Planning Manager

Job Description

About the role

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The Planning Manager will be responsible for developing, monitoring, and controlling project schedules across all interior design-and-build projects. The role requires close coordination with design, procurement, project execution, vendors, and client stakeholders to ensure project milestones are achieved efficiently.

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Key Responsibilities

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1. Project Planning & Scheduling

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• Own and publish comprehensive baseline project schedules for all active design-and-build projects, covering design, procurement, execution, and handover phases.
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• Develop detailed, activity-level schedules that clearly identify critical path, dependencies, and float.
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• Build master schedules and rolling look-ahead plans that surface risks and constraints weeks in advance, enabling proactive recovery.
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• Maintain and update all schedules as actuals roll in, keeping them alive and credible as the project's source of truth.
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2. Schedule Monitoring & Control

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• Track actual progress against planned schedules on a weekly basis; flag delays, acceleration, and deviations immediately.
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• Conduct detailed variance analysis, dig into the why behind every slip: is it design approval, procurement, execution, or resource constraints?
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• Produce weekly project status reports and monthly scheduling reviews for management; articulate impact on project delivery dates and cost implications.
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• Ensure zero misses on timelines, hold the line on milestones and escalate deviations that threaten delivery.
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3. Risk & Recovery Management

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• Proactively identify schedule-related risks, design delays, vendor lead times, resource constraints, site conditions, and develop clear mitigation strategies.
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• Monitor inter-dependencies between projects and functions to flag conflicts and resource contention early.
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4. Cross-Functional Coordination

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• Partner closely with Design, Procurement, Execution, and Site teams to understand realistic timelines, identify bottlenecks, and drive schedule alignment.
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• Facilitate monthly planning review meetings and weekly progress tracking calls; be the voice for timeline realism and early warning.
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• Work with vendors, subcontractors, and suppliers to understand delivery windows and manage external dependencies.
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• Support client communication on project timelines, change impact, and schedule recovery plans.
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5. Planning Tools & Analytics

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• Maintain accurate project records, schedule baselines, change logs, ensuring data integrity and traceability.
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• Spot trends and anomalies: unusual delays, recurring bottlenecks, missed forecasts, and bring structured recommendations to close them.
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Academic & Professional Qualifications

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• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related field.
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• PMP, PRINCE2, or Project Planning certifications are a strong advantage.
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Experience

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• 6-10 years of hands-on experience in project planning, scheduling, and project controls, not just project support.
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• Demonstrated experience managing multiple complex projects simultaneously in design-and-build, commercial interiors or workplace fit-outs.
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• Prior exposure to investor-facing or stakeholder reporting roles is valued.
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Technical Skills

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• Deep, confident command of MS Project.
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• Advanced proficiency in MS Excel, dashboards, pivot analysis, data visualization, and dynamic reporting.
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• Experience building project dashboards in Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent is a strong differentiator.
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• Familiarity with construction methodologies, interior fit-out processes, and project lifecycle management.
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