Senior Planner - Water in Bristol
Senior Planner - Water

Senior Planner - Water in Bristol

Bristol Full-Time 55000 - 65000 ÂŁ / year (est.) No home office possible
Arcadis

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead and develop planning strategies for major environmental projects, ensuring effective delivery and governance.
  • Company: Join Arcadis, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering solutions.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, commitment to diversity, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Be part of a diverse team dedicated to solving complex challenges and driving innovation.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on resilience projects that improve quality of life across communities.
  • Qualifications: Experience in project planning, strong leadership skills, and proficiency in planning software required.

The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 ÂŁ per year.

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. We are more than 34,000 people, in over 30 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

The Arcadis Climate Adaptation programme delivers resilience projects across our clients’ portfolios, programmes and projects across England and Wales. This strategic role will develop and implement robust planning governance, processes, and systems; integrate programme schedules; and drive continuous improvement in delivery performance.

Our Programme & Project Management team is seeking an experienced Planning Manager to join us as a leader who will build and mature our planning capability, while also providing hands‑on planning leadership for major delivery across the environment sector and with local authorities. In this role, you will provide expert advice to project teams and senior leadership on earned value management, resource requirements, programme risks, performance reporting, and outturn cost forecasting. You will collaborate closely with portfolio leads, discipline leads, and business stakeholders to optimise resource forecasting, align plans with delivery capabilities, and strengthen financial and schedule control. Additionally, you will support tendering activities by delivering comprehensive programme inputs, resourcing strategies, and cost forecast data that improve bid accuracy and deliverability. Your leadership will be critical in maturing planning capability, enhancing predictability, and enabling the successful delivery of complex resilience infrastructure programmes.

Role accountabilities

  • Lead, recruit and develop a specialist planning team supporting major environment‑sector and local authority programmes, defining roles, standards and capability uplift.
  • Design, implement and embed new planning processes, procedures and tools to standardise delivery across tender, project and portfolio levels.
  • Own integrated baseline programmes, WBS and schedule hierarchies, ensuring alignment with scope, milestones, regulatory requirements and client expectations.
  • Oversee schedule health checks, earned value analysis and variance management; drive recovery, contingency and re‑forecast actions as required.
  • Produce and present timely reports on schedule performance, earned value, resource utilisation and outturn cost forecasts to inform senior leadership decisions.
  • Provide strategic input to tender programmes, including programme assumptions, resource plans, risk assessments and cost forecast data to improve bid deliverability.
  • Maintain portfolio‑level resource forecasts and capacity plans to support business unit resourcing strategy and recruitment priorities.
  • Embed planning governance, data integrity and configuration control in planning systems; assure compliance with standards and auditable baselines.
  • Facilitate integrated planning and risk workshops to identify programme risks, opportunities and mitigation measures, escalating critical issues to leadership.
  • Drive continuous improvement and digital adoption in planning and reporting to enhance predictability, efficiency and decision support across the business.

Essential Qualifications

  • Sufficient years’ experience in project planning and scheduling, ideally within complex infrastructure, environment‑sector and/or local authority programmes and/or water sector.
  • Degree/HNC/HND in Engineering, Project Management, or a related subject.
  • Strong understanding of UK infrastructure delivery contexts, including governance, regulatory and stakeholder requirements across the environment sector and local authorities.
  • Proven ability to lead and develop teams in a fast‑paced environment.
  • Proficient in planning software (e.g., Safran, Primavera P6, MS Project).
  • Excellent organisational, commercial, and communication skills.
  • Experience with project controls, cost engineering, and financial operations.
  • Familiarity with different contracting environments and commercial models.

Desirable Qualifications

  • Membership of a relevant professional body.
  • Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We believe that by working together diverse people with different experiences develop the most innovative ideas. Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of how we improve quality of life and we work closely with our people across six ED&I Workstreams: Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, LGBT+ and Race. A diverse and skilled workforce is essential to our success.

Senior Planner - Water in Bristol employer: Arcadis

Arcadis is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment where innovation and collaboration thrive. With a strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, employees are empowered to bring their authentic selves to work, fostering a culture that values diverse perspectives. The Senior Planner role not only provides opportunities for professional growth and leadership development but also contributes to impactful projects that enhance community resilience across England and Wales.
Arcadis

Contact Detail:

Arcadis Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Planner - Water in Bristol

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. We can’t stress enough how important it is to build relationships; you never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. Understand their values and how they align with your skills. We recommend practising common interview questions and even doing mock interviews with friends to boost your confidence.

✨Tip Number 3

Showcase your expertise! Bring a portfolio of your past projects or case studies to interviews. We love seeing tangible evidence of your skills and how you've tackled challenges in the past—it's a great way to stand out from the crowd.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A simple thank-you email can go a long way in leaving a positive impression. We suggest reiterating your interest in the role and mentioning something specific from the interview to keep the conversation going.

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Planner - Water in Bristol

Project Planning
Scheduling
Earned Value Management
Resource Forecasting
Performance Reporting
Cost Forecasting
Planning Governance
Risk Assessment
Planning Software (e.g., Safran, Primavera P6, MS Project)
Team Leadership
Stakeholder Engagement
Continuous Improvement
Digital Adoption
Understanding of UK Infrastructure Delivery

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in project planning and scheduling, especially within the environment sector. We want to see how your skills align with the role of Senior Planner - Water!

Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this role involves leading a specialist planning team, don’t forget to mention your leadership experiences. Share examples of how you've developed teams or improved processes in previous roles – we love to see that!

Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make your achievements stand out. We appreciate straightforward communication, so let’s keep it simple!

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!

How to prepare for a job interview at Arcadis

✨Know Your Stuff

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of project planning and scheduling, especially within the water sector and local authority programmes. Familiarise yourself with relevant software like Safran or Primavera P6, as well as the specific governance and regulatory requirements in the UK.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

Since this role involves leading a specialist planning team, be prepared to discuss your experience in developing and managing teams. Share examples of how you've successfully led projects, improved processes, or driven continuous improvement in previous roles.

✨Prepare for Scenario Questions

Expect questions that assess your problem-solving abilities and how you handle complex challenges. Think of specific instances where you've had to manage programme risks or implement recovery actions, and be ready to explain your thought process and outcomes.

✨Align with Their Values

Arcadis places a strong emphasis on equality, diversity, and inclusion. Be sure to express your commitment to these values and how you can contribute to creating an inclusive environment. Sharing personal experiences or initiatives you've been part of can really make you stand out.

Senior Planner - Water in Bristol
Arcadis
Location: Bristol

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