Job Description Summary

Job Description

Lead Project Controls Planner – HVDC | Stafford, UK
 

Become part of a winning team and help deliver the Green Energy transition.

High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems enable utilities to move more power over longer distances, efficiently integrate renewable energy sources, interconnect grids, and improve network performance. HVDC systems use advanced power electronics technology to convert AC and DC voltage and are ideal for supporting existing infrastructure or developing new power transmission highways.

Join our HVDC team and contribute to the delivery of complex global infrastructure projects that support the transition to sustainable energy.

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Role Overview

For a new HVDC project, we are looking for a Lead Project Planner to join the HVDC Project Controls team and support the successful delivery of complex, engineering-led infrastructure projects in line with the defined execution strategy.

This is a senior project planning role, responsible for developing, maintaining and controlling the integrated master project schedule for HVDC scope of work. The role requires close coordination across engineering, procurement, project delivery, suppliers, third-party partners and regional teams to ensure the schedule reflects the full project lifecycle and provides clear visibility of progress, risks, dependencies and opportunities.

The successful candidate will bring strong hands-on project planning experience from a similar complex project environment, such as power transmission, utilities, energy, renewables, EPC, construction, major infrastructure or large capital projects. They will be confident using Primavera P6 to build, analyse and maintain robust project schedules, and will be able to challenge assumptions, drive schedule accountability and support project leadership with accurate planning insight.

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Key Responsibilities

Project Planning & Scheduling

• Develop tender and project schedules using established project controls tools, planning processes and governance standards.
• Build and maintain the integrated master project schedule, consolidating inputs from engineering functions, procurement, project delivery teams, suppliers and third-party partners.
• Ensure the schedule reflects all key dependencies and interdependencies across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover activities.
• Work closely with engineering functions such as Systems Engineering, Valves Engineering, Control & Protection and NPI to gather schedule inputs and ensure alignment.
• Collaborate with procurement and regional project teams to ensure accurate representation of supply chain, manufacturing, delivery and site timelines.
• Maintain schedule logic, milestones, baselines, critical path visibility and planning assumptions in line with project requirements.

Schedule Management & Analysis

• Maintain and update the project schedule throughout the full project lifecycle.
• Conduct schedule analysis to identify potential risks, delays, constraints and opportunities.
• Generate look-ahead plans, backlog reports, late activity reporting and milestone tracking to support project prioritisation.
• Develop scenario planning and “what-if” analysis to support decision-making, recovery planning and optimisation of project execution.
• Monitor schedule performance against baseline and provide clear insight into variances, trends and forecast completion dates.
• Support schedule quality checks and ensure planning data is accurate, realistic and fit for project governance and reporting purposes.

Risk Management & Recovery Planning

• Identify schedule risks and develop mitigation strategies in collaboration with project stakeholders.
• Challenge forecast completion dates where necessary to ensure timelines are realistic, achievable and supported by robust planning logic.
• Drive follow-up actions with functional owners to ensure mitigation measures are implemented.
• Support recovery planning where delays or constraints are identified.
• Escalate critical path risks and schedule impacts clearly to project leadership.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Reporting

• Facilitate regular schedule reviews with project teams, functional owners and key stakeholders.
• Ensure functional owners sign off on their commitments and remain accountable for delivery milestones.
• Provide clear and regular reporting on schedule performance, risks, opportunities and recovery actions.
• Prepare and deliver contractually required schedule reporting and support communication with customers on planning matters.
• Work effectively across multinational and cross-functional teams, including teams located across Europe, Asia and other global project regions.

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Project Environment

This role supports large-scale HVDC infrastructure projects delivered globally. Projects may include supplier contracts and EPC contracts, ranging from medium-sized infrastructure programmes to major transmission projects valued in the hundreds of millions.

The HVDC Project Controls team operates in a multinational environment, with team members located across Europe and Asia and projects delivered worldwide.

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Essential Experience and Qualifications

The successful candidate will bring:

• Significant project planning and scheduling experience in complex engineering, infrastructure, energy, utilities, power transmission, EPC, construction or major capital project environments.
• Advanced Primavera P6 experience, including baseline schedule development, logic-linked schedules, progress updates, critical path analysis, look-ahead planning and schedule reporting.
• Experience developing and maintaining integrated master schedules across multiple project disciplines and stakeholders.
• Experience working across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, suppliers and/or third-party project partners.
• A senior planning or project controls background, with the confidence to challenge dates, assumptions and schedule inputs from functional owners, contractors and stakeholders.
• An engineering degree background, or equivalent knowledge/experience, preferably in Electrical, Mechanical, Civil Engineering or another relevant technical discipline.
• Strong understanding of how engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover activities interact across the project lifecycle.
• Experience identifying schedule risks, developing mitigation actions and supporting recovery planning.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret schedule data, identify trends and forecast outcomes.
• Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional and international project teams.

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Desirable Experience

Experience in one or more of the following areas would be advantageous:

• HVDC, substations, power transmission or grid infrastructure.
• Renewable energy, offshore wind, utilities or large-scale energy infrastructure.
• EPC project delivery environments.
• NEC, FIDIC or similar contract environments.
• Schedule risk analysis, delay analysis, EOT, claims support or contractual schedule reporting.
• Working with global engineering, procurement, supply chain and project delivery teams.

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Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for a collaborative, proactive and technically credible Lead Project Planner who can coordinate across multiple disciplines and develop a clear, integrated view of project timelines.

You will be comfortable working with complex planning data, challenging assumptions, resolving discrepancies and driving accountability across project teams. You will understand that this role is not only about maintaining a schedule, but about providing reliable project insight, identifying risks early and supporting effective project decision-making.

This role is best suited to someone with hands-on project planning and project controls experience in engineering-led capital projects. Candidates from purely operational planning, production planning, PMO reporting or project coordination backgrounds may not have the required depth of integrated project scheduling experience for this position.

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Key Skills

• Advanced Primavera P6.
• Integrated master schedule development and maintenance.
• Project planning and scheduling within complex project environments.
• Critical path analysis and schedule risk identification.
• Look-ahead planning, backlog reporting and late activity analysis.
• Scenario planning and recovery planning.
• Engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning schedule integration.
• Strong analytical and forecasting capability.
• Stakeholder engagement, communication and influencing.
• Ability to challenge assumptions and drive schedule accountability.
• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional and international project teams.

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Inclusion & Diversity

We are passionate about creating an inclusive work environment. By valuing the ideas and contributions of a diverse workforce, we help inspire others to grow, succeed and raise the bar for everyone.

As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, GE Vernova is committed to supporting disadvantaged groups while providing equal opportunities for both GE Vernova associates and applicants alike.

Join us at GE Vernova, where results can be achieved by embracing a community of belonging.

Additional Information