Planning Manager

About the role 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. Key Responsibilities 1. Project Planning & Scheduling - Own and publish comprehensive baseline project schedules for all active design-and-build projects, covering design, procurement, execution, and handover phases. - Develop detailed, activity-level schedules that clearly identify critical path, dependencies, and float. - Build master schedules and rolling look-ahead plans that surface risks and constraints weeks in advance, enabling proactive recovery. - Maintain and update all schedules as actuals roll in, keeping them alive and credible as the project's source of truth. 2. Schedule Monitoring & Control - Track actual progress against planned schedules on a weekly basis; flag delays, acceleration, and deviations immediately. - Conduct detailed variance analysis, dig into the why behind every slip: is it design approval, procurement, execution, or resource constraints? - Produce weekly project status reports and monthly scheduling reviews for management; articulate impact on project delivery dates and cost implications. - Ensure zero misses on timelines, hold the line on milestones and escalate deviations that threaten delivery. 3. Risk & Recovery Management - Proactively identify schedule-related risks, design delays, vendor lead times, resource constraints, site conditions, and develop clear mitigation strategies. - Monitor inter-dependencies between projects and functions to flag conflicts and resource contention early. 4. Cross-Functional Coordination - Partner closely with Design, Procurement, Execution, and Site teams to understand realistic timelines, identify bottlenecks, and drive schedule alignment. - Facilitate monthly planning review meetings and weekly progress tracking calls; be the voice for timeline realism and early warning. - Work with vendors, subcontractors, and suppliers to understand delivery windows and manage external dependencies. - Support client communication on project timelines, change impact, and schedule recovery plans. 5. Planning Tools & Analytics - Maintain accurate project records, schedule baselines, change logs, ensuring data integrity and traceability. - Spot trends and anomalies: unusual delays, recurring bottlenecks, missed forecasts, and bring structured recommendations to close them. Academic & Professional Qualifications - Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related field. - PMP, PRINCE2, or Project Planning certifications are a strong advantage. Experience - 6-10 years of hands-on experience in project planning, scheduling, and project controls, not just project support. - Demonstrated experience managing multiple complex projects simultaneously in design-and-build, commercial interiors or workplace fit-outs. - Prior exposure to investor-facing or stakeholder reporting roles is valued. Technical Skills - Deep, confident command of MS Project. - Advanced proficiency in MS Excel, dashboards, pivot analysis, data visualization, and dynamic reporting. - Experience building project dashboards in Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent is a strong differentiator. - Familiarity with construction methodologies, interior fit-out processes, and project lifecycle management.