Senior Planner

Rail Design/Construction/Testing & Commissioning Planner – Birmingham Meto Extensions (MMA Alliance, Design Joint Venture - DJV)

DJV Planner is responsible for the development, maintenance, and technical integrity of the DJV Design, Construction Support and Testing & Commissioning Programs for covering the six major metro extension projects at varying degrees of completion.

Operating within an Alliance delivery model (Owner-DJV-Contractor), the Planner integrates multi-discipline design schedules from the Design Joint Venture (DJV) design partners into six single, logic-driven,
cost-loaded Alliance Design, Construction Support and Testing & Commissioning Schedules
, fully aligned with the Constructor’s and Owner’s Integrated Alliance Program.

The role focuses on schedule realism, transparency, and collaborative planning, supporting “best-for-project” outcomes rather than adversarial controls.

• Alliance Design Program Development:
• Develop and maintain the Alliance Design Program in accordance with the Alliance Agreement, Target Outturn Cost (TOC), and Key Result Areas (KRAs)
• Update the fully logic-linked, resource- and cost-loaded design schedule structured around the approved Scope
• Define design milestones aligned with Alliance gateways, constructability requirements, procurement lead times, and commissioning needs
• Consolidate detailed discipline schedules from JV partners (civil, track, structures, Tram stops/stations, systems, power, signalling, utilities, and interfaces) into a single integrated Alliance Design Schedule per Target Cost
• Manage inter-discipline and design–construction interfaces, ensuring schedule logic supports early design activities, Change Approvals, staged approvals, and progressive package release.
• Validate schedule integrity through critical path analysis, float ownership review, and logic verification
• Integration with Alliance Integrated Program:
• Integrate the Alliance Design Schedule into the Integrated Alliance Program
  , ensuring alignment with construction, testing & commissioning, and third-party interface activities
• Maintain schedule consistency across design, Construction procurement, construction, and systems integration work streams
• Support collaborative planning workshops (pull planning, phase planning, last planner–style sessions where applicable)
• Cost Loading & Performance Measurement:
• Develop and maintain a cost-loaded design schedule consistent with the Alliance Target Outturn Cost, align with Cost Management budgets, and reduce overspends
• Support earned value or performance measurement methodologies adopted by the Alliance (e.g., physical progress, weighted milestones)
• Analyse schedule and cost performance, including critical path movement, productivity trends, and forecast completion metrics
• Progress Updating & Reporting
• Coordinate and validate monthly progress updates from all JV discipline leads, ensuring consistent progress measurement rules are applied
• Update schedule logic, durations, and remaining work based on actual performance and collaborative forecasting on a monthly and rolling quarterly forecast reporting cycle.
• Prepare technically robust schedule reports, including:
• Critical path and near-critical path analysis (when required)
• Design package readiness and construction release status
• Schedule risk and opportunity assessment
• Change, Risk & Opportunity Management:
• Assess schedule and cost impacts of design development, scope changes, and emerging Alliance risks and opportunities
• Support time-impact analyses and scenario modelling to inform Alliance leadership decisions.
• Maintain baseline control of Scope
• Alliance Behaviours & Ways of Working:
• Operate in a no-blame, collaborative environment
  , promoting schedule transparency and shared ownership of outcomes.
• Act as a trusted technical advisor to Design Managers, Construction Planners, and Alliance Project Controls
• Facilitate planning discussions focused on optimisation, buildability, and whole-of-life outcomes

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years planning and scheduling experience on major infrastructure or rail projects.
• Demonstrated experience working within Alliance or collaborative delivery models (preferred).
• Strong understanding of multidisciplinary rail design development, staging, and integration with construction and systems delivery
• Technical Expertise:
• Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6 (including cost loading, multiple calendars, and complex logic)

Strong knowledge of:

• WBS / CBS integration
• Critical path and float analysis
• Schedule risk management and forecasting techniques