Title:  Planning Manager

About John Holland

At John Holland, our purpose is simple – we transform lives with everything we do.
We’ve always known that infrastructure is about people — our customers, our employees, and the communities in which we work every day.
That’s our difference. Deep experience and capability with a genuine care about creating better lives for people along the way.
Be part of the team that’s up for the challenge of transforming lives.

About The Role

The Planning Manager (Pre-Contracts) is responsible for leading and managing the planning function during the tender and pre-construction phases of projects. 
This role typically involves collaborating with bid teams, engineers, project managers, and other stakeholders to develop competitive and deliverable construction programs, ensuring alignment with client requirements and company standards.
This role is a full-time permanent position based from our Sydney office in Pyrmont. 

What you will do.

Develop detailed and realistic construction programs for tenders, ensuring compliance with project requirements and deadlines.
Provide input on construction methodologies, staging, and resource allocation.
Identify risks, opportunities, and constraints related to program delivery.
Work closely with bid teams, estimators, design managers, and other stakeholders to integrate planning inputs into the tender submission.
Liaise with clients, consultants, and subcontractors to ensure alignment on program expectations.
Prepare and present construction methodologies and sequence plans.
Use planning software (e.g., Primavera P6, MS Project) to develop and manage schedules.
Ensure programs are logical, achievable, and align with contractual obligations.
Identify program-related risks and opportunities.
Develop mitigation strategies for potential delays or issues.
Provide regular updates on program development and progress during the tender stage.
Prepare high-quality reports and presentations to support tender submissions and client meetings.
Provide guidance and mentorship to junior planners or planning engineers.
Ensure adherence to best practices and company procedures in program development.

What We Are Looking For.

Qualifications:

Tertiary degree, preferably in one of the following disciplines - Engineering, Construction, Building, Sciences, Architecture or Project Management, or equivalent experience
Experience:
Strong experience in pre-contracts planning and tendering within the construction or infrastructure sector.
Experience in planning software & tools such as Primavera P6, MS Project, Time Chainage Charts, Schedule Risk Analysis and Earned Value.
Excellent understanding of construction methodologies, sequencing, and resource planning.
Experience working on large-scale projects, particularly in sectors such as infrastructure, rail, building, or civil works.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Exceptional communication and stakeholder management abilities.
Experience on Schedule Risk Analysis
Relevant qualifications in engineering, construction management, or a related field.

We offer 

We're about connecting your sense of purpose to ours. We understand that your career is one of the biggest ways to have an impact on the world. We also believe in supporting you as a whole person, not just an employee.

We reward and support our people in so many ways. This starts with being flexible about how different people like to work. From industry-leading leave policies to wellbeing and relationship support, your needs sit at the heart of our employee benefits.

Competitive remuneration with salary continuance, and salary sacrifice options.
Great leave benefits including 18 weeks paid parental leave with super and up to an extra 18 weeks of super paid on further periods of unpaid parental leave, multicultural leave exchange and two extra days to prioritise your wellbeing.
Career progression underpinned by our exciting pipeline of work means you’ll have the opportunity to work on iconic projects that are shaping cities and communities.
Learning and development opportunities where you’ll have access to emerging talent programs, building your career through clear career pathways, plus technical and leadership training and development opportunities.

Inclusion, diversity and equity is part of how we work. We want everyone at John Holland to feel that they belong – that’s why we’re working hard every day to foster a more inclusive culture, backed by a business-wide inclusion strategy to bring about meaningful change. We’ve also got active employee resource groups that support our commitments including those around gender equality and reconciliation.