Head of Mechanical and Electrical Planning

Your Company:
NET Recruit is proud to be partnering with a highly established defence business operating nationally, with offices in Hampshire, in their search for a Head of Mechanical and Electrical Planning to join their engineering and infrastructure team. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced planning professional to lead engineering programmes, coordinate resources, and support the delivery of complex infrastructure and M&E projects.
With a strong reputation for delivering high-quality solutions within demanding and highly regulated environments, the business works closely with clients, contractors, and multidisciplinary teams to ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and to the required standards. The successful candidate will provide leadership across mechanical and electrical planning, overseeing programme schedules, managing risks, and driving continuous improvement.

Your Role and Responsibilities
While in this position, your duties may include but are not limited to:

• Leading mechanical and electrical planning activities across engineering, infrastructure, and construction projects.
• Developing and maintaining detailed project programmes, ensuring alignment with business objectives, contractual requirements, and delivery milestones.
• Providing leadership and guidance to planning professionals and wider project teams.
• Coordinating M&E workstreams with other engineering disciplines, contractors, suppliers, and stakeholders.
• Establishing project milestones, critical activities, dependencies, and resource requirements.
• Monitoring progress against agreed schedules, identifying delays, risks, and potential impacts on delivery.
• Developing mitigation strategies and recovery plans to address scheduling challenges.
• Producing programme updates, progress reports, forecasts, and management information.
• Working with project managers, engineering leads, and senior stakeholders to maintain effective project delivery.
• Reviewing contractor and supplier programmes to ensure alignment with overall project schedules.
• Coordinating planning across design, procurement, installation, testing, commissioning, and handover.
• Identifying resource constraints and scheduling conflicts, implementing solutions to maintain progress.
• Improving planning processes, reporting standards, and project controls.
• Ensuring planning activities comply with relevant engineering standards, health and safety requirements, and quality procedures.
• Supporting resource forecasting, workload management, and prioritisation across multiple projects.
• Contributing to lessons-learned reviews and identifying opportunities to improve programme accuracy and efficiency.

What You Will Need to Apply:
To be considered for this opportunity, you will need substantial experience in mechanical and electrical planning, project controls, engineering programme management, or a related discipline. You should have a strong understanding of planning and scheduling within complex engineering, construction, infrastructure, or building services environments.
Previous experience leading a planning team, managing complex programmes, and coordinating multiple workstreams would be highly advantageous. You should understand the project lifecycle, including design, procurement, installation, commissioning, and handover.
A strong knowledge of programme development, critical path analysis, resource planning, progress monitoring, and schedule risk management is essential. You should be confident identifying potential delays, assessing their impact, and developing practical solutions to maintain project performance. Experience with planning software such as Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project would also be beneficial.
Excellent leadership, communication, and organisational skills are required, alongside the ability to manage competing priorities, influence stakeholders, and coordinate multidisciplinary teams. You should have a proactive, analytical approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.
Experience within the Defence sector, major infrastructure, engineering consultancy, construction, or another regulated environment would be beneficial. An understanding of health and safety requirements, engineering standards, quality assurance, and project governance would also be advantageous.
A relevant degree or equivalent qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related discipline would be desirable. Professional qualifications in engineering, project planning, or project controls would also be beneficial.
Candidates who already hold Security Check (SC) clearance, or are eligible and willing to obtain the necessary clearance, may be particularly desirable, depending on the role's requirements.

What You Will Get in Return:
In return for your skills and experience, the company is offering a salary of up to £85,000, depending on experience, alongside a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to take on a senior leadership position within an established Defence organisation.
You will contribute to complex engineering and infrastructure projects, influence planning strategy, and work alongside experienced professionals across multiple technical disciplines. This role offers the opportunity to shape planning processes, improve project delivery, and make a meaningful contribution to important projects.
The business is committed to maintaining high professional standards and supporting its people, providing an environment where you can apply your expertise, lead teams, and develop your career within a technically rewarding sector.
If you are an experienced mechanical and electrical planning professional seeking a senior leadership opportunity within a well-established Defence business, this could be an excellent next career move.

To express interest in this role and have a confidential chat, please reach out to:

Phoebe Jones - Recruitment Partner

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