Senior Planner
OCU Group is seeking a Senior Planner to take the lead in shaping and delivering the planning function across some of the UK’s most high-impact infrastructure and energy projects.
Senior Planner – UK Wide
Location: UK-wide (travel required)
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Projects: Major infrastructure & energy schemes across the UK
Role Summary
OCU Group is seeking a Senior Planner to take the lead in shaping and delivering the planning function across some of the UK’s most high-impact infrastructure and energy projects.
This role will see you collaborate with project managers, engineers, commercial teams, and client stakeholders to create, maintain, and optimise robust construction programmes that drive project success. If you are looking to step into a role where your expertise directly shapes project outcomes across complex, high-value schemes – this is it.
Key Responsibilities
Develop, manage, and maintain fully resourced construction programmes using Primavera P6.
Track progress against baselines, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies.
Integrate contractor, subcontractor, and supplier schedules into master project programmes.
Produce dashboards, critical path analysis, and earned value reports for leadership and client use.
Lead and support planning reviews, programme meetings, and risk workshops.
Provide strategic planning input into commercial and delivery discussions.
Mentor junior planners and collaborate with planning leads to maintain consistent standards.
Drive continuous improvement in planning practices across OCU projects.
Essential Requirements
Proven track record in construction planning on major infrastructure or energy projects.
Advanced proficiency with Primavera P6 and strong reporting skills.
Clear understanding of full project lifecycle stages (mobilisation through close-out).
Familiarity with NEC or FIDIC contracts.
Confident stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
Desirable Experience
Background in energy sector projects – substations, grid connections, generation, or utilities.
Experience within regulated environments or DNO/Transmission Operator frameworks.
Knowledge of forensic planning and delay analysis techniques.
Soft Skills
Detail-focused with a proactive, solution-driven mindset.
Comfortable working independently and across dispersed teams.
Strong leadership qualities with a passion for mentoring.
Travel & Work Location
UK-based with flexibility to travel to projects/sites as needed.
Hybrid working – Office and Site.
Why Join OCU?
OCU leads the way in end-to-end infrastructure engineering across the utilities, digital, and energy markets – delivering safely, efficiently, and at scale.
We partner with many of the UK’s leading power, energy transition, water, telecoms, and digital clients, delivering critical infrastructure that keeps the country running. With PE-backed growth and a strong pipeline of projects, there’s never been a better time to join OCU.
This isn’t just a job – it’s a chance to play a part in shaping the future of the UK’s infrastructure.
Ready to lead from the front? Apply today and be part of OCU’s journey.
- Division
- OCU Energy
- Employment Status
- PAYE/Staff
Stockport
Our People, our Culture, our Values
As a business, we pride ourselves on operating a ‘People First’ culture, striving to constantly deliver on our 5 core company values.
1. We Care about Safety - It is our goal for everyone working on our behalf to go home healthy and safe at the end of each and every day.
2. We lead with Integrity - Integrity is central to everything we do. Without it, we wouldn’t have the relationships with our clients, nor would we have built an enviable reputation within the industry.
3. We strive to be Better everyday - We take pride in everything we do. This involves a meticulous approach to our work, endeavouring to make each day better than the last.
4. We make a Positive Impact - We want to make the places we work in better; leaving a lasting infrastructure and social legacy. We believe in proactivity to maximise impact.
5. We Deliver to Grow - The successful delivery of frameworks and contracts feeds our ability to grow strategically and strengthen OCU to expand the business and capabilities even further.
About OCU
Established in 1994, OCU Group is one of the fastest growing utility engineering contractors in the UK, with a long successful track record in delivering customer-focused civil engineering solutions.
Working directly with many of the country’s leading blue-chip power, water, telecoms and rail clients, we are looking for the very best talent to join our growing team.
We pride ourselves on empowering our employees and offering opportunities for them to take control of their own personal development and career progression in a supportive environment.
We believe that being successful is a choice.
We choose to be successful.
We are OCU, ‘One Company United’.
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