Senior Planner

Senior Planner

Location: Manchester, Warrington or Derby with Hybrid Working

At Rolls‑Royce SMR, we’re building something world‑changing — and strong, credible planning is key to making it happen.

We need you to join our Project Management Office as a Senior Planner, where you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping, developing and assuring integrated project schedules across complex engineering programmes. You’ll work closely with multidisciplinary teams, providing expert planning insight and helping us deliver with confidence, clarity and control.

What we need you to deliver

We need you to:

• Work closely with project teams to develop robust, integrated schedules across engineering, procurement and construction phases

• Build schedules using bottom‑up estimating, logical sequencing and realistic resource profiles

• Develop and maintain short‑ and long‑term plans that are fit for purpose and aligned to programme governance

• Own and update project control data for your assigned area, ensuring accuracy, consistency and insight

• Lead planning activities within your scope, providing subject matter expertise on planning and scheduling

• Support, coach and mentor junior planners, helping to build capability across the team

• Provide SME advice to the wider business on planning standards, tools and best practice

What you’ll bring

We’re not looking for a “perfect” candidate. If you feel you meet around 75% of the below, we’d really like to hear from you.

You’ll bring:

• Experience working within a planning or project controls team, ideally in complex programme environments

• Confidence leading planning activities and supporting team objectives day‑to‑day

• Experience coaching, mentoring or training planners at different stages of their career

• Strong understanding of integrated planning approaches, such as Master Integrated Plans (MIP/IMS) and milestone logic

• Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders, including engineering, supply chain, procurement and programme delivery

• Advanced knowledge of Primavera P6, including schedule build, WBS structures, coding and resource management

• Practical experience of Earned Value Management, change control and baseline management

• Exposure to complex engineering or regulated programmes (nuclear experience is valuable but not essential)

Essential training & qualifications

We need you to have:

• Strong knowledge of Primavera P6 (Practitioner level or equivalent experience)

• APM PMQ (or equivalent)

• Solid experience working in a project controls or PMO environment

Ideally, you’ll also bring:

• APM PPC (Practitioner) or similar qualification

Equivalent experience is welcomed where formal qualifications differ.

How we’ll measure success

Success in this role means:

• Delivering schedules that are mature, credible and fit for purpose

• Providing clear planning insight that supports confident decision‑making

• Actively developing capability through coaching and mentoring junior planners

• Being recognised as a trusted planning SME within Rolls‑Royce SMR

Reward & benefits

• £50,600 - £66,500 salary range

• £2,200 flexible benefits allowance

• 12.5% bonus opportunity

• 6x pensionable salary life assurance

• 50% income protection

• 28 days holiday plus bank holidays

• £250 new‑joiner payment

• Flexible and part‑time working options available

Flexible working

All our roles are designed with flexibility in mind. We’re open to:

• Hybrid working

• Flexible hours

Pay Range:

£50,600.00

-

£66,465.00

Why Join Us?

You’ll be joining a forward-thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:

•    A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
•    Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.
•    A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.

Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.

Our Application Process

Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:

•    Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
•    Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
•    Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check
 

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