Planning Manager – High-Rise Building Construction Projects

Location: Dubai

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Planning Manager to lead project planning, scheduling, monitoring, and reporting activities for prestigious high-rise residential tower developments in Dubai. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in managing planning functions for large-scale residential construction projects, including towers exceeding 40+ stories, and will play a critical role in ensuring successful project delivery within schedule, budget, and contractual requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Project Planning & Scheduling

Develop, maintain, and control integrated project master schedules from concept through project handover.
Prepare detailed baseline schedules, resource-loaded schedules, recovery plans, and revised programs as required.
Establish project work breakdown structures (WBS), milestones, critical paths, and project control systems.
Lead schedule development in compliance with project specifications, contract requirements, and client expectations.
Monitor project progress and identify schedule risks, delays, and mitigation measures.

Project Controls & Reporting

zcdf and mitigation strategies.
Support contractual matters related to Extension of Time (EOT), claims, disruption analysis, and delay assessments.

Leadership & Team Management

Lead and mentor planning engineers and project controls personnel across multiple projects.
Establish planning standards, procedures, and best practices within the organization.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives in planning, scheduling, and reporting processes.

Risk Management

Identify project risks and opportunities affecting project timelines.
Develop risk mitigation and contingency plans.
Monitor critical activities and proactively resolve schedule constraints.

Mandatory Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering or Mechanical Engineering from a recognized university.
Minimum 15 years of total construction experience.
Minimum 10 years in a Planning Manager or Senior Planning role.
Proven experience on high-rise residential tower projects exceeding 40+ stories.
Strong GCC construction experience, preferably within Dubai.
Demonstrated experience managing multiple high-value residential developments simultaneously.
Thorough understanding of construction methodologies, sequencing, project controls, and contract administration.
Experience in handling delay analysis, EOT claims, and recovery planning.
Strong knowledge of FIDIC contracts and project management principles.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working with leading Tier-1 contractors.

Key Attributes

Strategic thinker with strong commercial awareness.
Exceptional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Strong presentation and communication skills.
Ability to perform under pressure and manage multiple fast-track projects.
Results-oriented with a proven track record of delivering complex high-rise developments on schedule.

Project Profile

The successful candidate should have direct planning and project controls experience on large-scale residential tower developments ranging from 75+ to 120+ stories. Involving complex construction methodologies, fast-track schedules, and multi-disciplinary coordination.