Lead Planner

Introduction

Brunel is currently looking for a Lead Planner to support a leading mining client in Vancouver, Canada. This is a critical position necessary to ensure the successful and timely execution of complex capital projects by supporting effective project controls and schedule management.

Responsible for project planning and scheduling, monitoring, progress measurement, risk management and reporting. Manages planning team members reporting to the Project Controls Manager. Manage and oversees scheduling of project program for moderate to high risk capital engineering and construction projects. Provide guidance and consultation for project team members. Familiar with a variety of field concepts, practices, and procedures. Capable of multi-tasking with experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.

Responsibilities

• Guide and direct resolution of project difficulties and complex project control issues with strong analytical skills required to review all project controls information to ensure accuracy as well as identify issues, concerns and potential mitigations.
• Interact with the project management team and corporate team in the development of the project schedule and participate in regular project meetings. Gather information, conduct analysis and prepare reports and presentations of information to communicate potential issues and concerns, as needed on the project. Integrate multiple schedules into a master project schedule.
• Identify, determine and communicate design changes, scope changes, schedule slippages and potential impacts. Maintain a schedule delay log to track schedule variation, conduct analysis to determine alternative courses of action or recovery on slippages identified in schedule.
• Ensure trends of cost and schedule are identified, well documented and ensure the change management process is followed and communicate and suggest corrective actions.
• Coordinate with cross functional team in project setting, ensure project controls team members are interfacing with engineering, procurement, contracts and construction on concepts and relationships to the scope of work.
• Manage project baseline process for schedule and participate in progress measurement as well as forecasting of final schedule throughout the project. Ensure all planning is conducted in accordance with company standards and procedures by following schedule version control processes, policies, and procedures.
• Analyze critical path and constraints to determine effect of changes to schedule and recommend mitigations and potential workarounds.
• Participate in risk management; this includes identification, documentation, mitigation and tracking of potential risks on the project. In addition, determine potential schedule/progress impacts of potential risks as they are identified.
• Support review of EPC/M, Contractor claims, extension of time submissions and carry out forensic schedule analysis during disputes. Drive timely Management of Change for changes that may affect project schedule targets. Act as gatekeeper for project planning in the schedule assurance process to ensure deliverability of project schedule milestones in accordance with corporate obligations to meet project handover targets.
• Mentor and lead other project planner/scheduling members, ensure project planning team is staffed appropriately, conduct regular staff performance reviews and manage any staffing issues that may arise.

Job Scope:

• Nature of work: Work on complex issues with responsibility to implement solution. Lead and direct the work of others.
• Level of interaction: Lead interaction with external peers in various departments to ensure cross coordination between groups.
• Autonomy/decision making: Work under very limited supervision with latitude to set objectives, priorities and timelines impacting the project controls team.
• Budgetary responsibility: limited to none. Assist project controls team in development of cash flow by integrating the output from resource loaded schedule and cost forecast.
• Managerial responsibility: Lead planning work group and at times provide support in management of the project controls team.

Skills, Problem Solving & Complexity:

• Fluency in English; skill in effective communication, both verbal and written, including the ability to actively listen and to adapt behavior and communication style based upon the audience
• Broad knowledge of the principles and practices of heavy industrial construction
• Strong analytical skills with ability to research and analyze information of considerable difficulty and draw valid conclusions
• Skill in following safety practices, and recognizing, controlling and/or eliminating hazards
• Ability to build trust and credibility with employees/peers and establish common goals and expectations.
• Systematic approach to problem solving that ensures accuracy, timeliness and quality of documentation in resolution.

Requirements

• Skilled in the latest scheduling software (Primavera P6, MS Project, etc.)
• Minimum ten (10) years' project controls planning and scheduling experience in Construction Management of Metal Mining, large industrial projects, especially with regards to all disciplines of construction.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Construction Management, Business or related fields and / OR
• High School diploma or GED and fifteen (15) years' experience in engineering, construction, project controls or business-related field with at least six (6) years of experience in a leadership role in project controls planning and scheduling.