Principal Planner​/Senior Planner

Mott Mac Donald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices.

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee‑owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued.

Whatever your ambition, Mott Mac Donald is where people come to be brilliant.

The Energy unit delivers services to clients globally across several sectors including hydropower, nuclear, waste, renewable generation and transmission & distribution networks. Together we provide integrated engineering and project management services across the project lifecycle – from concept and design to construction and operations, to decommissioning or repowering and life extension. Together with our clients, we’re helping to deliver the energy transition globally.

We’re looking for a Senior or Principal Technical Planner to join our Nuclear, Defence, and Civil team, supporting some of the UK’s most significant and complex infrastructure programmes. These long term, high impact projects offer the opportunity to shape the future of the UK’s energy and defence landscape delivering work that truly makes a difference.

As a Senior / Principal Planner, you’ll play a key role in ensuring projects are effectively structured, planned, and delivered. You’ll be at the heart of multidisciplinary programmes, collaborating closely with Project Managers, technical leads, commercial teams, and stakeholders to ensure alignment across timelines, risks, and resources.

You will be part of a growing team, setting high standards, mentoring others, and fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture. You’ll play a key part in strengthening the planning function, enhancing best practices, and protecting the commercial and delivery interests of the business.

Planning sits at the heart of our project success and in this role, you will have real influence, visibility, and the opportunity to shape how we deliver complex programmes.

• Manage a portfolio of schedules, ensuring clear communication of outputs to stakeholders at all levels
• Ensure schedules comply with internal procedures and industry best practices
• Apply Earned Value (EV) principles, analyse variances, and recommend mitigation strategies
• Collaborate with lead and management roles to ensure project success
• Optimise schedule structures and implement improvements to enhance planning efficiency
• Apply robust change control measures (ideally within the NEC contract model)
• Conduct schedule integrity checks, assess critical paths, and communicate key issues proactively
• Work closely with cost engineers, project managers, and control managers to underpin Estimate at Completions (EACs)
• Develop and maintain resource‑loaded schedules, applying rules of credit where appropriate
• Using Primavera P6, to create and present detailed project plans
• Ensure project plans capture full scope, identify risks and opportunities, and maintain a focus on Health & Safety standards

• Proven experience in planning and leading complex engineering projects, including the development of detailed, resourced schedules and application of EV techniques
• Expertise in Primavera P6 and managing a portfolio of interrelated schedules
• Experience leading or mentoring teams, with the ability to inspire others and build capability across a planning function
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with confidence in engaging and…