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At AECOM, we are currently recruiting for a Planning Manager-Rail projects to join our Dublin office.
The Planning Manager plays a critical role in leading the development, coordination, and management of complex project schedules, ensuring full alignment with project milestones, regulatory requirements, and industry standards. The role holder continuously monitors schedule performance, identifies emerging risks, and implements strategic interventions to safeguard project timelines and quality outcomes.
Working closely with project executives, cross‑functional teams, and key stakeholders, the Planning Manager drives effective planning practices that support the successful execution and delivery of projects. The role also provides mentorship and guidance to junior team members, supporting them in developing robust project schedules, conducting detailed data analysis, and producing high‑quality reports that inform decision‑making across the organisation.
Key accountabilities
- Lead the development and ongoing maintenance of fully integrated project schedules, establishing baselines that align with strategic objectives and programme timelines.
- Monitor progress against key milestones and deliverables, promptly escalating issues or variances to senior leadership and relevant stakeholders.
- Foster effective collaboration with cross‑functional teams to ensure alignment and seamless integration of all scheduling activities throughout the project lifecycle.
- Oversee updates to project management tools, schedules, and data systems, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and timely dissemination of reporting insights.
- Maintain clear, proactive communication with project stakeholders—including senior engineers, contractors, and regulatory bodies—to support alignment and informed decision‑making.
- Identify and assess potential risks early, developing and implementing mitigation strategies to safeguard schedule performance and project outcomes.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations, industry standards, and internal policies related to project planning and scheduling.
- Provide expert scheduling guidance and strategic recommendations to support PMO and Assurance functions in achieving operational and project delivery goals.
- Lead the creation of key project documentation, including status reports, meeting minutes, and performance analyses, to support oversight and governance activities.
- Champion continuous improvement by advancing best‑practice scheduling methodologies that enhance project delivery performance.
- Analyse and track critical path activities and float trends, advising leadership on required corrective actions to maintain schedule integrity.
- Establish and monitor project budgets and cost profiles, ensuring accurate forecasting, financial transparency, and alignment with delivery expectations.
- Review and validate work valuations and accruals to ensure correct cost allocation and accurate financial reporting.
- Coordinate information requirements across Delivery Teams, ensuring data is captured, validated, and maintained to support reliable reporting and strategic planning.
- Produce high‑level summary reports detailing key risks, issues, milestones, and recommended actions to support timely intervention.
- Support the Project Manager and wider project team to ensure delivery within agreed schedule, budget, and performance objectives.
Key skills
- Strong project management capabilities with proven experience in planning, executing, and closing complex projects.
- Ability to build, manage, and influence productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including customers, regulators, and internal teams.
- Proficiency with document management systems (DMS), databases, and tools such as Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and specialised document control software.
- Deep understanding of project management principles and methodologies to ensure document control activities fully support project objectives.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills to facilitate clear, consistent, and effective engagement across all parties.
- Expertise in identifying, evaluating, and mitigating project-related risks.
- Strong collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams to drive cohesive project delivery.