Senior Planner
| Posting date: | 17 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £350 to £550 per day |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 17 May 2026 |
| Location: | DE24 8WE |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Morson Talent |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | morson_256125-44957 |
Summary
Job Title: Senior Planner (Contract - Outside IR35)
Location: Derby, UK
Overview
Our client, a leading organisation within the rail infrastructure sector, is seeking an experienced Senior Planner to join their team on a contract basis. This role sits outside the scope of IR35 and offers the opportunity to work on high-profile rail projects, contributing to the successful planning and delivery of complex infrastructure programmes.
The Role
As a senior member of the planning function, you will lead project planning and controls on either a major programme or a portfolio of smaller projects. You will play a key role within the project delivery team, supporting senior project and programme managers to ensure robust planning, monitoring, and control of project delivery.
You will also contribute to wider business planning requirements, ensuring appropriate resourcing across project plans. Leveraging your experience, you will drive continuous improvement in planning standards, processes, and tools, while mentoring and supporting junior planners within the team.
Key Responsibilities
Provide planning and controls leadership across assigned projects
Act as the technical planning expert, ensuring consistent application of planning standards, procedures, templates, and best practices
Develop, maintain, and manage integrated project schedules in line with established project management and planning processes
Collaborate closely with project, commercial, and finance teams to ensure schedules are fully resource- and cost-loaded
Interface with site and possession planners to ensure alignment between delivery activities and the overall programme
Support bid and tender planning activities, ensuring a smooth transition from tender programmes into delivery schedules
Build and maintain strong relationships with client representatives, working collaboratively to deliver effective planning solutions
Conduct critical path analysis and provide recommendations on risks, delays, and mitigation strategies
Produce regular project reports, including KPIs, earned value analysis, schedule performance, and delay analysis
Undertake scenario planning and impact assessments for changes, including risk, cost, resource, and time implications
Promote continuous improvement in planning and project controls practices across the organisation
Mentor and support the development of junior planning team members
Requirements
Essential:
Degree, HND, HNC, or equivalent relevant experience
Proven experience planning major infrastructure projects, ideally within the rail sector
Experience engaging with senior stakeholders, both internally and client-side
Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6, with working knowledge of other planning tools such as MS Project
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organisational skills
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a proactive and assertive approach
Desirable:
Technical, engineering, or business background, with knowledge of railway systems (e.g. signalling)
Familiarity with project management methodologies such as PRINCE2
Experience leading or mentoring planning teams on major infrastructure projects