Job Title: Plant Planning Lead
Location: Calgary, AB (with frequent travel to Fabrication Yards in China and site in Kitimat; travel will make up about 50% of the role)
Start Date: April 1, 2026
End Date: April 1, 2027


About the Role
The Planning Lead will be responsible for all Central Planning, Integration, Progress Management, Plant  RFP preparation (Project Planning, Reporting requirement, Progress Measurement, etc.) during Define Phase and Project Planning execution readiness (Planning/Schedule, Progress Management, Quantity Surveying, Reporting, Risk Management Process, Claims avoidance/EOT management).
Principle Accountabilities:
Define and Execute phases will include, but will not be limited to:

• Establish and support a safety-first culture.
• Planning Lead will be accountable for management of the standard and consistent full suite of Project Planning & Scheduling Process, WBS (Work Breakdown Structure), Progress Management, Schedule Risk Analysis and responsible for Project Level 0/1/2/3 including Owner's schedule of Plant for Define, Execute and CSU Phase.  
• Accountable & Custodian for Phase 2 Plant Integrated Project schedule (IPS) for Define/FEED and Execute Phase
• Lead and co-ordinate all the planning and scheduling activities for the project, managing the workload of delegated subordinates and functional responsibility for all the planners on the project (Define/FEED & Execute)
• Accountable for integrate and maintain Project planning and reporting pack including analysis of overall project schedule
• Accountable for analysis and report overall IPS (integrated project schedule) Critical Path, multiple critical paths, total float, free float and monitor Key Milestones
• Responsible and maintain project Interface Milestone Schedule (IMS) based on individual sub project schedule update and highlight potential concerns to C&P group and leadership team
• Develop and report schedule and progress visual leadership package
• Responsible for overall schedule’s KPI’s reported and analyze on monthly basis
• Develop and establish monthly accountability planning/progress package for Project Leadership Team
• Support ad-hoc planning/scheduling/progress presentation to subcommittees and leadership team
• Accountable for semi-annual Schedule Risk Analysis (SRA) for pro-active risks and mitigation management for the project
• Accountable for Phase 2 Plant Project overall progress verification, monitoring, tracking, management and communication to key stakeholders
• Responsible for FID Assurance (ESAR) activities and IPA Benchmarking
• Managing for Quantity Surveying (QS) staffs to manage and deliver Progress, Payment Milestones verifications, Contract & Procurement Claims avoidance support.
• Establish and implement relevant project controls, planning and progress management processes for Company
• Provide functional leadership to JV Partner talent development, mentoring with special focus on plan and arrange for the competency development and training of junior staff, JV Participant secondees.
• Drive project delivery and adherence to the 8 Project Principles; connect the team to the bottom line, set focused goals to deliver a Top Quartile project plans and schedule.

• To succeed with us in we need your enthusiasm to:    

• Demonstrate personal commitment to HSSE.
• Display a strong positive attitude to manage change and improvement in our processes, ways of working and our overall performance.
• Develop strong working relationships with your team, stakeholders to boost co-operation and a One Team approach.
• Use your ability to utilize flexible thinking with well-developed problem-solving skills.
• Courage to hold strong to views when challenged or challenging others.

Leadership Capabilities

• Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills that inspire and energize people and create a clear sense of direction and priorities with a ONE Team approach.
• Ability to positively influence people, effectively drive work processes and ensure compliance with policies.
• Ability to drive execution and stretch the performance of people with a wide range of capabilities.
• Comfortable with change and ambiguity such that informed decisions are made without undue delay.
• Courage to hold strong to views when challenging current practices to encourage exploration of new ideas that drive improvement, i.e., Digitization.
• Demonstrate a strong personal commitment to Diversity and Inclusion through collaboration across functional and cultural boundaries.

You will use your expertise to:
Key Challenges:

• Phase 2 of this project is a large complex, multi geographical location project. Integration and delivery of large multiple time zone global project services central planning team. Once execution bases are established in-country it will inevitably become increasingly difficult to maintain cohesion between the geographically split project centers.
• Managing and supporting mitigations of key project risks on mega project environment such as devising skill labour attraction strategies in heated project environment in Western Canadian LNG Projects, productivity and interface risks incorporating in project plans including optimization and mitigations advice especially for Schedule development/delivery
• Potential of joining JVP partners increases complexity and drive for schedule optimization
• Good presentation skills are important to the role and candidates must be comfortable with presenting the outcomes of their work in a clear and concise manner in senior management forums.

To be successful, you will have:

• The position requires a candidate with proven Project Services Planning management experience in LNG project delivery for Define (Define/FEED) and in Execute phases of detailed design, fabrication, construction, commissioning and start-up. 
• This is a senior role requiring experience of team management in addition to technical competencies with planning, scheduling process tools, systems, project forecasting, monthly/weekly reporting, senior management presentations and establishing risk management process/tools.
• An Engineering degree, or equivalent with at least 20 years of mega project services/planning/scheduling delivery experience in the Oil & Gas processing industry, of which at least 10 years in LNG Project of leadership in planning experience. 
• Prior experience of project FID readiness, assurance and mega projects "project services execution readiness” development experience is preferred
• LNG Project front end and execution planning/scheduling experience is a must
• Clear understanding of Contracts and Contracts management execution with Extension of Time Claim Management and Avoidance experience is an advantage
• Management of Schedule/Progress Variations Orders experience during execute phase
• Experience in functional project services/planning leadership to local/JV talent development and mentoring is preferred.
• Experience of work with large owner's energy companies in Joint Ventures environment
• Primavera P6 and Oracle Primavera Risk Analysis tools
• Strong technical and analytical skills.
• Fluent in English

This role requires that you: 

• No of Direct Reports - 6 (Execute); Extended team of ~ 10 staffs (including influencing EPC planning team) in multiple geographic location worldwide. Further expansion of project planning team during execute phase
• Schedule Duration/Extension of Time (Schedule Delay) Claim avoidance influence/delivery as this is critical in protecting project value drivers
• Significant NPV of the project influencing for end-to-end project schedule optimization during Define/FEED and Execution Phase
• Management of QS contract/staff for progress verification, status checks and payment milestones verification
• Member of Project Services Leadership team, direct support and interface with Project Leadership Team, Site Construction Manager leadership team
• Ability to cope with complexity and uncertainty
• The overall project scope has a large degree of interface complexity, with existing asset and Phase 2 project with having unique challenges and drivers to manage and integrate.
• Being in a stable, compliance with Safety, Environmental, and Local Content requirements is expected to require significant effort, planning and government and external stakeholder engagement.
• The overall project scope has a large degree of interface complexity, with four major scope elements, each having unique challenges and drivers to manage and supporting integration
• Be legally entitled to work in Canada (i.e., by way of Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, or valid work permit) 
• Are willing to comply with drug-free and harassment-free work environment and comply with all safety policies and procedures.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.