Lead Planner

About us

The British Energy Security Strategy set out the Government’s ambition to connect up to 50GW of offshore generation to the electricity network by 2030. Delivering this ambition requires significant reinforcement of the onshore electricity transmission network and National Grid Strategic Infrastructure is leading the way.

At National Grid, we connect homes and businesses to power, ensuring supply and demand are balanced every second of every day. From schools and hospitals to sporting arenas, we keep the lights on for millions of people across the UK. Through our investment in Strategic Infrastructure and the Great Grid Upgrade, we are enabling more home-grown energy, strengthening energy security, and supporting a cleaner, more sustainable future.

We are recruiting for a Lead Planner to support the Western Green Link 2 (WL2) project. This is a major offshore electricity transmission joint venture between National Grid and Scottish Power Transmission, spanning England and North Wales. This role offers hybrid working, with regular travel to Warwick and occasional travel across the UK. We’re happy to discuss flexible working arrangements to make this role work for you.

Job Purpose

As a Lead Planner, you will play a critical leadership role in owning, integrating, and assuring the end-to-end project programme across multiple work packages, contractors, and Joint Venture partners.

You will lead planning activities across the full project lifecycle from development and consenting through to construction, commissioning, and close-out, ensuring programmes are robust, aligned, and decision-ready.

Operating within a Joint Venture environment, you will establish consistent planning standards and governance across both Transmission Owners, ensuring alignment in programme structure, assumptions, and reporting.

Acting as the programme authority, you will provide strategic direction, programme assurance, and high-quality insights to support effective decision-making, while ensuring alignment with the Strategic Infrastructure Management System (SiMS) and contractual requirements.

What You'll Do

Integrated Programme Leadership

• Own and maintain the Joint Venture Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) as the single source of truth
• Integrate schedules across all partners, contractors, and workstreams
• Ensure robust, logical programme structures with clear dependencies and interfaces
• Define and maintain a consistent Work Breakdown Structure aligned to cost and reporting frameworks
• Ensure activity durations and assumptions are evidence-based and credible
• Lead critical path, float, and interface analysis

Strategic Analysis & Decision Support

• Provide programme insights and recommendations to senior stakeholders and governance forums
• Lead Earned Value Management (EVM) analysis and performance improvement actions
• Support Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis (QSRA), scenario planning, and optioneering

Contractual & Change Management

• Review and assure contractor programmes, including baselines and updates
• Assess programme impacts from early warnings and compensation events
• Apply forensic planning techniques where required

Governance & Assurance

• Ensure programme readiness for stage gates and assurance reviews
• Produce high-quality reporting outputs, including executive-level summaries

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead, mentor, and develop planning resources across a matrix environment
• Facilitate collaborative planning workshops to align stakeholders and validate programmes
• Drive continuous improvement across planning and PMO functions
• Promote a joined-up approach across planning, cost, risk, and delivery teams

Stakeholder & Interface Management

• Act as the focal point for programme interfaces across all stakeholders
• Build strong relationships across joint venture partners and delivery teams
• Ensure planning data is accessible, accurate, and supports effective decision-making

About You

We are looking for an experienced and confident planning professional with strong leadership capability and experience working within complex infrastructure environments.

You’ll ideally have:

• Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6
• A Strong understanding of contractual mechanisms relating to programme management, ideally within NEC and/or FIDIC frameworks
• Experience delivering planning on major infrastructure project. Civil engineering background is desirable but not essential.
• Proven experience leading planning teams within matrix or joint venture environments
• Strong understanding across all project phases including development, design, and construction
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Ability to influence and lead at all organisational levels
• A collaborative mindset with a focus on continuous improvement
• Full UK driving licence

What You'll Get

A competitive salary of £68,000 – £76,000 per annum, dependent on experience.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on personal and company performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

More Information

This role closes on 30th of July at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.

We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office. 

We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.

Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.

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