Planning Manager - Fitout

About This Role

My client a leading Fitout Contractor in Dubai is seeking an experienced Planning Manager to lead the planning and scheduling function across multiple interior fit-out projects in Dubai, including office, residential, and F&B developments .

This role combines hands-on planning expertise with team leadership, ensuring all projects are effectively programmed, monitored, and delivered on schedule. The Planning Manager will play a critical role in aligning project timelines with site execution, supporting project teams, and driving consistency and accuracy across all planning activities.

Key Responsibilities

Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and maintain detailed baseline programmes covering design, procurement, construction, and handover stages
• Monitor project progress against schedules and identify risks, delays, and deviations
• Prepare recovery programmes and mitigation strategies to maintain project timelines
• Ensure integration of subcontractor and supplier schedules into overall project programmes

Team Leadership & Management

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of Planning Engineers across multiple projects
• Allocate resources effectively and oversee workload distribution
• Establish planning standards, methodologies, and reporting consistency across all projects
• Provide technical guidance and support to ensure high-quality planning outputs

Project Coordination

• Work closely with Project Managers, site teams, procurement, and commercial departments to align planning with execution
• Support site teams with look-ahead programmes and actionable planning insights
• Ensure planning outputs reflect real-time project conditions and constraints

Reporting & Analysis

• Produce weekly and monthly progress reports , dashboards, and look-ahead schedules
• Analyse programme variances and provide clear recommendations to senior management
• Track key milestones and highlight risks impacting delivery

Pre-Construction & Tender Support

• Lead planning input for tender submissions, including preparation of preliminary programmes
• Support pre-construction activities with realistic and achievable project timelines

Delay Analysis & Claims

• Support and prepare delay analysis and Extension of Time (EOT) submissions where required
• Maintain accurate records to support claims and project reporting

Resource Planning

• Assist in resource planning and forecasting across multiple concurrent projects
• Ensure alignment between manpower, materials, and programme requirements

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Minimum 8+ years' experience in construction planning
• At least 3 years in a leadership or supervisory role
• Strong experience in interior fit-out projects , ideally within fast-track environments in the UAE

Technical Skills

• Expert user of Primavera P6 and MS Project
• Strong understanding of fit-out construction sequencing and delivery timelines
• Knowledge of authority approval processes in Dubai (DM, DCD, Trakhees, etc.)
• Familiarity with delay analysis methodologies and reporting tools

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Strong leadership, mentoring, and team management capabilities
• Excellent communication and coordination skills across multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
• Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail
• Proactive, solution-oriented, and able to perform under pressure