Job Purpose

We are the Charity for waterways and wellbeing, who look after and bring to life 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, because we believe that life is better by water. Every role across the Trust plays it's part in transforming our canals and rivers into spaces where local people want to spend time and feel better, bringing wellbeing benefits to millions.

Our Infrastructure and Programmes Directorate, Programme Planning Team, are looking for new Programme Planner to join their team. 

Working closely with our national Programme Planners and Scheduling Team, your collaborative approach to cross-team work-streams will be essential for success in this role; ensuring that programme objectives are achieved on schedule and within the required budget. As your main objectives will be related to the Direct Services construction programme planning and support, you should expect to immerse yourself in the world of construction and maintenance, working with a variety of computer based systems to manage and get information to support the programme planning process.  You will work closely and build relationships with the Hire Desk team where you will be given the opportunity to really make a difference.

The role holder will undertake monitoring and reporting of planned and arising works to identify where and how efficiencies can be gained and benefits maximised.

A collaborative approach to cross-team work-streams will be essential for success in this role.  

Location & coverage

Our Programme Planner vacancy will be offered on a remote working basis, with a requirement to attend our main hub spaces as and when required for team working a collaborative meetings.  Significant travel throughout the regional waterway network will also be expected to enable site visits and to conduct improvements. 

The regularity & flexibility of travel will be discussed further at interview stage. 

Relevant hubs include: Leeds & Newark.  

See our canal network here: (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network).

Regular accessibility to this network is essential. 

Knowledge, Skills/Qualifications & Experience

Your focus will be to establish, maintain & deliver programmes of works for the Yorkshire & North East and East Midlands construction region. Working in close collaboration with our Regional Construction Managers and Construction Managers, your remit will cover both planned, reactive and arising and works.  Whilst the nature of programme planning is all about looking ahead and ensuring effective planning of works to optimise budget and resources, we also expect that every day unscheduled urgent tasks arrive and we need to assess and prioritise those activities alongside our planned works to turn ensure our accessibility of our waterways and safety of our users/visitors. 

Our construction teams have a very wide remit of works to be delivered, and as Programme Planner you will work collaboratively across teams to ensure that our day-to-day tasks are prioritised and delivered  ensuring that our customers and visitors experience our waterways at their best, and safest.  You will be planning works for construction teams and other groups who contribute to the maintenance of our waterways in many different ways, planning lock gate replacements, asset repairs and other preventative maintenance & ongoing regular works.   

Key Accountabilities:

Your key accountabilities will include but not be limited to the following:

Prepare, monitor and update asset maintenance, repair and renewal work delivery programmes and financial plans.

To review and optimise the work programme to maximise efficiencies.

Provide optimum visibility of the delivery programme, and any changes that arise, to key stakeholders through the availability, maintenance and implementation of communications to satisfy their differing needs.

Maintain effective programme performance and output monitoring and reporting to ensure planned objectives are met and any variances to plan are reported appropriately.

National stoppage delivery programme, preparation, consultation and change management.

Effectively manage changes to the work programme through application of a change control process.

Work closely with the team of schedulers to enable work to be scheduled and dispatched in a timely manner to operatives and contractors.

Review and feedback programme performance to internal stakeholders and customers and communicate lessons learned to improve future performance.

Work safely ensuring the safety of others and contribute to safe working in all activities

About you

We are looking for someone who can see the bigger picture for our internal teams, customers and visitors.  You will be collaborative by nature and will partner successfully with teams who may have different priorities to agree the right programme for delivery.  It is important, therefore, that you are able to successfully build and maintain relationships and find solutions and manage a whole range of stakeholders effectively.

Knowledge, Experience & Skills:

Qualifications and Attainments

Educated to degree level/HND or equivalent in a relevant subject or able to demonstrate relevant equivalent experience.

Project/Programme Management accreditation/qualification i.e. APM Project Management Qualification, Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), Prince2.

Experience

Experience of the development, monitoring and reporting of complex work programmes.

Experience of SAP particularly with plant maintenance orders, notifications and maintenance plans

Some Experience of programme/schedule management.

Some leadership skills with the ability to empower and inspire others.

Ability to manage stakeholders, taking account of their levels of influence.

Proficient in the use of a personal computer and business applications software e.g. Excel, Word and other MS office applications.

Budgetary awareness with the ability to forecast costs and assess variance against budget.

Excellent standard of written and verbal communication including experience in making formal presentations in programme management subjects.

Full and valid UK driving licence.

Safety: In all roles we expect our colleagues to comply with Canal & River Trust Health & Safety policy and defined standards, report incidents, accidents and near misses.

It is essential to us that you are also able to demonstrate this mindset and apply it to your approach to your work scheduling tasks on a daily basis.

Safeguarding - To be aware of your own responsibilities regarding safeguarding and to support our commitment to providing safe environments and working practises that promote and protect the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk at all times

To apply:  click on the "Apply for this job" button and follow the process - complete the application form & upload current CV

Interviews: Initial interviews will be conducted virtually.

If you have any questions about the role please contact CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Timeline:

Applications closed: WC 3rd January 

Interviews: WC 10th January

What We Offer

In addition to your salary of £34,766, you will receive access to a generous contributory DC Pension Plan, and excellent annual holiday entitlement.  You can find out more about our employee benefits here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-jobs 

We aim to represent the diverse communities we are part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do.