Senior Planner - Tunnelling

CPB Contractors

About the Role

Reporting to the Planning Manager or Project Controls Manager, the Senior Planner is responsible for developing, maintaining and monitoring integrated project programmes across major tunnelling and civil infrastructure works. The role provides schedule leadership and supports project teams in achieving delivery milestones through effective planning, forecasting, risk management and stakeholder engagement.

The position will play a critical role in coordinating engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning activities across complex underground works, ensuring alignment with project objectives, contractual requirements and client expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead planning and scheduling activities during tender and bid phases, including development of baseline programmes, construction methodologies, resource forecasts, and tender submissions.
• Collaborate with estimating, engineering, commercial, and delivery teams to develop competitive and deliverable tender programmes aligned with project requirements.
• Prepare and review tender schedules, staging strategies, possession plans, logistics methodologies, and critical path analyses to support bid development and client submissions.
• Provide planning expertise for interactive tender workshops, risk reviews, value engineering initiatives, and programme optimisation opportunities.
• Assess tender documentation, specifications, and contract requirements to identify programme risks, constraints, and delivery opportunities.
• Support post-award programme development and ensure seamless transition of tender schedules into project delivery baselines.
• Contribute to bid interviews and client presentations, providing technical input on programme methodology, sequencing, and project delivery strategies.

• Demonstrated experience developing and delivering successful tender programmes for major infrastructure, tunnelling, rail, transport, or civil construction projects.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with estimating, engineering, commercial, and project delivery teams during bid and pre-contract phases.
• Strong understanding of construction methodologies, staging, logistics planning, and resource forecasting for complex infrastructure projects.

Required Skills & Experience

• Degree qualification in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or related discipline.
• Minimum 8-10 years' experience in planning and project controls on major infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated experience delivering large-scale tunnelling, underground, rail, transport or civil infrastructure projects.
• Advanced Primavera P6 skills.
• Strong understanding of critical path methodology, earned value management and schedule risk analysis.
• Experience working in contractor or joint venture environments on complex infrastructure projects.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management and commercial awareness skills.

Desirable

• Experience on TBM-driven tunnel projects.
• Experience on major transport infrastructure projects such as rail, metro, road tunnels or underground stations.
• Exposure to BIM, 4D planning and digital engineering tools.
• Knowledge of claims, delay analysis and contractual programme requirements