Senior Project Planner - Planning SME

About the role

Hitachi Energy is seeking an experienced Senior Project Planner to act as the Planning Subject Matter Expert (SME) for its regional project execution organization. The role goes beyond traditional scheduling: it drives planning excellence across engineering and infrastructure projects, influences planners and project teams across the region, and ensures consistent planning standards, governance and best practices. It works closely with Project Managers, Operations Leaders, Engineers, Procurement and Commercial teams.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the development, maintenance and governance of integrated project schedules using Primavera P6 and other planning tools.
• Establish and maintain schedule baselines, monitor progress, forecast and identify risks and delays.
• Conduct critical path analysis and recommend improvements to project performance.
• Act as the regional Planning SME, driving planning standards and methodologies across the organization.
• Influence and support planners across business units, engaging stakeholders to validate project information.
• Facilitate schedule reviews, planning workshops and governance meetings.
• Collaborate with Project Managers, Engineering, Supply Chain, Procurement and Construction teams to build realistic project plans.
• Support project controls: schedule performance measurement, forecasting, earned value analysis and reporting.
• Analyse contractor and third-party schedules, and develop commissioning, startup and execution schedules for complex projects.
• Mentor planners and project teams on planning principles and project controls.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management or a related discipline.
• Minimum 8-10 years of project planning and scheduling experience in engineering, energy, utilities, industrial, infrastructure, EPC or large-scale project environments.
• Experience managing complex schedules across multiple stakeholders and phases.
• Ability to influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience establishing planning standards and project controls processes is highly desirable.

Required skills

• Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project.
• Project controls, critical path methodology, schedule risk analysis, forecasting and earned value management.
• PMP, PMI-SP, AACE or equivalent certification is advantageous.