Senior Planner

Job Description Overview

As a Senior Planner, you will be instrumental in driving the successful delivery of complex projects and programmes.

• Develop, manage and assure fully integrated project and programme schedules with robust logic, sequencing and critical path integrity.
• Lead planning input across bids, mobilisation and delivery phases, providing expert guidance on scheduling strategy and governance.
• Deliver high‑quality schedule analysis including critical path, scenario and “what‑if” modelling, with clear options and mitigation strategies.
• Integrate schedule, cost and risk information, supporting QSRA and wider project controls reporting.
• Maintain schedule baselines and govern change control, ensuring accuracy of scope, progress and impact representation.
• Produce high‑quality visual and written reporting, including progress updates, variance analysis and Earned Value insights.
• Communicate complex planning information clearly to senior leaders, clients and multidisciplinary teams.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders, supporting collaborative and outcome‑focused delivery.
• Support consistency and best practice across the Planning Function, contributing to process improvement and capability development.
• Mentor and guide junior planners, supporting skill development and reviewing outputs.
• Apply understanding of different contract forms (NEC/JCT/FIDIC etc.) and their implications for planning, deliverables and reporting.
• Operate effectively within a consultancy environment, ensuring outputs align with client expectations and professional standards.

• Planning experience on complex or multidisciplinary projects.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to ask the right questions, engage effectively with teams, and interrogate the scope to ensure clarity and completeness.
• Strong proficiency with planning tools such as Primavera P6, MS Project, Open Plan, Asta Power project etc.
• Expertise in developing and assuring integrated project and programme schedules.
• Experience with schedule risk assessments, EVM reporting and integrated schedule–cost–risk analysis.
• Strong capability in baseline management, change control and maintaining schedule integrity.
• Excellent communication skills, able to translate complex planning insights clearly for senior stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring or supporting junior planners.
• Broad understanding of project controls disciplines and lifecycle governance.
• Good understanding of contract requirements (NEC, JCT, FIDIC etc.).
• Experience in a consultancy environment (advantageous).

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career. Enjoy competitive salaries, employee rewards and a brilliant range of benefits you can tailor to suit your own health, wellbeing, financial and lifestyle choices. Make the most of a myriad of opportunities for training and professional development to grow your skills and expertise.

And combine our hybrid working culture and flexible holiday allowances to balance a great job and fulfilling personal life.

We're Atkins

Réalis, a world‑class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We're committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary, it will be discussed with you  vetting process is delivered by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) and may require candidates to provide proof of residency in the UK of 5 years or longer. If applying to this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV, details of any current or previously held security clearance.

We are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they belong - a place where we can all be ourselves, thrive and develop to be the best we can be. So, we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and employee resource groups to support all employees. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we value applications from all backgrounds, cultures and ability.

Worker Type Employee Job Type Regular

At Atkins

Réalis , we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world‑class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences.