Engineering Project Planner

Engineering Project Planner

Location: Thurrock, Essex (site based role)

Seeking candidates from: Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Energy or Utilities.

Some engineering projects are measured by their value. Others are measured by the impact they have on keeping an entire operation running safely and efficiently.

We’re working with a well-established UK manufacturing business operating within a highly regulated process industry to recruit an Engineering Project Planner. This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a sizeable engineering function responsible for delivering a varied portfolio of capital projects across multiple UK manufacturing sites.

No two projects are the same. You could be planning the installation of new pumps or storage tanks one week, before moving onto a major plant upgrade or multi-million-pound capital investment the next. Whilst projects range from around £10,000 through to several million pounds, each one plays a critical role in maintaining the reliability, safety and future development of the business.

This isn’t a role where you’ll simply maintain Gantt charts. You’ll become a key part of the project delivery team, working alongside Project Managers, Engineers, Construction Managers and external contractors to develop robust project plans, manage schedules, identify risks and ensure projects remain on track from concept through to completion.

The Opportunity

You’ll be responsible for planning and scheduling a diverse portfolio of engineering projects, often at different stages of their lifecycle. Some may have a lead time of just a few weeks, whilst others will span many months or even several years.

Working closely with the wider engineering team, you’ll help coordinate resources, identify critical paths, monitor project progress and ensure engineering activities are delivered safely, efficiently and on schedule. You’ll also play an important role in supporting production planning around outages, shutdowns and commissioning activities whilst providing meaningful updates to key stakeholders across the business.

We’re keen to speak with individuals who have:

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• Previous experience planning engineering or capital projects within a process manufacturing environment.
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• Experience gained within industries such as Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Energy or Utilities.
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• Candidates from other highly regulated, safety-critical industries such as Rail or Aviation are also encouraged to apply where project planning experience is transferable.
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• An understanding of the full engineering project lifecycle, from concept and FEED through detailed design, procurement, construction and commissioning.
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• Strong scheduling experience using Microsoft Project (Primavera P6 exposure would be advantageous).
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• A solid appreciation of engineering and construction activities, enabling realistic project schedules to be developed.
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• Ideally an understanding of engineering safety processes such as HAZIDs, HAZOPs or similar project risk methodologies.
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About You

Technical capability is important, but personality will be just as critical in this appointment.

You’ll be someone who enjoys taking ownership, is naturally organised and self-sufficient, and is confident building relationships across multiple disciplines. You’ll be comfortable challenging where necessary, influencing stakeholders and managing competing priorities without losing sight of the wider project objectives.

You’ll thrive in an environment where projects are constantly evolving and where your ability to think ahead, communicate effectively and adapt your planning approach genuinely influences successful project delivery. These qualities closely align with the client’s emphasis on strong communication, logical thinking, organisation and collaborative working.

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to join a business that delivers products considered essential to the industries it serves. The engineering team has responsibility for a broad and varied portfolio of projects, offering genuine technical variety, long-term career stability and the chance to make a visible contribution to major engineering investment programmes.

If you’re looking for a role where you’ll influence projects from cradle to grave, work alongside experienced engineering professionals and play a key part in delivering complex capital projects, I’d be delighted to speak with you in confidence.

Keywords: Engineering Project Planner, Project Planner, Project Planning, Planning Manager, Engineering Project Manager, Project Manager, Planning Engineer, Project Scheduler