Senior Planner Lead Planner

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Senior Planner to join our Transport & Infrastructure business unit in Abu Dhabi. This role will support the planning, scheduling, and coordination of a major infrastructure masterplan and land development project in the UAE.

The successful candidate will bring strong expertise in project planning within an engineering consultancy environment, with a thorough understanding of multidisciplinary design workflows and infrastructure delivery phases. You will play a key role in developing and managing project schedules, monitoring progress, and ensuring alignment across engineering disciplines, stakeholders, and authority requirements.

Responsibilities

Project Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and manage detailed project schedules using tools such as Primavera P6 and/or MS Project.
• Prepare baseline schedules, design programmes, and progress updates aligned with project milestones and deliverables.
• Identify critical paths, dependencies, and constraints across multidisciplinary design activities.
• Monitor and update schedules regularly, highlighting risks, delays, and mitigation strategies.
  
  
  

Multidisciplinary Coordination

• Coordinate closely with engineering disciplines to ensure integrated scheduling.
• Align design deliverables and submission timelines across all stakeholders.
• Support the identification and resolution of interface issues affecting project timelines.
  
  
  

Progress Monitoring & Reporting

• Prepare progress reports, dashboards, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for internal teams and clients.
• Track actual progress against planned schedules and provide variance analysis with corrective action recommendations.
• Support project managers in forecasting, resource planning, and workload distribution.
  
  
  

Client, Stakeholder & Authority Coordination

• Participate in project meetings, presenting schedule updates and planning insights.
• Interface with clients, consultants, contractors, and relevant authorities to ensure alignment on timelines and deliverables.
• Support planning and sequencing of design submissions in line with UAE authority approval processes (e.g., ADM, ADSSC/ADDCD, ADDC).
  
  
  

Project Controls & Risk Management

• Assist in developing work breakdown structures (WBS) and project execution plans.
• Identify planning-related risks and contribute to mitigation strategies.
• Maintain planning documentation, ensuring accuracy and compliance with project standards.
  
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 15+ years of experience in project planning within engineering consultancy or major infrastructure environments.
• Mandatory prior experience working with Tier 1 Abu Dhabi government entities (e.g., ADM, ADSSC/ADDCD, ADDC, AD Ports, or equivalent), with a strong understanding of their processes, standards, and approval workflows.
• Proven track record delivering planning and scheduling for large-scale infrastructure and land development projects in Abu Dhabi.
• Strong proficiency in Primavera P6, MS Project, and Microsoft Excel.
• Advanced understanding of multidisciplinary design processes, interfaces, and delivery sequencing.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex programmes, critical paths, and high-level stakeholder coordination.
• Excellent analytical, organisational, and communication skills, with the ability to present planning insights to senior stakeholders.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-profile project environment with multiple stakeholders.
  
  
  

What if we can have work-life balance? What if we can be rewarded in ways that support our individual needs? What if we can be accepted for who we are? Here at WSP – we can!

WSP recognizes that work is only one part of our lives and making time for the other things in our life is important – be that our families, our friends or ourselves. So, if working from home, working part-time or having flexible start and finish time will help with this let us know as part of your application.

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.

Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.

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