PROJECT PLANNER (MEP & CONSTRUCTION)

Job description

PROJECT PLANNER (MEP & CONSTRUCTION)

Salary: £60,000–£70,000 per annum
Location: Kings Cross, with an agile working model including project/site and office
attendance.
Reporting to: Lead of Planning and Strategic Operations Director
 

Role Overview

Our client is seeking an experienced Project Planner (MEP & Construction) to develop, manage and maintain robust project programmes across a portfolio of Mechanical, Electrical, Public Health (MEP) and construction projects. The successful candidate will work closely with operational, commercial, design, procurement and project delivery teams to ensure programmes are realistic, achievable and aligned with project and business objectives.

This is an excellent opportunity for a strong planning professional to play a key role in driving programme certainty, identifying risks and opportunities, and supporting successful project delivery through effective planning, monitoring and reporting.

Planning & Programme Management

• Develop and maintain compliant, robust project programmes aligned with project and business objectives.
• Create programmes from first principles, including interpreting drawings, performing quantity take-offs, applying productivity/output rates, assessing resource requirements and determining realistic activity durations.
• Establish logical construction sequences that reflect efficient and collaborative delivery methodologies.
• Produce detailed tender, pre-construction, design, fabrication, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover programmes.
• Ensure all project programmes are regularly updated and accurately reflect current project status.
• Integrate MEP services activities with wider construction programmes to ensure coordinated delivery.

Project Monitoring & Control

• Monitor programme performance against agreed baselines.
• Identify programme risks, constraints, delays and opportunities, implementing appropriate mitigation measures.
• Analyse critical path activities and assess programme impacts arising from changes, delays or disruptions.
• Drive corrective actions to maintain project milestones and completion dates.
• Support project teams in developing recovery and acceleration plans where required.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with clients, consultants, subcontractors, suppliers and internal teams to manage programme interfaces and dependencies.
• Participate in project weekly review meetings and prepare weekly lookaheads and progress reviews.
• Facilitate planning workshops and programme review meetings weekly or daily as necessary.
• Communicate programme requirements and critical activities clearly to project stakeholders.
• Present complex planning information in a clear and concise manner to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Commercial & Strategic Support

• Provide commercial insight regarding programme impacts, labour productivity, production rates and construction sequencing.
• Support commercial teams in evaluating the effects of variations, compensation events and programme changes.
• Assist in developing tender submissions by identifying optimal delivery strategies and programme efficiencies.
• Support claims preparation through programme analysis and forensic review where required.

Reporting, Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Prepare and present regular progress reports to senior management, clients and project teams.
• Report on programme trends, labour efficiencies, key milestones and performance indicators.
• Produce programme narratives and mitigation strategies.
• Ensure planning outputs comply with contractual obligations and company standards.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across planning processes, systems and reporting methodologies.
• Contribute to the development of planning standards, templates and best practices.
• Promote collaborative planning and lessons learned across the business.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Essential

• Proven experience as a Construction Planner, MEP Planner or Project Planner within the building services and construction industry.
• Skilled in programme development from first principles, including interpretation of drawings and specifications, quantity take-offs, productivity/output rates, activity durations and logical programme sequencing.
• Demonstrable experience developing and managing programmes throughout tender, design, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover phases.
• Strong understanding of construction and MEP installation methodologies.
• Experience monitoring programme performance and implementing recovery strategies.
• Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6 and Asta Powerproject.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
  Strong commercial awareness and understanding of programme-related project risks and opportunities.

Desirable

• Experience working on complex MEP, commercial, data centre, healthcare, education, infrastructure or public sector projects.
• Knowledge and practical experience of NEC, JCT and FIDIC contracts.
• Experience supporting delay analysis, change management and compensation event assessments.
• Membership of a relevant professional body such as APM, CIOB or equivalent.
• Degree, HNC/HND or equivalent qualification in Construction Management, Engineering, Building Services or a related discipline.

Personal Attributes

• Highly organised and detail-oriented.
• Collaborative and relationship-focused.
• Proactive and solutions-driven.
• Commercially aware with strong business acumen.
• Resilient under pressure with excellent prioritisation skills.
• Professional, credible and confident when engaging with clients and project teams.

Training, Site Audit & Development

• Attend sites and office locations to support or lead training sessions on project planning principles and protocols.
• Review planning best practice and undertake audits to inspect that site, project management and engineering teams are using the relevant software and processes in the correct format.

Working Model
The role operates on an agile working model, with regular attendance across project sites and office locations, alongside supporting and leading training sessions on project planning principles and protocols.

For more information regarding the above role, please contact Stephen Tiigah – (url removed)

Reference 225700668