Job Description: Plant Coordinator (Groundworks)
Location: Aylesham, Kent CT3 3EP
Hours: 7:30am – 5pm
Role Purpose
The Plant Buyer / Manager is responsible for the operational, commercial, and compliance control of all plant and equipment used across the business.
The role exists to ensure that plant is:
- Available when required
- Commercially controlled
- Fully compliant and safe
- Efficiently utilised
- Properly tracked through company systems
This is not an administrative role. This is a control role.
The Plant Coordinator is a control function responsible for protecting project profitability, operational efficiency, and programme delivery through disciplined management of plant procurement, utilisation, logistics, compliance, and cost control.
The role requires proactive management, ownership, commercial awareness, and the ability to challenge inefficiency, waste, and poor operational practices.
Key Responsibilities
Plant Procurement & Control
- Procure hired plant and equipment at competitive market rates
- Ensure all plant orders are aligned with programme requirements and operational need
- Challenge unnecessary, excessive, or poorly planned plant requests
- Maintain active control over all plant costs across projects
- Ensure no plant is ordered without proper authorisation or justification
- Ensure all plant procurement activity is managed through company systems
Plant Utilisation & Cost Management
- Monitor utilisation of all hired and owned plant
- Identify and eliminate idle, duplicated, or unnecessary plant
- Ensure off-hires are actioned immediately when plant is no longer required
- Maintain visibility of plant cost exposure across all live projects
- Support operational teams in reducing plant-related waste and inefficiency
- Prioritise use of owned plant before external hire where possible
Owned Asset Management
- Maintain an accurate and up-to-date plant and asset register
- Track plant location, utilisation, condition, certification, and maintenance status
- Ensure all inspections, servicing, and compliance requirements are current
- Coordinate repairs, servicing, and replacement requirements where necessary
- Maintain accountability for all company-owned assets
Logistics & Operational Coordination
- Coordinate deliveries, collections, and transfers of plant between sites
- Ensure plant availability aligns with project programmes and sequencing
- Minimise failed deliveries, unnecessary transport movements, and operational disruption
- Communicate proactively with site teams regarding plant requirements and changes
Compliance & Safety
- Ensure all plant used by the business is compliant with legal and company requirements
- Maintain accurate and accessible certification and inspection records
- Ensure no non-compliant plant is permitted on site
- Escalate compliance or safety concerns immediately
- Support audit readiness across all plant-related activities
Systems & Process Discipline
- Use COINS ERP and associated company systems for all plant-related activity
- Ensure all plant orders, hires, off-hires, costs, and asset records are accurately maintained
- Support the business transition toward improved operational and commercial controls
- Ensure no off-system hires or undocumented plant activity exists
- Maintain accurate data to support commercial reporting and operational decision-making
Key Working Relationships
The Plant Coordinator will work closely with the Procurement, Site, Commercial, Construction, maintenance and accounts team within the business.
They will need to ensure they develop and maintain a good working relationship with external hire suppliers and manufacturers.
Experience & Competencies Required
Essential
- Experience within construction, civil engineering, or groundworks operations
- Strong understanding of plant hire, utilisation, logistics, and compliance
- Commercial awareness and cost control capability
- Ability to manage multiple live operational requirements simultaneously
- Strong organisational and communication skills
- Experience using operational or ERP systems
- Ability to challenge poor planning, waste, and inefficiency
Desirable
- Experience using COINS ERP
- Experience managing owned plant assets
- Understanding of LOLER, PUWER, and plant compliance requirements
- Groundworks or civil engineering sector experience
Behavioural Expectations
The Plant Coordinator is expected to operate with:
- Ownership
- Accountability
- Accuracy
- Urgency
- Commercial awareness
- Proactivity
- Operational discipline
Problems are expected to be identified early, communicated clearly, and controlled proactively.
Reactive management, assumptions, undocumented activity, or poor cost visibility are not acceptable.
Construction Plant Coordinator in England employer: Datum Groundworks Ltd
As a Civils Quantity Surveyor at our Operations Office in Aylesham, near Canterbury, Kent, you will join a dynamic team dedicated to delivering exceptional financial control on projects across the South East of England. We pride ourselves on fostering a supportive work culture that encourages professional growth and development, offering competitive salaries and clear pathways for career advancement. With a strong order book and a commitment to employee well-being, we provide a unique opportunity to thrive in a rewarding environment where your contributions are valued.
