Project Planner

Project Planner Location: Essex Salary: £40,000 - £50,000 + Benefits Job Type: Permanent The Opportunity An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Project Planner to join a growing engineering business delivering complex, bespoke automation and capital equipment projects. Working closely with the Project Management team, you'll be responsible for developing, maintaining and analysing project schedules across a portfolio of engineering projects, ensuring accurate planning, resource management and reporting throughout the project lifecycle. This is an ideal opportunity for someone with an engineering background who enjoys working in a fast-paced, project-driven environment. Key Responsibilities * Develop, maintain and update project plans across multiple engineering projects. * Produce project schedules using Microsoft Project, Project Online or Project Server. * Support project kick-off meetings by preparing initial project plans. * Monitor project progress and update schedules through regular project reviews. * Work closely with Project Managers and Operations teams to ensure plans remain accurate and achievable. * Maintain project templates, resource profiles and planning standards. * Analyse historical project data to improve future planning accuracy. * Produce project reports, KPIs and planning metrics. * Maintain the integrity and accuracy of project planning data. * Support continuous improvement of project planning processes and systems. * Assist with future migration and configuration of project planning software. * Liaise with engineering, production and commercial teams to ensure effective project coordination. About You * Previous experience as a Project Planner within an engineering or manufacturing environment. * Advanced user of Microsoft Project, Project Online or Project Server. * Engineering qualification (HNC, HND, Degree or Apprenticeship). * Experience creating and maintaining detailed project schedules. * Proven background working across multiple concurrent projects. * Understanding of project planning systems and their integration with ERP/business systems. * Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. * Excellent communication skills with the ability to work across multidisciplinary teams. * Organised, proactive and able to prioritise workloads in a fast-paced environment. Desirable Skills * Experience within bespoke machinery, automation or design-to-order manufacturing. * Knowledge of Critical Chain Project Management. * Experience working on complex, long-duration engineering projects. What's on Offer * £40,000 - £50,000 basic salary. * Permanent role with a growing engineering business. * Full training on specialist machinery and internal systems. * Excellent long-term career development opportunities. * Comprehensive benefits package