Planning Manager - Project Optimisation

Planning Lead (Schedule Optimisation)

Location: UK (Dartford preferred but flexible)
Company: Akordi, a Laing O'Rourke subsidiary

This is an exciting opportunity to join a forward‑thinking team working at the cutting edge of project optimisation for major infrastructure programmes. As a Planning Lead, you will combine advanced digital tools, AI‑enabled analytics and real‑world construction expertise to provide insights that increase planning certainty and improve delivery outcomes across rail, highways, energy, utilities and major capital programmes. You will work closely with senior project leaders to shape smarter, more predictable project performance.

Are you ready to move into the future of construction optimisation? If the answer is yes then you are ready to join Akordi.

About Akordi

Akordi provides AI‑driven intelligence services for construction and infrastructure projects. We are growing rapidly, moving from start‑up to scale‑up, and work with government bodies, major developers and contractors to solve complex delivery challenges using decision intelligence and advanced analytics.

What you will do

• Perform simulations and modelling to support decisions on staging, sequencing, planning, scheduling and re‑baselining.
• Use Akordi's AI‑enabled tools and your planning and construction expertise to analyse schedules and identify optimisation opportunities across time, cost, risk and resources.
• Review past performance to extract lessons learned and highlight opportunities for improvement.
• Identify critical schedule risks, develop and validate mitigation options with delivery teams.
• Produce clear, evidence‑based insights, reports and visualisations tailored to diverse client needs.
• Work closely with the Solutions Delivery Lead and global experts to align and develop our services.
• Present findings confidently in client workshops, schedule reviews and planning meetings.
• Ensure all assessments comply with UK delivery frameworks such as NEC, PACE and GRIP/GRIP‑Lite.

What you will bring

• As a benchmark 10+ years' experience in construction or infrastructure, including major UK projects.
• As a benchmark 5+ years' hands‑on planning experience (site or project office).
• Strong capability in developing and optimising master schedules for complex programmes.
• Expert proficiency in Primavera P6 and solid knowledge of other scheduling/project controls tools.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, construction methodologies and phasing strategies.
• Strong analytical, communication, presentation and report‑writing skills.
• Highly organised, proactive, and comfortable working independently in fast‑paced environments.
• A collaborative, client‑focused approach with the ability to work in a small delivery team.
• Curiosity and adaptability, with a strong appetite for using new optimisation tools and techniques.

About Us
Laing O'Rourke are an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

Certainty, reliability, quality – this is what our clients want. And at Laing O'Rourke, we have more than 150 years of experience delivering it. Laing O'Rourke's story is one of energy, passion, ambition, people and teamwork. We harness the power of our experience, stretching back over a century and a half to deliver certainty for our clients.

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term conditions and disabilities through the ‘Offer an interview scheme'. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. Please let us know if you would like to opt in to this scheme and let us know if you require any adjustments for the interview process.

We want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all. If you need the application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please email resourcingteam@laingorourke.com