Lead Planner

About the role

Join us and be part of one of the most significant strategic energy infrastructure developments in the UK.

Strategic Infrastructure is developing and constructing a series of HVDC projects along the east coast of Great Britain. These projects play a vital part in achieving the UK Government’s ambition of connecting 50GW of offshore wind by 2030.

That's why we’re looking for two Lead Planners for Sea Link and EGL1 & 4 projects. This is a key role within the planning team, the primary purpose is to provide overall support to the PMO Manager and lead a team of planners with the primary focus to ensure that we have a set of robust end to end programmes, this will involve leading on the integration of contractor schedules.

You'll ensure that the product is a robust project programme that will guide the Project / Delivery team to achieve successful outcomes, this will include utilising the appropriate tools and techniques e.g. Critical Path Analysis; Earned Value Management; Float Analysis and leading indicators for risk mitigation. 

In this role you can enjoy our hybrid working from office and home. You'll be flexible to regular travel throughout England and Scotland, depending on the project. 

Find out more about our projects to improve the transfer of clean energy across the country:

Sea Link is a proposed electricity transmission network reinforcement between Kent and Suffolk, via a new, primarily offshore two-gigawatt high voltage direct current (HVDC) link.

EGL1 is a 196km long two-gigawatt high voltage direct current (HVDC) link to be built between Torness in East Lothian, Scotland and Hawthorn Pit in County Durham.  

EGL 4 is a 425 km offshore high voltage direct current (HVDC) link between Scotland and England, with converter stations and associated onshore infrastructure. EGL 4 would run from Westfield, Fife, to Walpole, Norfolk.

Key accountabilities

• Implement efficient programme planning processes (in line with company Planning & Scheduling standards), including critical path and total float analysis, EVM techniques, and indicators for risk mitigation to ensure the successful delivery to time, and within allowances.
• Own all aspects of the planning process including, for example, the integrated programme(s), the critical paths, the National Grid Project Programmes and the analysis and acceptance of the Contractor programmes to ensure all are accurate, realistic and practicable.
• Understanding of and ability to lead all aspects of contractual management for programme related events, for example the programme acceptance process and the analysis of programme related compensation events. Provide recommendations to the project team on the best action to take.
• Create, update and maintain integrated programmes during the development, delivery and closure phases to capture and manage interfaces between different interdependent contractor and third-party programmes of work and highlighting of risks and impacts so that mitigations can be discussed in advance of final update.
• Provide the Project Manager and PMO with detailed planning information, highlighting key programme issues and offering recommendations during month-end analysis to support decision-making and corrective actions. Assist the PMO Manager with month-end reporting.
• Continually check schedule maturity in line with Strategic Infrastructure minimum standards and prepare schedules required for major Gate decisions and pre-Gate assurance checks in collaboration with governance/assurance team. Follow-up and close any actions identified on schedule assurance checks.
• Co-ordinating the Planning resources allocated to their specific work packages and recommending optimum planning resource levels to the PMO Manager to ensure planning support is available for delivery on time and to the quality required.
• Accountable for developing the project planning skills of the wider project team, the project controls resources assigned to the programme as well as themselves.
• Ensure planning input in other project support functions as required, for example working closely with the risk and change functions to provide accurate programme inputs. Lead planning input in interdisciplinary processes, for example Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis (QSRA).
• Develop and build external relationships with counterparts in other utilities and the construction industry, to enable greater insight, learning and development.

About you

What we do isn’t just important – it’s essential. That’s why we look to recruit experts in their field. In this case, we’re looking for someone who has: 

• Experience of managing a wide group of stakeholders and effective communication skills with all levels of management.
• Experience of delivering for customers in a major project, high pressure environment.
• Experience of leading and developing people in a matrix organisation. Skilled, demonstrable capability to assess change and its impact on programme. Use of Forensic Analysis techniques to assess change. Skilled in float management and reporting.
• The ability to produce programmes from first principles utilising Project Execution Plans; drawings; standard norms etc.
• Carried out client programme development for initial project phases.
• Previous experience of producing Client end to end programmes.
• Led Progress Update meetings internally and external including contractor meetings.
• Experience of managing key project interfaces.
• Evaluated baseline and monthly programme submissions for contractual.
• Expert knowledge of Earned Value Management and interrogation of EV metrics making informed recommendations.
• A solid understanding of the QSRA process.
• An advanced knowledge of project and programme management, project controls and how these are applied in National Grid.
• Proficient in the use of P6 planning tool.
• Demonstrable planning experience in construction or an engineering-based project environment through the tender, design and implementation phases.
• Ideally numerate qualifications and a membership of a professional organisation such as APM.
• Contract management experience ideally of NEC and FIDIC.

What you'll get

• A competitive salary between £61,000 - £75,000 – dependent on capability.
• Established market supplement of £3,000 per annum (paid monthly).
• Job requirement car.
• An annual performance bonus.
• 26 days annual leave (plus bank holidays).
• The option to buy additional or sell holiday days.
• Generous contributory pension scheme - we will double-match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.
• Financial support to help cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions, course fees, books, exam fees and time off for study leave - so long as it's relevant to your role.
• Access to flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.
• Family care benefits including a back-up care service for when your usual care arrangements fall through (six paid days each year as standard with the option to purchase further days).
• Access to apps that support health, fitness and wellbeing.

About us

National Grid Strategic Infrastructure is a Business Unit created to propel our grid forward to deliver in 5 years, what has been achieved in the previous 30. By 2030 we aim to have 17 new major infrastructure projects live across England, Scotland and Wales. 

Here at National Grid, we connect homes and businesses to power, making sure supply and demand match each other. We make sure the lights are on in schools, operating theatres, and sporting arenas; we’re thousands of people working on behalf of millions of people. 

Our investment in Strategic Infrastructure via The Great Grid Upgrade will mean more home-grown power, greater energy security and a cleaner future. 

Whatever your role, wherever you work with us, you’ll help us hit stretching targets and achieve our far-reaching goal: to secure, clean energy that supports our world far into the future. Here, you will be at the heart of energy.

More information

This role closes on 31 August 2025 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary. Interviews to be held mid-September.

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