Locations: Durham (with UK-wide site visits). We also have offices in Central Scotland.
J&D Pierce (Contracts) Ltd is a leading UK structural steelwork contractor delivering complex, large-scale projects across commercial, industrial, and infrastructure sectors.
We are looking to recruit a Planner / Senior Planner to support both tender-stage planning and live project delivery, developing practical, well-structured programmes that reflect how projects are actually built.
You will be responsible for producing and managing construction programmes from initial tender through to completion, ensuring coordination between design, fabrication, and site erection. The role is central to driving project performance by providing clear visibility of progress, identifying risks early, and supporting delivery teams to achieve programme and commercial objectives.
- Develop tender and preconstruction programmes aligned with client requirements
- Establish construction strategies covering design release, procurement, fabrication, and erection
- Assess and challenge alternative sequencing and methodologies to determine the most efficient, safe, and commercially viable approach
- Review Principal Contractor outline programmes to identify risks, constraints, and unrealistic assumptions at tender stage
- Support bid submissions with programme input, phasing, and narratives
- Identify key constraints, risks, and opportunities at an early stage
Construction Planning (Post-Award)
- Develop and manage detailed contract programmes following award
- Produce and maintain dropline / flowline programmes to manage fabrication output and erection sequencing
- Incorporate and coordinate subcontract trades, including metal decking, precast concrete, and other key interfaces
- Review Principal Contractor programmes, identify risks or inconsistencies, and propose practical, buildable solutions
- Establish design release schedules, fabrication priorities, and erection phasing
- Maintain short-term lookahead programmes and update programmes to reflect progress and change
Progress Monitoring & Reporting
- Monitor progress against programme and key milestones
- Track fabrication and erection performance against planned outputs
- Identify and manage the critical path
- Produce clear programme reports and updates for internal and client use
- Analyse delays and programme risks and assess their impact
- Develop mitigation measures and recovery strategies
- Support Extension of Time submissions and programme-based entitlement
- Maintain auditable programme records to protect the company’s position
Coordination & Communication
- Work with design, fabrication, and site teams to manage interfaces and resolve issues
- Engage with clients, principal contractors, and project teams at progress meetings
- Promote a proactive, solutions-focused approach to programme management
- Experience in a planning role within structural steelwork (preferred) or a main contractor / heavy construction environment
- Strong understanding of both tender-stage and construction-phase planning
- Experience using dropline or production-based planning methods for fabrication and erection
- Experience integrating subcontract trades within construction programmes
- Familiarity with contract requirements under JCT and NEC (NEC3 / NEC4), including programme obligations and entitlement
- Proficiency in Microsoft Project is essential, with the ability to work with or transition to Asta Powerproject
- Ability to use Primavera P6 where required
- Experience with 4D planning or modelling tools is advantageous but not essential
- Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and clear communication
- Understanding of how programme impacts cost, risk, and commercial outcomes
- Ability to develop programmes that are realistic, buildable, and aligned with production and site outputs
- Confidence to challenge assumptions and improve programme logic
- A proactive approach to identifying issues and driving solutions
- Strong commercial awareness and ability to support project outcomes
- Opportunity to work on major, complex steelwork projects across the UK
- Fully integrated business with in-house design, fabrication, and delivery capability
- Involvement in both tender strategy and live project execution
- Strong pipeline of work and experienced delivery team
- We offer a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package
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