Construction Planning Manager in Kent

As a Construction Planning Manager within our Rail Systems / Complex Projects business, you will bring your construction-led planning expertise to support the successful delivery of major, complex infrastructure projects across the UK. This role retains a strong end-to-end planning and project controls focus, while placing particular emphasis on construction planning, construction readiness, and portfolio-level visibility of construction progress and risk.

You will work closely with construction delivery teams, project managers and business leaders to develop, manage and communicate robust construction programmes for both tenders and live projects, and to provide clear, visual insight into construction progress through to Hand Over to Test as a key milestone. The role sits within the Construction Directorate within Complex Projects and requires deep experience of construction sequencing, interfaces and delivery risk on large, multi-disciplinary transportation projects.

• You will act as a facilitator of high-quality Project Controls and Construction Planning, reporting within the Construction Directorate with alignment to the wider Project Controls team.
• A key element of the role will be supporting portfolio-level understanding of construction readiness and performance with a focus on Rail Systems Projects.
• Ownership of the construction programme and construction-focused Project Controls for assigned projects.
• Support construction teams in developing and maintaining tender construction programmes and live delivery programmes.
• Provide assurance that construction programmes are logical, achievable and aligned to construction methodologies and constraints.
• Develop and deliver construction progress reporting, including clear visual trackers showing progress towards key milestones, particularly Hand Over to Test.
• Identify, analyse and communicate construction risks, delays and constraints at both project and portfolio level.
• Support the business in understanding overall construction readiness, capacity and risk across a portfolio of projects from a planning perspective.
• Represent and drive Project Controls and Construction Planning policy, attending and contributing to client and internal progress meetings.
• Deliver periodic programme updates, clearly explaining changes, delays and forecast impacts on construction completion.
• Ensure construction issues within programmes are highlighted, understood and escalated appropriately to Project and Senior Management, providing clear planning-led advice and options.
• Provide timely, accurate and concise planning data, schedules and reports to support effective decision-making.
• Support the supervision and development of junior planners as required.
• Maintain strong working relationships with project teams, construction managers, clients and key stakeholders.

• Significant construction experience, including programming multi-disciplinary construction activities and managing complex interfaces between design, procurement, construction, commissioning and testing.
• Excellent understanding of how projects are constructed, staged, commissioned and handed over, with particular focus on construction readiness and completion milestones.
• Proven experience supporting construction teams in the development of tender programmes and live construction programmes.
• Demonstrated experience in preparing and maintaining planning and scheduling outputs, including construction programmes, resource histograms, performance analysis data, construction progress and completion trackers, and CPI/SPI schedule performance indicators.
• Strong capability in clearly presenting planning, progress, and performance information to construction teams, project managers, clients, and senior stakeholders.
• In-depth understanding of Project Controls techniques, including budget and spend management, change control, Earned Value Management (EVM), trend and data analysis, and work package management.
• Expert user of Primavera P6 and/or similar planning tools for construction and integrated project programmes.
• Proven ability to develop effective visual management tools and dashboards to monitor construction progress, key completion milestones (including Handover to Test), constraints, risks, and emerging issues.
• Experience translating complex P6 programme data into clear, accessible visual outputs suitable for project-level and business-level reporting.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, using initiative in the development, maintenance, and assurance of construction and tender programmes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex construction and planning concepts in a clear, professional, and straightforward manner.
• Experience in schedule risk analysis, cost analysis, claims support, and contributing to large-scale projects (typically up to £50m), including work under NEC and other forms of contract.
• Strong technical background in transportation systems and construction disciplines (including signalling, track/P-Way, electrification).