Programme Analyst QSHarlow District CouncilTemporary, Full Time500.00 per day umbrellaLocation: HarlowClosing Date: 18th September 2026Essex County Council are delighted to be supporting Harlow District Council to recruit a temporary Programme Analyst QS with a background in quantity surveying on a 12-month basis. Please note that this post requires the successful individual to be based on site 4 days per week.Harlow is a district of contrasts and an ideal location to both live and work. The town itself is thriving, with excellent shopping and leisure facilities for all ages. We have good road links to the M11 and M25 and excellent rail connections to London and Stansted Airport, just 35 minutes and 20 minutes away from Harlow respectively.The roleHarlow District Council are seeking an experienced Programme Analyst QS who is available on short notice to join the Housing Operations team to support on a large housing capital construction programme. The role owns the master programme and cost forecast across the pipeline and live projects, and provides QS and contract support to the commercial team when demand dictates.Programme management and reportingBuild and maintain a high-level master programme of all pipeline and live projects across the housing capital programme, presented as a Gantt chart with clear milestones, dependencies and critical pathTrack actual progress against forecast on every project and report slippage, its causes and its knock-on effect on the wider programmeMaintain live cost projections against the programme – budget, forecast, committed and actual spend – and reconcile these to the programme monthlyProduce clear monthly programme and cost dashboards and reports for senior leadership and governance, with variances, risks and recommended actionsSupport in-year and multi-year budget profiling, spend forecasting and cash-flow projections for the capital programmeCross-service tracker calibrationCollate, calibrate and scrutinise the trackers held by Capital Delivery, Procurement, Pre-Construction, Asset Data, Compliance and Fire Safety, so that a single, consistent version of the programme is reportedChallenge and validate the data behind those trackers – dates, scope, cost and status – and resolve inconsistencies with the service area leadsEstablish and embed standard tracker formats, reporting cycles and data standards across service areasMap stock condition, compliance and fire safety data (FRAs, remedial actions, statutory deadlines) through to the works programme so that regulatory deadlines drive project sequencingAttend internal and external stakeholder meetings (occasionally after hours)Quantity surveying and contract supportAssist with the preparation of tender and contract packages, including contract particulars, pricing documents and schedules of amendmentsSupport tender evaluations, including commercial assessment, clarifications and recommendation reportsProvide contract administration and project QS support across a portfolio of works when demand dictates – valuations, variations, cost reporting and final accountsSupport the commercial team with early cost estimates, cost plans and risk registers at pre-contract stageThe experience you will bringDegree qualified in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management or similar; RICS / CIOB / APM membership (or working towards) desirableDemonstrable experience planning and programming multi-project construction or housing capital programmesStrong IT skills are essential, in particular advanced Microsoft Excel (complex formulas, lookups, pivot tables, data modelling and dashboard building) and Microsoft Project (building, resourcing, baselining and updating multi-project programmes and Gantt charts)Working knowledge of the wider Microsoft 365 suite (SharePoint, Teams, Power BI) and the ability to pick up housing asset, compliance and finance systems quickly; experience of Asta Powerproject or Primavera an advantageProven ability to organise and structure high volumes of programme and financial data into clear, robust reportingQuantity surveying background with practical experience of tender documentation, tender evaluation, contract administration and JCT contractsExperience of housing refurbishment, building compliance and fire safety works programmes, ideally local authority or housing associationConfident working across service areas, challenging data and holding others to account for programme informationWhat you should do nextIf you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website. If you have any queries relating to this post please email louise.butler@essex.gov.uk
Programme Analyst QS in Essex employer: Essex County Council
Essex County Council is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and flexible work environment for Social Workers dedicated to making a difference in the lives of young people with disabilities. With a strong focus on employee wellbeing, innovative practices, and professional development, our team enjoys a nine-day working fortnight and numerous opportunities for growth within a dynamic local authority. Join us in Chelmsford, where your contributions will be valued, and together we can empower the next generation to thrive.
