Head of Planning

Job Purpose

Job Context and Major Challenges

• Requires the ability to:
• + Understand key project drivers, define roles and responsibilities, develop communication protocols, and implement planning and scheduling procedures
• + Identify schedule risks and issues
• + Anticipate elements of engineering, procurement, and construction that may lead to disputes or claims
• + Communicate and influence effectively in a multicultural environment to ensure project delivery within the agreed timeframe
• Major challenges include:
• + Completing detailed planning and scheduling assessments, including recovery and rectification plans, under short deadlines and high?pressure conditions
• + Developing and sustaining strong working relationships with EPC contractor planning teams to ensure accurate and timely information for decision?making

Key Job Accountabilities

• Provide management and technical leadership across all planning and scheduling functions, including schedule risk analysis, reporting, productivity, and impact assessment, by establishing fit?for?purpose project planning and scheduling procedures.
• Lead and manage the planning and scheduling team, coordinating inputs from engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and interface functions.
• Ensure contractors and subcontractors implement effective planning and scheduling measures in line with project requirements.
• Manage the preparation of project control gate deliverables related to planning and scheduling in accordance with the Project Management System.
• Ensure the effective implementation and ongoing updating of the project planning and scheduling procedures.
• Coordinate the collection, consolidation, analysis, and reporting of progress measurement and control data to assess overall project status and identify potential problem areas.
• Conduct schedule delay and impact analysis and review schedule recovery plans, including evaluation of additional resources when required.
• Ensure all approved project changes are assessed, incorporated, and reflected in the overall schedule stewardship and reporting.
• Evaluate contractor performance in planning and scheduling, identify discrepancies, and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
• Act as the primary interface between senior project management and EPC contractors on all planning, scheduling, and reporting matters.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Finance, Construction Management, or a related discipline
• Knowledge and Experience
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in project controls for EPC oil and gas capital projects, primarily in planning and scheduling
• Strong knowledge of project controls principles, theories, and practices
• Experience on major projects from both owner and contractor perspectives
• Proven experience managing EPC lump?sum contracts
• Experience working in multicultural environments with large local subcontractors

Technical and Business Skills

• Subject matter expertise in project planning and scheduling
• Proficient in scheduling and risk analysis tools (e.g., Primavera P6, schedule risk analysis software)
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain project schedules (Level 1 to Level 4), including logic ties, sequencing, assumptions, and resource loading
• Strong capability in performing schedule analyses using current project data
• Ability to undertake complex tasks and provide guidance to team members
• Proactive approach and ability to deliver timely analysis aligned with project needs
• Strong understanding of cross?functional and organisational interfaces
• Ability to work independently within established procedures while contributing to their improvement
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills
• Strong negotiation, influencing, analytical, and problem?solving skills
• Excellent interpersonal, teamwork, and collaboration skills
• High level of computer literacy, including planning software and standard office applications