Associate Planning Lead

Position Title: Project Planning & Controls Lead – Data Center Delivery (PMC)

Business Line: Project & Development Services / Project Management Consultancy

Location: Project-based

Reporting To: Project Manager /Director / Program Lead

• Position Summary
  
  

The Project Planning & Controls Lead is responsible for providing planning leadership, schedule governance, and delivery assurance for data center construction and infrastructure projects delivered under a Project Management Consultancy (PMC) model.

Acting as the client's planning and controls representative, the role ensures that integrated master schedules, progress reporting, and forecasting frameworks are robust, accurate, and aligned with delivery objectives. The position works closely with Project Managers, Project Directors, contractors, consultants, and client stakeholders to provide clear, data-driven insights that support timely decision-making and delivery certainty across one or multiple mission-critical data center projects.

• Key Responsibilities
  
  

Planning & Controls Leadership

• Lead planning and controls activities across the full project lifecycle, including design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover.
• Develop, maintain, and govern integrated master schedules and detailed project programs in alignment with PMC and client standards.
• Establish planning principles, schedule structures, coding, and reporting frameworks across the project portfolio.
• Act as the central authority for schedule integrity, logic, and baseline management.
  
  

Schedule Development & Governance

• Review, validate, and integrate contractor and consultant schedules into a coordinated master program.
• Ensure alignment of design, procurement, construction, and commissioning activities across all workstreams.
• Define and manage key milestones, critical paths, and interface dependencies.
• Support phasing strategies, fast-track delivery, and concurrent construction models common to data center projects.
  
  

Progress Monitoring, Analysis & Reporting

• Implement consistent progress measurement methodologies across all disciplines and contractors.
• Track progress against baselines, identify variances, and provide forward-looking forecasts.
• Prepare high-quality schedule reports, dashboards, and executive summaries for client and project leadership.
• Highlight risks to milestones and critical paths, with clear mitigation and recovery options.
  
  

Risk, Change & Recovery Planning

• Support identification of schedule-related risks and development of mitigation strategies.
• Perform schedule impact assessments for changes, delays, and scope adjustments.
• Support recovery planning, acceleration strategies, and what-if scenario analysis.
• Contribute to risk registers and delivery assurance reviews from a planning perspective.
  
  

Delay Analysis, Claims Review & Forensic Support

• Perform schedule delay analysis using appropriate methodologies (e.g., impacted as-planned, time impact analysis, as-built vs. as-planned).
• Review contractor delay notifications, extension of time (EOT) submissions, and time-related claims from a planning and technical perspective.
• Independently assess the validity of delay causes, critical path impacts, and entitlement implications (schedule-focused, non-commercial).
• Support the client and Project Director with objective, data-driven advice related to delay responsibility and mitigation options.
• Maintain robust schedule records and contemporaneous updates to support defensible delay assessments.
  
  

Contractor & Consultant Coordination

• Coordinate closely with contractors, subcontractors, vendors, and multidisciplinary consultants.
• Challenge and validate contractor progress updates, logic, sequencing, and forecasts.
• Facilitate planning workshops, look-ahead sessions, and interface coordination meetings.
• Promote consistent planning standards and a collaborative, transparent approach to schedule management.
• Technical Expertise (Data Center Focus)
• Experience working in mission-critical and data center delivery environments.
• Strong understanding of data center construction sequencing and phased handover strategies.
• Knowledge of commissioning, integrated systems testing (IST), and readiness-for-operations sequencing.
• Familiarity with redundancy-driven sequencing, concurrent builds, and live environment constraints.
• Ability to interpret technical inputs from electrical, mechanical, ICT, and specialist systems into integrated schedules.
• Tools & Methodologies
• Advanced proficiency in planning and controls tools such as Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project.
• Experience with reporting and visualization tools (e.g., Power BI or equivalent).
• Working knowledge of PMI, PRINCE2, or equivalent project controls methodologies.
• Understanding of schedule risk analysis, critical path management, and planning best practices.
• Strong data management and reporting governance capability.
• Qualifications & Experience
  
  

Education

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related discipline.
  
  

Experience

• 15-20 years of experience in project planning, scheduling, or project controls.
• Direct experience supporting data center or mission-critical infrastructure projects.
• Proven experience managing integrated schedules across complex, multi-contractor environments.
  
  

Professional Certifications (Preferred, Not Mandatory)

• PMP, PMI-SP, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management or planning certification.
• Primavera P6 professional certification is an advantage.
• Core Competencies
• Strong coordination and contractor interface management skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Clear, concise communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to translate complex schedule data into actionable insights.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, high-risk, mission-critical delivery environments.
• Detail-oriented, proactive, and delivery-focused mindset.