About the role
Senior Planner – Major Projects (Rolls‑Royce Programme, Derby) Balfour Beatty is seeking an experienced Senior Planner to join our Major Projects division and play a pivotal role in delivering a highly complex, secure‑environment building scheme for Rolls‑Royce in Derby. Based on site, you’ll help drive the project from RIBA Stage 3 through construction and final handover, shaping the planning strategy for one of the UK’s most significant long‑term defence‑related infrastructure programmes.
This is a rare opportunity to join the construction partner selected for the Rolls‑Royce expansion programme, a multi‑year initiative supporting increased MOD demand following the AUKUS agreement. Over the next eight years, Balfour Beatty will deliver a sequence of major works — from enabling packages to new manufacturing and office facilities, as well as the redevelopment of existing industrial buildings and critical infrastructure — all within a secure, highly regulated environment. As a Senior Planner, you’ll be at the heart of this transformation, helping to orchestrate delivery on a project of national importance.
What you'll be doing
What You’ll Be Doing
- Reporting to the Fissile Planning Lead — providing planning expertise and visibility across your project tranche.
- Developing NEC‑compliant schedules — working collaboratively with the wider Project Team across all lifecycle stages.
- Managing the full schedule for one of the project’s key tranches, ensuring accuracy, logic, and deliverability.
- Integrating the Fissile schedule with the overarching project master schedule to maintain alignment and programme certainty.
- Collaborating with Client, Design, and Supply Chain Partners — building strong working relationships in a secure, multi‑stakeholder environment.
- Embedding risk within the schedule and articulating critical paths and time‑related impacts with clarity.
- Supporting planning and project controls strategy to strengthen governance, reporting, and programme performance.
- Driving digital collaboration initiatives to enhance planning efficiency and data integration.
- Providing leadership and mentoring to planning team members at all stages of their development, from graduates to experienced planners.
Who we're looking for
What We’re Looking For
- Experienced Senior Planner with a proven track record in major project delivery.
- Nuclear sector experience preferred, though not essential for the right candidate.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively across multi‑disciplinary teams.
- Understanding of complex MEP systems and commissioning processes.
- Competence in NEC‑based planning, including schedule development and submission management.
- Ability to critically analyse schedules and contribute to wider project controls.
- Expertise in planning techniques and toolsets, including resource management methodologies.
- Knowledge of critical path analysis, float management, time‑risk principles, and QSRA.
- Full proficiency in Primavera P6 planning software.
- Relevant qualifications such as OND, HND, or Degree in a related discipline.
Why work for us
Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.
Why join us?
As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You’ll have the freedom to shape the package that’s right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:
- Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.
- 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)
- Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave
- Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more…
About us
Balfour Beatty’s Major Projects business is delivering some of the UK’s most complex and iconic infrastructure projects including HS2, the new high-speed railway and the first nuclear power station in a generation, Hinkley Point C. Using the latest technology, we’re driving productivity and creating a lasting legacy by delivering sustainable solutions that strengthen communities.
From consultancy and design, to all aspects of construction and maintenance. We have the proven expertise to deliver large-scale projects safely and successfully.
Diversity and inclusion
At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone is able to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. To find out how we are making this a reality, visit www.balfourbeatty.com/diversityandinclusion
To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. For more info, visit: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/
We are looking to continually improve our resourcing process and ensure that it is fair and inclusive for all. If you have any feedback on the process, please share this with us at: [email protected]
Job Reference: BBUK19761
