Planning Manager in London

Planning Manager in London

London Full-Time 60000 - 80000 ÂŁ / year (est.) No home office possible
MSC Cruises

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead planning and coordination for exciting cruise ship projects from concept to delivery.
  • Company: Join a dynamic team in the New Building and Technical Engineering department in London.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive culture, and opportunities for international travel.
  • Other info: Embrace a culture that values diversity and empowers every individual.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in shipbuilding while collaborating with diverse teams.
  • Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Engineering and 6-8 years of relevant experience required.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 ÂŁ per year.

We are excited to be hiring for a Planning Manager to join our dynamic and growing New Building and Technical Engineering & Guarantee department in London. This is a key role providing coordinated planning, scheduling, and reporting support across the full shipbuilding lifecycle — from concept and design through shipyard delivery and the guarantee period. You will play a central role in integrating planning activities across project management, architectural design, engineering, and technical teams, while acting as the primary interface with shipyard planning systems. The Planning Manager ensures accurate scheduling, workload planning, progress tracking, and reporting to support timely execution of design approvals, production, testing, and post‑delivery activities.

Your Impact

  • Provides planning, coordination, and reporting support for multiple large‑scale cruise ship newbuilding projects from concept through delivery and guarantee.
  • Acts as the focal point for developing, maintaining, and optimizing integrated schedules covering architectural design, engineering, technical, and guarantee activities.
  • Coordinates planning inputs from multiple internal stakeholders, including: Architectural Design teams, Plan Approval and R&D Engineers, Factory and Harbour Acceptance Test (FAT/HAT) participants, Technical Engineering and Guarantee teams, Cross‑functional departments and external partners.
  • Tracks progress against key milestones, deliverables, and critical paths, providing regular status updates, forecasts, and risk assessments.
  • Monitors shipyard production and delivery schedules and assesses impacts on the overall newbuilding program.
  • Supports the Architectural Design function by planning and tracking internal design phase milestones and deliverables.
  • Supports the Technical Engineering & Guarantee teams by planning and tracking post‑delivery technical issues, corrective actions, guarantees, and claims.
  • Integrates planning data with project controls, dashboards, and reporting systems to define resource requirements and workload forecasts.
  • Facilitates planning and coordination meetings, ensuring alignment across internal and external stakeholders.
  • Provides scenario analysis, simulations, and impact assessments for changes in scope, schedule, or resources (forecast vs. actual).
  • Tracks residual work and overall project progress against milestone plans, providing forward‑looking insights.
  • Ensures compliance with internal planning standards and contributes to continuous improvement of planning methodologies, tools, and reporting.
  • Adapts planning approaches in response to changing priorities and project conditions.
  • Performs duties independently with minimal guidance and takes ownership of planning deliverables.
  • Undertakes additional reasonable duties as required to support the department and assigned newbuilding programmes.

Your Journey so far

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all organisational levels.
  • Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a structured and data‑driven mindset.
  • Solid understanding of engineering and shipbuilding workflows (preferred), including: Design and plan approval processes, FATs and HATs, Technical documentation, Guarantee and after‑delivery support activities.
  • Ability to quickly learn and navigate complex technical databases and project systems.
  • Proven ability to independently develop planning approaches, identify critical‑path risks, analyse large data sets, and provide actionable recommendations.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate and influence within a multicultural, multi‑disciplinary environment.
  • Strong organisational, administrative, presentation, and data‑visualisation skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced project environment.
  • Comfortable interpreting complex technical information, schedules, diagrams, and numerical data.
  • Able to clearly present planning data, reports, and forecasts to senior management, peers, shipyards, vendors, and shipboard teams.

Your Essentials

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering or a relevant technical discipline.
  • Minimum 6–8 years of experience in a similar planning or project controls role within construction, engineering, or technical services environments.
  • Experience in a shipyard or marine/offshore environment is a strong advantage.
  • Proficiency in: Monday.com, MS Project, MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Power BI, Visio, Primavera P6 (advantageous).
  • Strong working knowledge of digital reporting, dashboards, email, and internet‑based tools.
  • Fluent in English; additional languages are an advantage.
  • Willingness and ability to travel internationally on a regular basis.
  • Existing right to live and work in the UK.

Our Commitment

We are committed to building a future that values diverse perspectives, embraces the world beyond borders, and fosters an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued, respected and empowered to be their authentic selves. Our commitment extends to taking meaningful, measurable actions that have a long‑term positive impact on our guests, our employees and our planet.

Planning Manager in London employer: MSC Cruises

Join our innovative team in London as a Planning Manager, where you will play a pivotal role in the exciting world of shipbuilding. We pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative work culture that values diversity and encourages professional growth through continuous learning opportunities. With competitive benefits and a commitment to employee well-being, we offer a unique environment where your contributions directly impact large-scale projects and the future of maritime engineering.
MSC Cruises

Contact Detail:

MSC Cruises Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Planning Manager in London

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. Understand their values and recent developments in shipbuilding. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.

✨Tip Number 3

Practice your communication skills! As a Planning Manager, you'll need to engage with various teams. Mock interviews with friends or mentors can help you articulate your thoughts clearly and confidently.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team and are familiar with our processes.

We think you need these skills to ace Planning Manager in London

Planning and Scheduling
Reporting Support
Project Management
Stakeholder Coordination
Progress Tracking
Risk Assessment
Data Analysis
Technical Documentation
Interpersonal Skills
Analytical Skills
Problem-Solving Skills
Organisational Skills
Presentation Skills
Proficiency in MS Project
Proficiency in Power BI

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Planning Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in planning, scheduling, and reporting, especially in shipbuilding or engineering environments. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!

Showcase Your Communication Skills: Since this role involves engaging with various stakeholders, emphasise your strong written and verbal communication skills. Share examples of how you've effectively communicated complex information in past roles. We love a good story that showcases your abilities!

Demonstrate Analytical Thinking: We’re looking for someone with excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. Include specific instances where you’ve tackled challenges using data-driven approaches. This will help us see your structured mindset in action!

Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!

How to prepare for a job interview at MSC Cruises

✨Know Your Shipbuilding Stuff

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of shipbuilding workflows and processes. Familiarise yourself with design approvals, FATs, and technical documentation. This will help you speak confidently about how your experience aligns with the role.

✨Show Off Your Planning Skills

Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've developed planning approaches in past roles. Highlight your ability to identify critical-path risks and analyse data sets. Use real-life scenarios to demonstrate your problem-solving skills.

✨Communicate Like a Pro

Since this role involves engaging with various stakeholders, practice articulating complex information clearly. Think about how you can present planning data and forecasts effectively to different audiences, including senior management and technical teams.

✨Be Ready for Scenario Analysis

Expect questions about how you would handle changes in scope or resources. Prepare some examples of scenario analyses you've conducted in the past, and be ready to discuss how you assess impacts on project schedules and deliverables.

Planning Manager in London
MSC Cruises
Location: London

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