Planning Manager

KEO is a creative enterprise, where innovation is a way of life. We are uniquely resourced with end-to-end services to take clients from inspiration – through conceptualization – to realization of planning, design or project delivery in the built and natural environments. For over 60 years we’ve led with vision, contributing to many of the world’s most ambitious projects, iconic places, remarkable experiences and prosperous communities.

As a highly integrated and agile AEP/PMCM firm, KEO is recognized by ENR as one of the Top 225 International Design Firms and one of the Top 20 International PM/CM Firms. We are also ranked by World Architecture as the 51st largest global architecture firm and the #1 Firm in the Middle East Region in their 2024 WA100 Survey.

We invite you to join us. Why?

When you join KEO, you’ll discover more than just a job – you’ll find a supportive environment that fosters your professional development through internal global mobility and career development and does so within a culture that supports company-wide health and well-being through on-demand counselling services and regular workplace clinics. You will be invited to celebrate community events such as sports days, fun-runs, in-house sports teams and beach clean ups. In addition to your competitive package and benefits you will have access to a suite of policies that include hybrid working arrangements, individual athletic sponsorship, study assistance sponsorship, employee referral rewards.

Our newest opportunity is for a talented Planning Manager to join our award-winning team based in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The successful candidate will lead all planning, scheduling, progress monitoring, delay analysis, and reporting activities throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring alignment with project objectives, timelines, and stakeholder expectations.

We envisage responsibilities in this role to include;

• Lead the master planning and programme control function
• Develop, maintain, and control the baseline schedule in coordination with Client, Consultants, and Contractors.
• Review and critically assess contractor programmes, including sequencing, methodologies, procurement, resource loading, and recovery strategies.
• Ensure full integration of design, procurement, approvals, construction, testing & commissioning, and handover activities.
• Drive critical path analysis, identify programme risks, and implement mitigation and recovery actions.
• Monitor progress, update schedules, and ensure accurate reflection of site performance and productivity trends.
• Assess programme impacts of variations, design changes, delays, and disruptions, and advise on mitigation strategies.
• Implement Earned Value Management (EVM) to measure performance and forecast completion outcomes.
• Lead preparation of dashboards, KPIs, S-curves, and executive-level reporting on project performance.
• Coordinate closely with commercial teams to align programme performance with cost and financial forecasting.
• Conduct regular progress reviews with contractors and consultants, ensuring programme compliance and accountability.
• Perform structured delay analysis (TIA, Window Analysis) and support EOT claims and dispute resolution.
• Maintain robust programme records to support contractual and claims requirements.
• Identify schedule risks, integrate them into risk registers, and develop mitigation and contingency plans.
• Provide early warning on potential delays and recommend corrective actions to senior management.
• Deliver weekly and monthly progress reporting and executive presentations on programme status and forecast.
• Lead stakeholder planning meetings to ensure alignment on progress, risks, and recovery actions.
• Integrate authority approvals and statutory requirements into the overall project programme.
• Ensure full compliance with contractual obligations, PMC standards, and client requirements.
• Support audits, reviews, and governance processes related to planning and project controls.

To be successful in this dynamic opportunity, we envision that your career journey to date will include 15 years' work experience partnered with a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering or Construction Management.

Experience required:

• Minimum 15 years of overall experience in project planning and controls.
• Minimum 5 years of recent experience in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
• Proven experience working with PMC/Consultancy organizations in the same role.
• Strong background in retail, mall, building, EPC, and Design & Build projects.
• Experience managing planning activities for large-scale multi-package developments is essential.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong proficiency in project planning and scheduling software (Primavera P6 preferred).
• Strong understanding of: Project Controls, Cost Control, Earned Value Management (EVM), Delay Analysis & Claims, Risk Management
  Excellent reporting and presentation capabilities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced project environment.
• Excellent communication and coordination skills.

Professional Certifications (Advantageous):

• PMI-SP (PMI Scheduling Professional)
• AACE-PSP (Planning & Scheduling Professional)
• AACE-CCP (Certified Cost Professional)

KEO’s performance is founded upon integrity, results, innovation, safety and our people. We embrace diversity and recognise its’ contribution to client success wherever we work.

We are excited to hear how you can partner with our award-winning team and treat all expressions of interest confidentially.