Planning & Strategy Manager in Leeds

D2 are an independent and growing professional services business. Since formation in 2011, we have developed a comprehensive suite of programme management capabilities. We combine our industry expertise with innovative thinking and digital products to develop close relationships with our clients and deliver our commitments. We are actively engaged on some of the largest infrastructure projects across the UK and Canada, performing to our mission statement: “Working together to develop intelligent programme management solutions, helping to deliver a more sustainable world”.

The Planning Manager is responsible for leading the planning and scheduling teams across a complex programme or portfolio of projects, ensuring effective planning processes, schedule governance, reporting, and performance analysis are in place to support successful project delivery.

The role requires strong leadership capability, analytical thinking, and the ability to interpret complex project information to provide clear insight and direction. The successful candidate will lead a planning team and work closely with project stakeholders to establish, maintain, and improve integrated programme schedules and reporting structures.

You will also take ownership of key planning responsibilities and support evolving programme requirements throughout the project lifecycle. This is an entrepreneurial role, in that the ideal candidate will have the opportunity to grow D2's planning capabilities on existing or future commissions.

• Develop, implement and maintain an effective planning and scheduling strategy appropriate for programme delivery requirements.
• Lead the planning function across projects and ensure alignment of planning activities and outputs.
• Challenge schedule performance and identify causes of variance against baseline plans.
• Produce and manage programme reporting outputs, dashboards, and planning metrics.
• Monitor and validate planning data inputs, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and compliance with required standards.
• Lead the day-to-day management of the planning team.
• Provide functional leadership, coaching, and development to planning personnel.
• Maintain schedule integrity and ensure planning information remains robust throughout project delivery.
• Monitor and manage compliance with schedule management procedures and governance requirements.
• Analyse schedule trends and provide strategic insight into programme performance.
• Identify planning risks and establish processes to support mitigation activities.

Minimum 10+ years' experience in project/programme planning roles. Significant experience delivering planning services on large-scale engineering, infrastructure, construction, or complex project environments. Strong understanding of planning methodologies and programme controls principles. Experience managing and developing planning teams. Advanced knowledge of planning software and reporting tools. Expert knowledge of project planning and scheduling principles. Strong capability using planning tools such as: Primavera P6, Excel and PowerBI. Strong analytical and data interpretation capability. Understanding of schedule risk and performance analysis techniques.

Competitive salary (Salary dependant on experience level) ~ Pension scheme ~ 25 days holiday + option to buy 4 days. ~ Additional 1 day holiday for your birthday ~ Private healthcare and employee assistance programme ~ Group life insurance. ~ Medi Cash health insurance providing cashback towards everyday healthcare bills. ~ Enhanced family leave, including maternity/ paternity/ adoption. ~ Cycle to work scheme. ~ Financial and technical support for professional memberships ~ Hybrid working ~ Innovation – We are driven to inspire others with fresh creative ideas based on continuously learning. People – We encourage diversity whilst investing in, and developing, the very best talent. Community - We are a collaborative community, understanding challenges from every angle, exploring innovative solutions based on our expert knowledge.