Planning Manager

Role Overview

Planning Manager at Al Tayer Group, Dubai, UAE. The role manages and improves turnkey project work programs according to project guidelines, monitors progress against plan to ensure on-time completion, and ensures extension of time claims are processed timely and accurately to enable proper entitlement and award of time and cost.

Role Purpose

To oversee all planning activities across fit-out and building projects, manage project schedules and progress tracking, conduct delay analysis and claims management, coordinate resources and labor allocation, and lead the planning team to deliver projects on time and within budget.

Key Responsibilities

Project Planning & Management

• Handle overall project planning and planning-related contract management activities for the Operations Department and critical projects from start to completion.
• Plan and schedule all relevant project scope using systems as per contract requirements after study of project scope.
• Coordinate between clients, suppliers, and internal departments to accomplish works as per schedule.
• Compile project methodology as part of technical submittal after careful study of BOQ/Drawings/Specifications in consultation with Operations Manager/Senior Projects Manager.
• Assess available planning resources and allocate projects to planning team as per project requirements and capacity.
• Set out overall production targets and share relevant milestones with production planner to achieve project progress and delivery milestones as planned.
• Update company forward workload projection with senior management.
• Assist the estimation department with all required planning inputs for future project bids and duration calculation.

Scheduling & Progress Tracking

• Set weekly and monthly activity targets for project teams as per project requirements and track them on a weekly basis via individual project trackers.
• Standardize labor forecast process for projects for productivity durations on all programs.
• Brief and train Site Engineers to set up trackers and update them weekly and to use this tool effectively to manage project progress in detail.
• Conduct monthly planning sessions to make the site and/or Operations team aware of critical project tasks and look ahead schedules.
• Compile and input progress-related reports and project dashboards along with the Project Manager's input on a weekly basis.
• Recommend corrective actions to mitigate project delays, if any, ensuring the accuracy of reports and ensuring weekly flash reports are sent to senior management.
• Maintain a projects dashboard to visualize overall project movement, staff allocation, and target schedule to be used as a tool for Operations decision-making.

Delay Analysis & Claims Management

• Conduct delay analysis on running projects and recommend strategies to mitigate delays as required by the project team.
• Support extension of time claims in line with contractual methodology and periodic window analysis.
• Prepare detailed extension of time claims using Window, Impact as Planned, and Updated Impact methodologies as per client requirement.
• Supervise the project claims process and offer guidance in terms of planning inputs and contractual correspondence with respect to delays and program constraints in conjunction with the Project Manager and Commercial Department.

Resource & Labor Management

• Make Manpower Histogram for project activities based on contractual requirements.
• Compile internal labor forecast and track labor (actual vs. budget) usage on a weekly basis.
• Raise early warning on non-achievement of targets and recommend actions to mitigate losses to PM and Operations Manager.
• Debrief senior management on a weekly basis on labor control for running projects.
• Compile labor cost to complete section for QS CVRs in consultation with project managers for senior management review.
• Set targets for Sub-contractors employed by Al Tayer Stocks in terms of project schedule and performance.
• Set progress targets to project teams as per directives from commercial department for monthly cash flow targets per project.

Coordination & Communication

• Disseminate relevant project milestones and target information to all department operatives (design/procurement/QS) to ensure individual department activities related to projects are on track.
• Guide site team to set up completion schedules on projects to ensure timely completion of all relevant activities area-wise on projects.

People Management

• Guide and motivate planning team to enhance performance and produce quality work, and ensure that they are continuously developed for higher level roles.
• Set goals and development plans for the planning team, which is regularly updated during appraisal cycles.
• Guide and coordinate with senior management team to align schedules and updates with project-specific delivery targets and relevant extension of time/site issues.

Qualifications & Experience

• Diploma or Degree in Civil Engineering.
• 7 to 10 years' experience in fit-out and building projects.
• Minimum 3 to 5 years in a manager capacity.
• Complete knowledge of project planning and demonstrated experience handling all planning processes.
• Demonstrated experience managing high commercial value projects independently or in a team environment.

Skills & Competencies

• Good working knowledge of Primavera and MS Project is essential.
• Proficiency in delay analysis methodologies: Window, Impact as Planned, and Updated Impact.
• Knowledge of contractual claim management and extension of time processes.
• Ability to brief and train site engineers on project tracking systems.
• Strong communication and coordination skills across multiple departments and stakeholders.

Additional Information

• Continued education as required.