Southern Division - Lead Planning Manager

We are looking to strengthen our Planning Department and the Southern Division with a Lead Planning Manager covering the Southern Division. Thames Water location would be preferred but we are open to all locations with travel requirements for all Southern Frameworks required.

The Lead Planning Manager will operate at divisional level across the Southern Division, providing leadership, governance, and assurance of planning capability across frameworks and programmes of work. The role will support the Director of Operations by driving planning standards, resource capability, programme challenge, audit and continuous improvement.

Where required, the role will also lean into client and framework delivery, providing hands‑on planning leadership and programme management support to ensure plans are robust, achievable, accurately monitored and aligned to operational, commercial and client needs.

Divisional Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the planning function and services across Frameworks and provide specific planning outputs for Division Frameworks and their programmes of work as agreed
• Provide regional and business wide planning resource leadership, appropriate resource analysis of activities and skill set awareness, to ensure best fit planning needs for the projects within the business.
• Define, implement & monitor strategy roadmap for Divisional planning capability. Including the development of improved planning project controls, data‑led insights and support the roll‑out of new planning tools across the Division
• Support the Director of Operations and the governance team on areas including tender programme sign off and deep dive reviews
• Ensure a supervision and development structure plan is in place for all planning resource across the business.
• Develop and deliver training content for delivery teams to promote the benefits and understanding of integrated project programmes

Key Responsibilities: Client / Framework Delivery

• Understanding of the multi‑disciplined roles involved within an integrated programme (i.e. design, construction, commissioning, interface with 3rd party others and framework partners).
• Provide programme management for a programme of work comprising a number of individual projects and programmes (batches) combined to form a portfolio of work. Collaborate to determine the best fit for the projects within the programme for the cost / revenue / time, identifying and evaluating any potential efficiencies within the programme of work (i.e. geographical, process type or repeatability).
• Provide programme management support to the embedded planning team to help control the progress of individual projects and batches by identifying and producing integrated programmes of work, monitoring performance against plans and identifying problem areas and other effects.
• When required by the PDO or wider governance needs to review and advise on company risk by identifying the critical path within the whole programme of work and the individual contracts.
• Enable control of the progress of procurement by producing schedules for all materials and equipment, updating regularly and analysing the implications of updates.
• Update and monitor Project Plans for progress reports.
• Oversee and assess programme submissions for requests for extension of time.
• Provide programme/progress information in support of Earned Value Analysis as required.
• Actively develop planning Key Performance Indicators and benchmarking metrics to improve project control and performance.
• Assist with minimising project and sub‑programme out‑turn costs.
• Attend monthly framework progress meetings.

Key relationships

All levels of staff, from Operations Director to Regional Operations Managers. Framework partnership management inclusive of clients and extended supply chain.

KPI themes

• Assist in programme and risk understanding across the business.
• Help maximise income.
• Help lead continuous improvement in information accuracy and decision making.

Essential Qualifications

• Good understanding of Civil Engineering and M&E activity.
• Extensive planning experience, with sound knowledge of construction production rates.
• Possess sound understanding of planning skills and programming.
• Minimum Educated HND level.
• Excellent knowledge of planning systems (Primavera – Essential), Microsoft Project – preferable.
• Able to demonstrate good commercial awareness.
• Previous experience in successful line management and mentoring.
• NEC contract awareness, particularly around programme management and compensation events.

Desirable Qualifications

• Degree qualification in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or a related discipline.
• Membership of a relevant professional body (APM, ICE, CIWEM or similar).
• Experience of alliance, framework or AMP delivery environments.
• Knowledge of Earned Value Management (EVM) principles and reporting.
• Experience implementing planning standards, processes and governance frameworks.
• Experience of digital planning and reporting tools such as Power BI.
• Experience supporting tender submissions and bid programmes.
• Training, coaching and development of planners within a business.
• Experience driving continuous improvement initiatives within project controls or planning functions.