Planning Manager

Req ID:340501 

Leading societies to a low carbon future, Alstom develops and markets mobility solutions that provide the sustainable foundations for the future of transportation. Our product portfolio ranges from high-speed trains, metros, monorail, and trams to integrated systems, customised services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility solutions. Joining us means joining a caring, responsible, and innovative company where more than 70,000 people lead the way to greener and smarter mobility, worldwide 

Employing 6,000 people within the UK & Ireland, we are the prominent supplier of new trains and train services, and a leading signalling and rail infrastructure provider. Alstom have built, or are building, just under 40% of the UK mainline train fleet, as well as the entire fleets in service with London Underground and Dublin Luas

Planning Manager 

Location: Cambridge / Hybrid

Appointment Basis:  Permanent

Excellent Salary

Benefits- Contributed Private Healthcare, Life Assurance, Pension, Plus many others

Position Overview

The role of Planning Manager is to lead and manage the preparation and maintenance of integrated and co-ordinated project programmes, enabling resource and material requirements to be forward planned to meet project deliverables, using P6 Project Planning software. The postholder will be expected to interact and communicate effectively with all levels of the delivery team and also deal with the client directly and professionally.  He/She will provide the interface between Planning and all Work Package Managers, Project Management and the client and will take responsibility for reporting progress, Earned Value Analysis, resourcing forecasts and other planning metrics into the wider business.

Reporting functionally to the Head of Planning and to the Project Director/Lead Project Manager on a day-to-day basis, the Planning Manager will be expected to work autonomously and independently, setting high personal standards and ensuring that reports are delivered in a timely and accurate manner to the project team and client alike. He/She will also be expected to manage a team within a dynamic project environment.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversee the development of comprehensive, logic linked, project programmes for UK SS&I projects incorporating resource loading/forecasting, materials planning, cost-loading and earned value forecasting and reporting.
• Ensure that all ‘Clause 14’ baseline programmes are in place and accepted as applicable for each project.
• Continuously monitor the programmes prepared to accurately reflect progress and maintain accurate earned value and resource data for internal and external purposes.  Ensure that quality is maintained and checked regularly.
• Identify critical paths and ensure action plans are developed and implemented to maximise project quality, cost and delivery objectives.
• Through accurate reporting on Work Package progress, ensure that all functional activity on the project is co-ordinated and ensure that problems and bottlenecks are anticipated and resolved in a timely manner to prevent negative impact on the project.
• Provide regular reports and feedback to management on key issues and focus areas.  This includes weekly/monthly dashboards, incorporating (but not limited to) Project Issues, Key Risks, Programme movement and recovery plans, Client Issues and Change.
• Act as Work Package Manager (WPM) for Planning on a project/portfolio, taking responsibility for the Planning function.
• Manage the resource allocation and forecasting across a portfolio of work in order that scenarios can be run to facilitate a clear long term recruitment/training strategy.
• Lead the preparation of any high level strategic programmes as required for use when meeting the Client and/or Internal Management  (Plan on a Page).
• Maintain the interface between Planning, Finance and Project Management and ensure that all project reporting is co-ordinated, robust, timely and accurate and that there is ‘one version of the truth’ at all times.
• Through active dialogue with Work Package Managers and the Project Manager, ensure that the project programmes will deliver customer and contractual requirements to time and cost.
• Chair  monthly Work Package Review meetings including engineering activity, sourcing, quality, cost and delivery and produce SPI/CPI information for presentation/explanation at this meeting.
• Support the Head of Planning with business requests and auditing the programmes against the planning procedure / work instruction.
• Manage and lead a team of planners, including the allocation of planners as required within an assigned portfolio and lead on all planning (including tender planning as applicable) within that portfolio.
• Ensure all programmes under their control are updated and reviewed in line with Alstom planning processes, including PMS updates..
• Ensure all reports from their planning team are produced to a high quality and to agreed deadlines. This role will be measured against the timeliness and accuracy of reporting.
• Support the change process with planning input to the overall impact of multiple changes on any/all projects in the portfolio.
• Undertake all staff management duties for their team, including undertaking relevant Performance Management and People Review activities.
• Travel when required to other sites across the country.
• Occasional weekend/bank holiday cover for any major commissionings.
• Comply with and undertake all relevant Environment, Health and Safety measures and activities.

Postholder requirements

Essential:

• Extensive experience in project planning / scheduling, including resource and cost-loading / forecasting.
• Extensive experience and expert knowledge of Primavera P6 Planning Software.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to communicate well and build relationships .
• Demonstrable people management skills and experience.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Educated to at least A Level Standard.
• Knowledge and experience of working in a business process environment with an emphasis on project delivery (Contractor side).
• Ability to persuade and influence others
• Extensive experience and knowledge of Earned Value Management.
• Knowledge and experience of the Rail Industry.

Desirable:

• Educated to degree level.
• Knowledge and experience of Rail Signalling.
• Demonstrable Commercial/Business Acumen.
• Expert knowledge of MS Excel.
• Experience of Primavera Risk / Quantitive Schedule Risk Analysis (QSRA).

What we offer

We offer a highly competitive starting salary, 25 days annual leave with the opportunity to increase this to 30 days, healthcare, life assurance, an excellent company-contributed pension scheme, and a wide range of flexible benefits that you can tailor to suit your lifestyle.

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Alstom is the leading company in the mobility sector, solving the most interesting challenges for tomorrow’s mobility. That’s why we value inquisitive and innovative people who are passionate about working together to reinvent mobility, making it smarter and more sustainable. Day after day, we are building an agile, inclusive, and responsible culture, where a diverse group of people are offered opportunities to learn, grow and advance in their careers, with options across functions and geographic locations. Are you ready to join a truly international community of great people on a challenging journey with a tangible impact and purpose?

We aim to have a welcoming and inclusive environment for individuals, of different ages, genders, ethnicities, disability, LGBT, religion and/or belief. As a 'Disability Confident' employer, we will interview all disabled job applicants who match the essential criteria of the job description or specification. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.