Project Planning Manager

Project Planning Manager

Westhill, Aberdeen

Permanent position

About Us:

JFD is the world leading underwater capability provider, serving the commercial and defence markets with innovative diving, submarine and hyperbaric rescue, technical solutions and services.

Operating worldwide, the company is the world's leading provider of submarine rescue capability and an established provider of submarine escape training. The company is at the forefront of Hyperbaric Rescue, along with being the leading supplier of commercial and defence diving equipment and saturation diving systems to the commercial industry.

The Defence Division provides underwater systems and life support capabilities, for the defence and commercial diving markets.

The Role:

The Project Planning Manager is responsible for the leadership, governance, and development of JFD's project planning function. This role ensures consistent application of planning standards, tools, and methodologies across all business lines, supporting project delivery excellence and strategic growth.

The position drives schedule integrity, data accuracy, and process optimisation, while mentoring planners and leading digital improvement initiatives to enhance planning maturity across the organisation.

This role will improve business results by driving initiatives to meet the requirements of our customers and our strategy

Principle Accountabilities:

Leadership & Management:

• Lead and develop the project planning team, ensuring alignment with company values and objectives.
• Provide direction, mentorship, and technical support to senior, project, and junior planners.
• Oversee resource allocation within the planning team to ensure project needs are met efficiently.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture focused on continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.

Planning Governance:

• Own and maintain planning policies, standards, and templates for consistent application across projects.
• Ensure compliance with JFD and client planning procedures, including baseline control, change management, and reporting standards.
• Establish quality assurance processes for schedule reviews, audits, and reporting accuracy.
• Drive planning maturity and digital transformation in alignment with corporate strategy.

Project & Portfolio Oversight:

• Oversee schedule development, maintenance, and reporting across the project portfolio.
• Review and approve baseline schedules, ensuring alignment with scope, cost, and risk data.
• Provide consolidated portfolio-level reporting and analysis to senior management.
• Support strategic decision-making by identifying schedule trends, risks, and opportunities across projects.

Bid Support:

• Provide governance and strategic oversight for bid-phase planning.
• Review and approve tender schedules, ensuring consistency, realism, and alignment with business capability.
• Support commercial teams in developing competitive bid strategies and programme narratives.

Continuous Improvement & Digital Transformation:

• Lead the standardisation of project planning processes and integration with ERP and business intelligence systems.
• Champion the adoption of digital tools and data-driven planning.
• Identify opportunities to enhance forecasting, reporting, and resource management processes.
• Support cross-functional initiatives related to project controls and business improvement.

Qualifications and Experience:

Extensive experience in project planning and scheduling within complex EPC or engineering environments.

Proven track record in leading planning teams or managing planning functions across multiple projects.

Advanced user of Primavera P6, with strong understanding of critical path methodology and earned value management (EVM).

Deep knowledge of baseline management, re-baselining, and schedule risk assessment.

Strong leadership, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills.

Experience integrating planning with ERP systems.

Exceptional analytical and presentation abilities.

Experience driving digital transformation or planning process improvements.

A background in portfolio or programme-level scheduling and reporting.

Experience in training, mentoring, and developing planning personnel.

A professional certification from a relevant academic organisation.

*You will need to be able to gain UK security clearance to be eligible for this position.

This role is to be based in Westhill, Aberdeen however, some travel will be required as projects dictate therefore a flexible working approach is needed.

Due to the volume of applications that we receive for our vacancies, on occasion applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

James Fisher is a global engineering services company. From our origins as a ship owner and operator, we've evolved to provide the expertise and innovative technology our customers need in the harshest of environments across Energy, Defence and Maritime Transport.

At James Fisher we are relied on to help our customers deliver on their promises and realise their ambitions safely, efficiently and responsibly.

We have a strong heritage built on the foundations of our people and innovation. Alongside our valuable partnerships with customers, communities and suppliers, we are embedding a more sustainable approach across our business.

Our strategy is centred around the One James Fisher ambition. We are building a stronger, more cohesive engineering service company operating in the Blue Economy.

James Fisher & Sons are committed to taking positive action on diversity and we strongly encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds and as a Disability Confident employer we are committed to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the role.

James Fisher and Sons plc, are proud to be partnered with the Career Transition Partnership, the official provider of Armed Forces resettlement for over 20 years.