Planning Manager - Data Centre Project in Europe

Designer Group is seeking an experienced Planning Manager to lead and oversee the planning function across a portfolio of high-value, complex data centre projects

This is a senior role within the business, responsible for providing strategic planning direction, supporting project delivery teams, managing and mentoring planners, and ensuring consistent planning standards across live projects and tenders.

The successful candidate will act as a trusted planning advisor to senior management, project teams and clients, helping to drive programme certainty, manage risk, and support the successful delivery of major engineering projects.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Lead, coach and develop a team of planners, promoting collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Allocate planning resources across projects to ensure effective support for delivery teams.
• Drive consistent planning processes, templates, reporting standards and best practice across the business.
• Oversee the development of detailed, resource-loaded and cost-loaded project programmes using Primavera P6 and/or MS Project.
• Ensure project programmes align with contractual requirements, budgets, milestones and delivery strategies.
• Review, challenge and sign off project schedules before client submission.
• Support tender and bid teams with robust planning input and programme strategy.
• Work closely with Project Directors, Commercial Managers, clients, consultants and main contractors to agree and optimise build strategies.
• Represent Designer Group in programme reviews, planning workshops and schedule negotiations.
• Identify schedule risks, pinch points and resource constraints, developing mitigation plans where required.
• Lead programme impact analysis relating to design changes, scope variations, delays or unforeseen events.
• Monitor progress against baseline programmes and provide forecasts on labour, cost and completion dates.
• Ensure early warnings, change control and time-impact analysis are applied consistently.
• Produce planning reports, dashboards and executive summaries for senior management and clients.
• Champion digital planning tools, data-led reporting and continuous improvement across the planning function.
• Support business growth by contributing to bid and tender planning strategy.

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree qualified in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years’ planning experience within construction, engineering, M&E, data centre, infrastructure, or similar complex project environments.
• At least 3 years’ experience in a senior planning, planning management, or team leadership role.
• Strong M&E contracting experience is highly desirable.
• Advanced Primavera P6 experience is essential, with good working knowledge of MS Project.
• Experience developing, reviewing, and managing baseline programmes, lookaheads, recovery programmes, and progress updates.
• Strong understanding of critical path analysis, construction sequencing, programme risk, change control, and delay analysis.
• Proven ability to lead and develop planners, manage stakeholder expectations, and influence senior project and commercial teams.
• Strong analytical, communication, reporting, and problem-solving skills.
• Career-driven, ambitious, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-pressure project environment.

Benefits

Why This Role

Planning in Designer Group is not a back-office function, it’s a core part of how we deliver projects.

You’ll be working on high-value, complex builds where your input directly impacts programme certainty, commercial outcomes, and project success.

You’ll be trusted to influence, not just report.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Performance-related bonus
• Pension contribution
• Health cover
• Commercial vehicle or car allowance, depending on role requirements
• Career development and progression opportunities
• Exposure to high-value, technically complex projects
• Opportunity to lead and shape the planning function across a growing international business

If you’re a Planner who wants to step into a role where your work genuinely drives projects forward — apply now or reach out for a confidential discussion.

INDMP

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