Planning Manager – External Advert
Applying for this role means you have read and understood this advert and any associated documents and links.
This recruitment campaign is to recruit a number of permanent opportunities as well as to a waitlist.
Grade: Band 3
Salary: c. £60,000 - flexibility on salary and dependent on experience (Plus competitive benefits and open to negotiation).
Contract Type: TfL - Permanent
Location: TfL Offices London including hybrid working
Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 29th July 2026 @ 23:59hrs.
Due to the expected high response to these vacancies, we reserve the right to close this campaign once we have a suitable pool of applicants, which could be prior to the published application closing date.
An exciting opportunity has arisen to recruit Planning Managers within Transport for London.
TfL is responsible for some of the highest profile, most complex and diverse infrastructure work in the UK. Our projects keep a world city moving for 8.6 million people and we do this through our teams of talented people.
TfL delivers critical portfolios of projects to make journeys better for our customers. Our projects vary from enhancing our stations, trains, tracks, and roads to multi £billion programmes to invest in our infrastructure and the technology that supports it.
Our core values of delivering safely, sustainably, reliably, and affordably are at the heart of every project. People are the key to our success and by making sure we share knowledge, skills, and expertise across our programmes we enhance both your career and how we deliver for London.
We are now looking for talented Planning Managers to join us to work on a wide variety of exciting and high-profile projects and programmes. You will assist with the day-to-day management of external contractors/suppliers and support the implementation of projects. This includes management of TfL obligations, contractors, Private Finance Initiative (PFI) suppliers, or other third-party partners, to ensure delivery of projects on behalf of TfL, meeting the needs of our customers.
TfL is an inclusive and flexible organisation, committed to developing you. We are looking for both experienced Planning Managers and people with potential and the ability to demonstrate a passion for planning management.
Applications welcomed from experienced planners in rail and other sectors.
The Planning Manager is responsible for supporting the Project Management Office (PMO) Planning function by providing direction, leadership, guidance, and management of the embedded planning resources. The Planner should assist Project or Programme Manager(s) with producing and reporting budget loaded work programmes/schedules, for the purpose of co-ordinating works with Contractors and other third parties. To create and update programme data in compliance with PMO centralised requirements. To provide analysis and assist in the interpretation of all reports produced within TfL. .
Act as coordination lead for the production of outward facing topical summary reports discussing programme/project progress, critical issues, impact, and mitigation.
Contribute to equality of opportunity, social inclusion, fair employment, and environmental sustainability, creating open, inclusive, and engaging environment within capital projects and across stakeholders, customers, and supply chain.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Good communication skills to enable successful management of schedules with an environment that has multiple stakeholders.
Good influencing skills to manage and motivate teams.
Ability to embed Planning Management methodology and process in support of delivery of high risk, value, and complex projects/programmes.
Required technical skills include:
Domain knowledge of the planning, design and construction activities undertaken across a number of TfL project areas; namely track, signalling, stations, civils, or surface projects.
Experience of creating, adapting, and monitoring planning in major projects and/or construction or asset renewal projects managing to time, quality, and budget.
Application Process
The process consists of 3 stages including in person Assessment Centre. You will need to pass each stage to progress to the next.
We strongly advise that you read about the Planning Manager Application process before submitting your application.
Video link: A Day in the Life
Disclaimer: This video reflects our Band 2 Planning Assistant's personal views and experiences and is not intended to be a full representation of the role and its responsibilities.
The campaign is running to a very specific delivery timescale as determined by the business and there will only be enough slots for the number of candidates invited. Dates for the Assessment Centre will be opened on an ongoing basis, therefore if there are no slots available please check again the following day. You are encouraged to schedule into an assessment event as early as possible. If you do not book an assessment, you will be withdrawn from the campaign.
Outcomes for the assessment will be provided 10-14 days after the last assessment event.
Attending an Assessment Event:
Should you be successfully shortlisted for an assessment, you will be invited to book a date and time for your interview. You will receive confirmation of your booking together with any relevant information required for your assessment at the time of booking.
- You have an active email address where correspondence, invitations to assessment events and practice material can be sent
- All your contact details including phone numbers, address and email are updated and current on your application
This outlines our commitment to you as a candidate by providing insight into our recruitment process. It also outlines our expectations with regards to your engagement with us, to ensure that you receive the best recruitment experience possible, as we believe you should know the standards of service you can expect from us. You must read this document prior to submitting your application in order to understand every aspect of the process.
Reasonable Adjustment Process:
If you require reasonable adjustments, you must notify the recruitment at least 48 hours (excluding weekends) prior to your scheduled assessment event to allow us to accommodate your requirements. You will then be sent a confirmation email which you will need to bring to your assessment. If you fail to bring this on the day your adjustments will not be granted, and you will be unable to re-book. We will consider that you are the expert regarding your own requirements, and we will consider all requests fairly within the context of the role.
Confidentiality of the recruitment process.
Please be aware that sharing any details of your assessment process, or internal information with others may result in your offer being withdrawn immediately.
This includes posting or discussing details in online forums, social media groups, or messaging platforms.
Maintaining confidentiality is essential to ensure fairness and compliance throughout the recruitment process.
If you have any questions or need clarification, please contact us directly rather than seeking advice in external groups.
Failure to comply with this requirement will lead to withdrawal without notice.
If you need to cancel or re-book your attendance at an assessment centre, you must call or email and give a minimum of two working days’ notice – cancelling via online will not be accepted.
Please note: Your assessment may be rescheduled once only and reschedules will only be granted if there are assessment slots available, so please make sure you check you can make an appointment before booking. Subsequent cancellation may lead to your application being withdrawn. If you do not follow the process outlined in the Candidate Charter, you risk being withdrawn from the campaign.
Candidates must successfully pass our pre-employment checks such as a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check and employment referencing. Failure to pass any of these will result in the offer of employment being withdrawn at any stage.
In order to be appointed to a post, candidates must successfully pass a basic criminal records check, and employment referencing.
At Transport for London, safety, trust and fairness sit at the heart of how we recruit. Our Vetting Charter (https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/careers/our-vetting-process) explains the checks we carry out before you join us, helping ensure we create a safe, inclusive and reliable network for everyone who depends on our services. We simply ask that the information you provide is honest and accurate so we can progress your application smoothly. If something doesn’t match or can’t be verified, we may not be able to move forward with your application, but we’ll always treat you with transparency, respect, and clear communication throughout.
If at any time you need to speak to anyone within the Recruitment Team, then please contact us on 0203 005 1680 (local rate charges from all phones including mobiles) or email [email protected]
We also offer a Teams call with one of our Senior Planning Managers should you wish to informally discuss the role. Please contact the Recruitment Team to set up a call.
All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory right-to-work checks. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK. At the present time TfL is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion
We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria. We also use anonymising software that removes identifying information from CVs and cover letters to make the process fair.
In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include:
