Senior Planner

Company Overview

Our client is a well-established Irish main contractor with a long and consistent track record of delivering building projects across the residential, public sector, commercial and healthcare markets. Having built their reputation on quality of delivery and repeat client relationships rather than aggressive expansion, they are regarded as one of the more dependable names in the Irish contracting market and are consistently trusted with technically demanding and reputationally sensitive schemes.

The business operates across the country from a small number of strategically located offices, allowing them to service both the greater Dublin area and the wider regional market. Their client base spans private developers, state and semi-state bodies, healthcare providers and institutional end users, which has given them a genuinely balanced order book and considerable resilience through changing market conditions.

Sustained demand across housing delivery, public infrastructure and healthcare investment has driven a steady increase in both the volume and the value of the projects they are securing, with individual scheme values now extending to €100 million. That growth has placed greater emphasis on the planning function within the business and has created the need for a senior appointment capable of leading it.

This is a business with a settled senior team, low turnover and a culture that rewards ownership. Decision-making is direct, leadership is accessible, and there is a clear appetite to give the right person real standing within the organisation rather than a purely technical remit.

Working Environment & Projects

You will lead the planning function, working closely with the senior management team, contracts managers, project teams and the estimating and commercial functions. The role carries a genuine advisory dimension; you will be relied upon to give a considered, evidence-based view on programme strategy, sequencing and delivery risk at the point where those decisions are actually being made.

The project portfolio is varied by design. Residential schemes range from apartment developments to large-scale housing delivery; public sector and healthcare work brings phased delivery within live or constrained environments and a high standard of programme reporting; commercial projects bring their own pace and client expectations. The result is genuine breadth rather than repetition of the same scheme type.

Your input will span both the pre-construction and delivery phases. At tender stage you will develop the programme strategy and methodology that underpin bids; through delivery you will own progress monitoring, forecasting and change management, and support the commercial team where programme performance carries contractual consequences. It is a role with visibility from the bid to final account.

The position can be based in either Dublin or Tipperary, with reasonable travel to sites as the portfolio requires. Following completion of a three-month probationary period, two days per week working from home becomes available as a practical arrangement that suits the concentrated, analytical nature of planning work.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning function across a portfolio of live projects, taking ownership of programme development, monitoring and reporting
• Prepare tender and pre-construction programmes, including methodology, sequencing and resource and phasing strategies to support bid submissions
• Advise the senior management team on programme strategy, delivery risk and the practical implications of key project decisions
• Produce and maintain detailed construction programmes, working closely with contracts managers and site teams to ensure they reflect the reality on the ground
• Monitor progress against programme, prepare forecasts and provide early warning of slippage together with recovery options
• Assess the programme impact of variations, delays and design changes, and support the commercial team in preparing and defending claims
• Present programme information clearly and credibly to clients, design teams and internal stakeholders at project and board level
• Develop and improve planning processes, standards and reporting across the business
• Provide guidance and mentoring to project teams on planning best practice and programme discipline

What You Need

• Proven experience in a Senior Planner or Lead Planner capacity with a main contractor, consultancy or client-side organisation in Ireland or the UK
• Demonstrable track record planning projects within the residential, public sector, commercial or healthcare markets
• Exposure to projects of significant value and complexity, ideally extending towards the €100 million range
• Exceptional communication skills, with the credibility and confidence to advise a senior management team strategically
• Strong technical command of planning software such as Asta Powerproject or Primavera P6
• Sound understanding of construction methodology, sequencing and the commercial consequences of programme performance
• A relevant third-level qualification in construction management, engineering, quantity surveying or a related discipline

What You'll Get in Return

A salary of €90,000 is on offer, together with a company vehicle and a wider benefits package to be discussed in detail at interview. Following probation, two days per week working from home is available, with the flexibility to be based in either Dublin or Tipperary. Beyond the package, this role offers something less easily found — a senior planning position with genuine influence over how projects are won and delivered, direct access to the leadership team, and the scope to shape the planning function within a growing and highly regarded Irish contractor.

How to Apply

To explore this opportunity in confidence, please forward your CV or project profile to [email protected] or contact 07481 954446 for an initial confidential discussion.