Lead Planner - Airports
Added 2 Sept · still live
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£51,900
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role likely qualifies for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 2127 (80% match) is an eligible occupation, with a going rate of £51,900, and Vanderlande is a licensed sponsor. That is our reading of the rules. Whether they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship is still their call.
This could also be SOC 2440 (Business and financial project management professionals, Project management focus across project lifecycle could fit this group). We read the code off the advert, so it is our best guess, not the employer's.
About the role
Job Title
Lead Planner - Airports
Job Description
Reports to Head of Planning
Location London - Heathrow Airport (All Terminals)
Contract Type Permanent
Introduction to role
As a Lead Planner, reporting to the UK & Ireland Head of Planning, you will lead planning activities across complex airport and automated material handling projects throughout the full project lifecycle. You will be responsible for developing, maintaining and assuring integrated project programmes, providing clear visibility of project performance, key milestones, risks, opportunities and delivery strategy. Working closely with Project Managers, Engineers, Customers, Suppliers and Subcontractors, you will act as the planning lead on your projects, driving programme performance and supporting successful project delivery.
Role Responsibilities
As a senior member of the Planning function, you will support the UK & Ireland Head of Planning in the management and development of the planning function across the business. This includes supporting planning governance, resource management, capability development, recruitment, continuous improvement initiatives and deputising for the Head of Planning when required. This role supports projects across the UK and Ireland and will require collaboration with project teams, customers and stakeholders across multiple locations. Travel may therefore be required as part of the role.
Role Responsibilities
You will be involved throughout the full project lifecycle, including bid support, design, engineering, procurement, manufacturing, installation, testing, commissioning and handover.
Your responsibilities will include
Lead Planner - Airports
Job Description
Reports to Head of Planning
Location London - Heathrow Airport (All Terminals)
Contract Type Permanent
Introduction to role
As a Lead Planner, reporting to the UK & Ireland Head of Planning, you will lead planning activities across complex airport and automated material handling projects throughout the full project lifecycle. You will be responsible for developing, maintaining and assuring integrated project programmes, providing clear visibility of project performance, key milestones, risks, opportunities and delivery strategy. Working closely with Project Managers, Engineers, Customers, Suppliers and Subcontractors, you will act as the planning lead on your projects, driving programme performance and supporting successful project delivery.
Role Responsibilities
As a senior member of the Planning function, you will support the UK & Ireland Head of Planning in the management and development of the planning function across the business. This includes supporting planning governance, resource management, capability development, recruitment, continuous improvement initiatives and deputising for the Head of Planning when required. This role supports projects across the UK and Ireland and will require collaboration with project teams, customers and stakeholders across multiple locations. Travel may therefore be required as part of the role.
Role Responsibilities
You will be involved throughout the full project lifecycle, including bid support, design, engineering, procurement, manufacturing, installation, testing, commissioning and handover.
Your responsibilities will include
- Developing and maintaining integrated project programmes from project initiation through to completion, including building schedules from first principles and establishing robust and achievable delivery strategies.
- Minimum 7 years' planning experience within a project delivery environment.
- Minimum 3 years operating as a Senior Planner, Lead Planner, Planning Lead, Planning Manager or equivalent within a complex project environment.
- Significant experience working for a Tier 1 contractor, major consultant, systems integrator or project delivery organisation.
- Experience delivering complex infrastructure, aviation, logistics, automated systems, rail or major construction projects.
- Expert Primavera P6 knowledge and strong understanding of programme management principles and NEC contracts.
- Demonstrable experience developing integrated project programmes from first principles and managing programmes through the full project lifecycle.
- Strong programme assurance and schedule management capability, including critical path analysis, programme risk, delay mitigation and recovery planning.
- Proven ability to review, challenge and assure contractor, supplier and subcontractor programmes.
- Experience leading planning activities across multiple concurrent projects, complex multidisciplinary interfaces and competing stakeholder priorities.
- Strong stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels of an organisation.
- Proven planning leadership experience, including team leadership, workload management, coaching, mentoring and professional development.
- Demonstrable experience supporting planning governance, standards, reporting and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Experience supporting senior planning leadership, with the ability to deputise for the UK & Ireland Head of Planning during periods of absence.
Desirable
Vanderlande is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regards to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age marital status or disability status. If you feel there is a barrier that potentially prevents you from applying, we are always happy to discuss or explore, any reasonable adjustments can be made to support your application.
- Aviation, airport, baggage handling or intralogistics project experience.
- Experience working within live operational environments.
- Resource-loaded and cost-loaded planning experience.
- Project Controls and performance reporting experience.
- Power BI or other data visualisation tools.
- Experience supporting resource and capacity planning across a multi-project planning function.
- Delivery integration and programme assurance experience within major programmes.
- Experience working within a matrix or multi-project environment.
- Understanding of, or experience in, Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis (QSRA).
- 28 days annual leave (excluding public holidays)
- Bupa Medical Cover
- YuLife – Wellbeing membership with fast access to GP appointments, promotion of health and wellbeing along with daily quests to gain Yucoins that can be swapped for shopping vouchers
- A challenging work environment with lots of opportunities of career progression.
- Cycle to work scheme
- Yellow Nest is a salary exchange scheme that reduces childcare costs for parents and employers
- Pension with Aviva
- Access to Achievers an award-winning recognition platform that inspires to recognise your coworkers Where points are awarded that can be exchanged for a range of goods and discounts.
Vanderlande is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regards to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age marital status or disability status. If you feel there is a barrier that potentially prevents you from applying, we are always happy to discuss or explore, any reasonable adjustments can be made to support your application.
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with Vanderlande, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
SOC 2127 · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · ~62k in sampleP25 £43kP75 £67k
£36kmedian £53kgoing rate £52k£67k
Similar sponsored roles
See all UK visa jobsNo close matches live right now.
Browse more sponsored jobs at VanderlandeAbout sponsorship for this role
Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. Vanderlande holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 2127 going rate of £51,900. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.