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 £ per year.
Your Purpose
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 employer: MSC Cruises
Join our innovative team in London as a Planning Manager, where you will play a pivotal role in the shipbuilding lifecycle while enjoying a collaborative and inclusive work culture. We offer competitive benefits, opportunities for professional growth, and a commitment to diversity that empowers every employee to thrive. With a focus on continuous improvement and cutting-edge project management tools, you'll be part of a dynamic environment that values your contributions and supports your career development.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Planning Manager
✨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 understanding their projects. Tailor your responses to highlight how your skills align with their needs, especially in planning and project management.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your analytical skills! Be ready to discuss how you've tackled complex planning challenges in the past. Use specific examples that demonstrate your problem-solving abilities and data-driven mindset.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Planning Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in planning and project controls. We want to see how your skills align with the specific requirements of the Planning Manager role.
Showcase Your Communication Skills:Since this role involves engaging with various stakeholders, emphasise your strong written and verbal communication abilities. Share examples of how you've effectively communicated complex information in past projects.
Highlight Relevant Experience:Don’t forget to mention any experience you have in shipbuilding or similar environments. We’re looking for someone who understands the nuances of the industry, so make that clear in your application.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you 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’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at MSC Cruises
✨Know Your Shipbuilding Basics
Before the interview, brush up on your understanding of shipbuilding workflows and processes. Familiarise yourself with terms like FATs, HATs, and the design approval process. This knowledge will help you speak confidently about how your experience aligns with the role.
✨Showcase Your Planning Skills
Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've developed planning approaches in previous roles. Highlight your ability to identify critical-path risks and analyse data sets. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your analytical and problem-solving skills.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Since this role involves coordinating with various teams, think of instances where you've successfully collaborated with different stakeholders. Be ready to share how you facilitated meetings and ensured alignment across departments, showcasing your interpersonal skills.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Analysis
Expect questions that test your ability to adapt planning approaches based on changing priorities. Prepare to discuss how you've handled unexpected challenges in past projects, including how you conducted scenario analysis and provided actionable recommendations.