activities
• Maintain schedule baselines and support effective change control processes
• Ensure project schedules accurately reflect scope, progress, change and potential impacts
• Produce high-quality visual and written programme reports
• Prepare progress updates, variance analysis, Earned Value insights and schedule performance commentary
• Communicate complex planning and project controls information clearly to clients, senior stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams
• Build strong working relationships with clients, consultants, contractors and project teams
• Support consistency, best practice and process improvement across the planning function
• Mentor junior planners and support the review and development of planning outputs
• Apply knowledge of NEC, JCT, FIDIC and other construction contract forms to planning deliverables and reporting
• Operate effectively within a consultancy environment and ensure planning outputs meet client expectations and professional standards

Desired Skills and Experience

The successful Senior Planner will need previous planning experience on complex construction, infrastructure or multidisciplinary projects.

This role is particularly suited to candidates in Cardiff and the surrounding South Wales region with strong project controls, planning and scheduling experience who are seeking Senior Planner jobs, Senior Planning Engineer jobs or project controls consultancy roles.

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate:

• Planning experience on complex construction, infrastructure, engineering or multidisciplinary projects
• Strong proficiency with planning tools such as Primavera P6, MS Project, Open Plan, Asta Powerproject or similar software
• Experience developing, maintaining and assuring integrated project and programme schedules
• Strong understanding of critical path analysis, schedule logic, sequencing and programme assurance
• Experience with schedule risk assessments, project controls reporting and integrated schedule, cost and risk analysis
• Knowledge of Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis would be highly desirable
• Experience producing Earned Value Management reporting and programme performance analysis
• Strong capability in baseline management, change control and maintaining schedule integrity
• Ability to produce clear planning reports, visual dashboards and senior stakeholder updates
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to explain complex planning information clearly
• Experience mentoring, guiding or supporting junior planners would be advantageous
• Broad understanding of project controls disciplines and project lifecycle governance
• Good understanding of NEC, JCT, FIDIC or similar contract requirements
• Experience working in a consultancy environment would be advantageous
• Experience in rail, highways, utilities, nuclear, defence, aviation, energy or infrastructure projects would be highly desirable

Qualifications/Educational Requirements

The successful Senior Planner should ideally have:

• A degree, diploma or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject such as construction management, engineering, project management, quantity surveying, planning, project controls or a related discipline
• Strong practical experience in construction planning, project controls or programme management may also be considered
• Proficiency in Primavera P6, MS Project, Asta Powerproject, Open Plan or similar planning software
• Membership, progress towards membership or awareness of relevant professional bodies such as APM, CIOB, ICE, RICS or similar would be advantageous
• Training or experience in Earned Value Management, Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis or project controls would be desirable

Employing Company Overview and Profile

Maxim Recruitment is working with a leading construction consultancy to recruit a Senior Planner for a Cardiff based role supporting major infrastructure and project controls commissions across the UK. The employer delivers complex, high-value programmes across rail, highways, utilities, nuclear, defence, aviation, energy and wider infrastructure sectors.

The organisation offers a collaborative working culture, exposure to major UK projects and strong long-term career development for construction planning, project controls and infrastructure professionals. This opportunity is particularly well suited to candidates seeking Senior Planner jobs in Cardiff, construction planning jobs in Cardiff, Senior Planning Engineer jobs in Cardiff, project controls jobs in Cardiff or planning consultancy roles across South Wales.

A full client overview will be given to shortlisted candidates.

Additional Benefits Package and Incentives

• Competitive salary, negotiable depending on experience and seniority
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
• Cardiff based role working on major UK projects
• Opportunity to work on major UK infrastructure, energy and construction projects
• Career development and professional training opportunities
• Supportive and collaborative consultancy environment
• Opportunity to mentor junior planners and develop leadership capability
• Exposure to rail, highways, utilities, nuclear, defence, aviation and energy sectors