At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead planning for large-scale data centre projects and drive strategic client relationships.
- Company: Join Soben, a growing tech company focused on mission-critical infrastructure.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, travel opportunities, and professional development in a dynamic environment.
- Other info: Regular travel to Norway and excellent career growth opportunities await you.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on innovative data centre projects while leading high-performing teams.
- Qualifications: Experience in large-scale data centre projects and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About the Opportunity
We're seeking an exceptional Data Centre Lead Planner to lead programme delivery for large-scale, mission-critical data centre projects serving the world's most demanding clients. You'll join Soben during a pivotal phase of our global growth. As a senior member of our project delivery team, you'll drive strategic client relationships, lead high-performing project teams, and deliver complex hyperscale and colocation developments from inception to completion. This role requires regular travel to Norway, to support project delivery, client engagement, and on-site leadership.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead end-to-end planning and scheduling for major data centre programmes, ensuring alignment with commercial, technical, and operational goals to control time, cost, quality objectives, and scope.
- Serve as senior point of contact for planning matters with clients, fostering trusted partnerships through clear communication.
- Provide strategic oversight of programme schedules, critical path analysis, baseline management, and progress tracking.
- Drive integrated project governance, reporting, and performance management across multiple workstreams.
- Lead and mentor planning teams, fostering accountability, high performance, and knowledge sharing.
- Provide on-site planning leadership during key project phases, including regular travel to construction sites.
- Oversee development and maintenance of robust performance measurement baseline to enable accurate progress and performance tracking aligned with client goals and objectives.
- Identify, analyse, and mitigate scheduling risks and critical path threats.
- Challenge construction phasing and sequencing to optimise programme delivery and value engineering.
- Ensure robust schedule health, forecasting, and earned value performance reporting.
- Support contract schedule requirements and delay/disruption analysis as required.
- Contribute to business development through planning expertise in proposals and client presentations.
- Champion digital planning tools, BIM integration, and innovative scheduling methodologies.
- Uphold Soben's Leadership Principles in all client and internal engagements.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- Significant experience delivering large-scale, mission-critical data centre or hyperscale infrastructure projects.
- Proven track record leading complex construction programmes (£100m+ value) as Lead Planner/Senior Scheduler.
- Advanced proficiency with management information tools such as Primavera P6, MS Project, and Asta Powerproject.
- Advanced proficiency with planning methodologies independent of management information software used, and ability to adapt across different platforms.
- Strong commercial scheduling awareness with expertise in cost/schedule integration and earned value management.
- Experience operating at senior stakeholder level, managing executive client relationships.
- Demonstrable leadership of high-performing, geographically diverse planning teams.
- Deep understanding of data centre construction methodologies, phasing, commissioning, and MEP constraints.
- Comfortable with travel, including regular travel to construction sites.
- Experience with NEC, JCT, FIDIC or other major contract forms used across Europe.
- Strategic thinker able to translate high-level objectives into executable, resource-loaded schedules.
- Strong analytical skills for delay analysis, forensic scheduling, and claims support.
- Outstanding communication skills for presenting complex schedule information clearly.
Lead (Senior) Planning Officer in England employer: Soben
Contact Detail:
Soben Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead (Senior) Planning Officer in England
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts, attend events, and engage on platforms like LinkedIn. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. We recommend practising common interview questions and tailoring your answers to highlight your experience with large-scale data centre projects. Show them you’re the perfect fit!
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. We suggest mentioning something specific from your conversation to remind them why you’re the ideal candidate.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of opportunities waiting for talented individuals like you. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead (Senior) Planning Officer in England
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Lead Planner role. Highlight your experience with large-scale data centre projects and any relevant tools like Primavera P6 or MS Project. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your past successes in leading complex construction programmes and how you’ve built strong client relationships.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: As a senior member of our team, we need to see your leadership chops! Mention any experience you have in mentoring teams or driving project governance. We love candidates who can inspire and lead high-performing teams.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at Soben!
How to prepare for a job interview at Soben
✨Know Your Projects Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the data centre projects you've worked on. Be ready to discuss specific challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and the impact of your decisions on project delivery. This will show your depth of experience and strategic thinking.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Lead Planner, you'll be expected to lead teams and manage client relationships. Prepare examples that highlight your leadership style, how you mentor others, and how you foster high performance within your team. This will demonstrate your capability to drive results and build trust.
✨Be Ready for Technical Questions
Expect questions about planning methodologies and tools like Primavera P6 or MS Project. Brush up on your technical knowledge and be prepared to discuss how you've used these tools in past projects. This will help you convey your expertise and adaptability across different platforms.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Strong communication skills are crucial for this role. Practice explaining complex scheduling concepts in simple terms, as you may need to present information to clients or stakeholders. Clear communication will showcase your ability to build trusted partnerships and lead effectively.