P6 Senior Planner in Reading

If you’d like to be considered for this opportunity we encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment as if applications are high the role will close before the closing date given.

This is not just another role. This is an opportunity to contribute to one of the most significant, complex and high-impact defence programmes in the UK today. Following the publication of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command, AWE has begun work on a sovereign replacement warhead programme known as Astraea. This programme sits at the heart of the UK’s national security ensuring a safe, secure, and credible nuclear deterrent for generations to come. We are now building a team to deliver this next chapter and we are looking for exceptional people who want to work at the cutting edge of science, engineering and programme delivery.

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking.

Package: Salary from £49,830 - £78,770 (depending on suitability, qualifications, and experience)

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application. Note this role will require you to be onsite 100% of the time.

Ready to play your part? At AWE, it’s not just a job, it’s far more than that. Our shared purpose is to help keep the nation safe. Could this role be the opportunity for you to play your part?

As a Senior Planner, you will deliver the complete planning capability within the business by maintaining the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS). You will support Task Managers with business rhythms, schedule integrity, network analysis, and communications with programme and business teams. You’ll provide planning expertise to internal customers, implement planning processes and policies, and produce planning and reporting deliverables in line with agreed business rhythms. This role also involves supporting long-range operational programme planning and developing strong stakeholder relationships.

As part of your role, you will:

• Deliver high-quality project controls planning capability through the development, maintenance and assurance of complex Integrated Master Schedules (IMS), providing accurate, timely and defensible forecasts to inform critical programme decisions.
• Lead and support planning activities across the full project lifecycle, ensuring alignment to scope, cost and delivery strategy under configuration control.
• Undertake schedule analysis and performance management, including critical path, dependencies, variance analysis and forecasting, to provide clear insight into current and future delivery positions.
• Facilitate planning workshops and provide independent assurance and challenge through peer reviews, schedule health checks and adherence to planning standards and governance.
• Drive continuous improvement and planning excellence, evolving processes, tools and capability while championing best practice across the programme.
• Identify emerging risks, trends and delivery threats, providing early warning, recovery options and decision support to stakeholders.
• Lead, coach and mentor junior planners, developing planning capability and embedding consistent standards of quality, integrity and delivery excellence across teams.
• Champion the highest standards of safety, health, environment, security and quality, recognising the critical importance of these principles in delivering a programme central to the UK’s national security.

Whilst not a checklist, a Senior Planner should demonstrate:

• Experience of planning on projects/programmes in a dynamic, delivery focused environment.
• Advanced level of skill with Oracle Primavera P6.
• Skills in Microsoft Office.
• Qualification in an appropriate business or technical discipline, or equivalent experience.

Some reasons we think you’ll love it here:

• 9-day working fortnight – every other Friday off, plus 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market-leading contributory pension scheme (we pay between 9% and 13% depending on your contributions).
• Family-friendly policies: Maternity Leave – 39 Weeks Full Pay; Paternity Leave – 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Professional career development opportunities, including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts on everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy, including paid time off for volunteering, public service, and caring.

For full details, visit the ‘Working at AWE’ page on our website and check out the AWE Benefits Guide.

Next steps: Everyone who works at AWE brings unique skills and perspectives to the table. We recognise that great people don’t always ‘tick every box’. That’s why we focus on your potential, your fit with our values, your transferable skills as well as your experience. Even if you don’t meet every point above, but you feel that this role and AWE are a great fit for you, please go ahead and apply, we’d love to receive your application.

Things you need to know: We encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment if applications are high and the role therefore closes. You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.

We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process. Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide will be stored in accordance with GDPR and kept separate from your application form and CV, and the information will not be shared with anyone involved in interviewing or making hiring decisions.

Please note that you must be a British Citizen to apply for a role with us.