Project Planner

Overview of Responsibilities

As an employee of UKAEA you will benefit from:

• Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Corporate bonus scheme up to 7% and a Relocation allowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working options including family friendly policies.
• Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders, 
• Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays
• Wide range of career development opportunities
• A vibrant culture committed to equality and being fully inclusive

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) , including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions.

The Role

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference? Join our team and contribute to the future of fusion energy. As a Project Planner, you will work closely with key stakeholders to ensure that all aspects of a project are defined. You will work closely with a project manager to provide clarity on when, and how, project activities to achieve key milestones will be sequenced. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring that outcomes of a project can be achieved and that the resources required are appropriately factored for. You will have responsibility for ensuring the accurate and timely production of project plans for project boards and key meetings with external stakeholders. Project planners at this level will lead medium complexity projects within a broader programme, and may be tasked with managing a small team of Project Planners. 

Additional Responsibilities:

• Provide guidance and advice to the project manager on the appropriate planning approach, tools and processes to be used, based on the project requirements.
• Identify future project capacity and capability needs, and put in place strategies to meet these.
• Analyse performance data, providing key inputs to relevant meetings, such as project boards, quarterly review meetings etc.. Look at trends to identify areas for improvement or collaboration and use appropriate tools and/or approaches to address these.
• Contribute to, and facilitate improvements in, planning and project management approaches in UKAEA by collaborating and networking with  other departmental and section managers, other P3M professionals across UKAEA, including through established communities of practice.

You may be working on projects related to Tritium research, Nuclear materials or Radiological materials, but will not have an active role in this area.

Qualifications

Essential Requirements:

• Planning Experience: Seeking candidates with a proven track record of leading project planning for increasingly larger and more complex initiatives, demonstrating expertise in navigating and managing large-scale projects efficiently.
• Expert Project Management Skills: Looking for individuals with in-depth experience in implementing and executing project planning processes, skilled in crafting detailed project plans, work breakdown structures, and identifying critical paths to ensure project success.
• Strong Interpersonal Abilities: Ideal candidates are approachable, with outstanding interpersonal skills, capable of engaging effectively with diverse team members across various project stages.
• Technical Proficiency: Requires experience in the use of Primavera or Microsoft Project, with a strong foundation in project planning or project controls processes. An ability to quickly absorb and understand technical information is an advantage.
• Educational Background: Candidates should be qualified in project management, economics, business studies or a related field, or, possess equivalent professional experience, underlying a commitment to excellence in project management. Qualification in project management controls, such as APM-PMQ, APMG, PRINCE 2 or equivalent experience is an advantage.