Senior Planner - Anglian Water

Senior Planner Location: Peterborough, with some travel across the Anglian Water region Sector: Civil Engineering | Water Infrastructure | Major Projects Lead the programme. Influence delivery. Make an impact. Complex infrastructure projects demand exceptional planning, clear strategic thinking and the ability to bring people together around a shared delivery goal. Are you looking for an experienced Senior Planner role? Do you want to join our team and play a leading role in the planning and delivery of major water infrastructure projects for our client, Anglian Water, through its Major Projects Framework. This is an opportunity to take ownership of complex project programmes, influence delivery strategies and work closely with Project Managers, construction leaders, commercial teams and designers to drive performance across the project lifecycle. You'll bring the insight and confidence to challenge assumptions, identify risks and opportunities, and turn programme data into meaningful decisions. You'll also have the opportunity to share your expertise, support other planners and help strengthen planning capability across our team. If you're ready to take a leading role in delivering major infrastructure projects and make a real difference to project outcomes, this is an opportunity to make your mark. What you'll be doing As a Senior Planner, you'll lead the development, coordination and management of project programmes, providing the insight and challenge needed to support safe, efficient and commercially successful delivery. Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the development, review and maintenance of integrated project programmes from tender and pre-construction through to construction, commissioning and project close-out.
• Developing and challenging programme logic, construction methodologies, sequencing, resource assumptions and key delivery milestones.
• Working with Project Managers and construction leaders to establish realistic delivery strategies and translate them into robust, achievable programmes.
• Leading programme monitoring and analysis, identifying critical-path impacts, emerging delays, interfaces, constraints and opportunities to improve performance.
• Driving programme risk and opportunity assessments, developing mitigation strategies and supporting recovery planning where delivery is at risk.
• Producing and presenting high-quality programme reports, forecasts and analysis to project leadership, clients and other key stakeholders.
• Providing expert planning input into project reviews, commercial assessments, change management, variations and the evaluation of time-related impacts.
• Leading planning input into tender submissions and pre-construction activities, including programme development, scenario modelling and alternative delivery approaches.
• Coordinating programme interfaces across design, procurement, construction, commissioning and supply chain activities.
• Ensuring programme updates are accurate, evidence-based and reflect progress achieved on site.
• Challenging assumptions constructively, identifying opportunities to improve productivity and promoting best practice across project teams.
• Mentoring and supporting other planners, sharing technical knowledge and helping develop planning capability across the business.
• Building strong working relationships with the client, supply chain partners and internal stakeholders to maintain alignment on programme objectives.
• Promoting a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, health and safety, and quality. What the team are looking for You will be an experienced planning professional who combines strong technical capability with commercial awareness, confident stakeholder engagement and the ability to influence project outcomes. You'll ideally bring:
• Significant planning experience within construction, civil engineering, infrastructure or utilities, including responsibility for complex project programmes.
• A strong track record of developing and managing programmes throughout the project lifecycle, from tender and pre-construction through to delivery and close-out.
• Advanced knowledge of Primavera P6 or Asta Powerproject, together with strong Microsoft Excel skills.
• A thorough understanding of construction methodologies, programme logic, critical-path analysis, sequencing, interfaces and resource planning.
• Experience identifying programme risks and opportunities, assessing time-related impacts and developing effective mitigation and recovery strategies.
• Strong project controls and commercial awareness, including progress measurement, forecasting, change management and programme reporting.
• The ability to interrogate complex programme data, challenge assumptions and provide clear, evidence-based recommendations.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to engage and influence senior project teams, clients and delivery partners.
• Experience mentoring or supporting other planners and contributing to consistent planning standards and best practice.
• A proactive, solutions-driven mindset and the ability to manage competing priorities in a demanding project environment.
• A strong commitment to health, safety, quality and continuous improvement. Experience in major water infrastructure or utilities programmes would be advantageous, particularly where projects involve multiple workstreams, complex interfaces and significant delivery constraints. We recognise that experience comes in different forms. If you have strong planning expertise, a collaborative approach and the ambition to help deliver major infrastructure projects successfully, we encourage you to apply. Our benefits include:
• Competitive salary.
• Competitive annual leave, plus an additional day off on your birthday.
• The option to buy additional annual leave.
• Private medical care.
• Pension scheme.
• Life assurance.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Shopping, restaurant vouchers, rewards and discounts.
• Training and development opportunities, including comprehensive skills-based training.
• Family-friendly policies, including enhanced maternity benefits.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Flexible working opportunities.
• Mental, physical and financial wellbeing support.
• 24/7 virtual GP service. Ready to make your mark? If you're an experienced planner who enjoys tackling complex challenges, influencing delivery strategy and helping teams achieve exceptional results, we'd love to hear from you. Join our team and help shape the programmes that bring essential water infrastructure projects to life