Project Planning Engineer (Primavera P6 must)

Job Description Project Planning Engineer

Position: Project Planning Engineer
Project: Aluminium Smelter Project
Project Value: USD 2 Billion
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Experience: 6–15 Years
Qualification: B.E./B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering
Industry: Aluminium / Metals / Heavy Industrial / EPC
Software: Primavera P6 – Mandatory

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Project Planning Engineer to join a prestigious USD 2 Billion Aluminium Smelter Project in Lagos, Nigeria.

The ideal candidate will be a B.E./B.Tech Mechanical Engineer with 6–15 years of relevant experience in project planning and scheduling, preferably within large-scale EPC, aluminium, metals, mining, power or other heavy industrial projects.

Strong hands-on expertise in Primavera P6 is mandatory. The candidate will be responsible for developing, monitoring and controlling project schedules, tracking progress, identifying delays and supporting the project management team in achieving project milestones and timely completion.

Key Responsibilities

Project Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and maintain detailed project schedules using Primavera P6.
• Prepare the overall Master Schedule, Level 3/4 schedules, detailed execution schedules and look-ahead schedules.
• Establish project baseline schedules in coordination with the Project Manager and project disciplines.
• Integrate engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and start-up activities into the overall project schedule.
• Develop work breakdown structures (WBS), activity networks, logic and schedule relationships.
• Establish project milestones and monitor critical contractual dates.
• Update project schedules regularly based on actual progress.

Progress Monitoring & Schedule Control

• Monitor actual project progress against the approved baseline schedule.
• Collect progress data from engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning teams.
• Analyze schedule performance, slippages and deviations.
• Identify critical and near-critical activities and assess their impact on project completion.
• Conduct Critical Path Method (CPM) analysis.
• Prepare weekly and monthly progress reports for project management.
• Develop progress measurement systems and establish appropriate weightages.
• Prepare and maintain S-curves, progress curves, manpower histograms and productivity reports.

Delay & Recovery Planning

• Identify potential delays and provide early warnings to the project management team.
• Analyze the root causes of schedule delays and recommend corrective actions.
• Develop recovery schedules and acceleration plans where required.
• Monitor implementation of mitigation measures.
• Perform schedule impact assessments for changes, delays and variations.
• Support project management and commercial teams with schedule information for EOT / claims and delay analysis.

Coordination

• Coordinate closely with Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Commissioning, Contracts and Project Management teams.
• Review contractor and subcontractor schedules and monitor their performance against approved plans.
• Coordinate with site teams to obtain accurate progress updates.
• Participate in project progress meetings and provide planning inputs.
• Ensure proper coordination of project interfaces and interdependent activities.
• Support management in identifying resource constraints and schedule risks.

Reporting

• Prepare daily, weekly and monthly planning reports as required.
• Develop project dashboards and management-level schedule presentations.
• Prepare variance analysis and highlight key schedule risks.
• Provide management with accurate forecasts for project completion dates.
• Maintain planning databases, schedule records and supporting documentation.
• Ensure all planning and scheduling activities comply with project procedures and reporting requirements.

Mandatory Requirements

• B.E. / B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering – Mandatory.
• 6–15 years of relevant experience in project planning / project controls.
• Hands-on experience in Primavera P6 – Mandatory.
• Strong experience in planning and scheduling of large-scale EPC / EPCM projects.
• Experience with engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning schedules.
• Strong knowledge of WBS, CPM, baseline management, progress measurement and schedule updating.
• Experience in developing recovery schedules and monitoring project performance.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good communication and coordination skills.
• Ability to work with multicultural and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Willingness to be based in Lagos, Nigeria.

Preferred Industry Experience

Candidates with experience in one or more of the following sectors will be preferred:

• Aluminium Smelter / Aluminium Plant
• Metals & Mining
• Steel Plant
• Heavy Industrial Projects
• Power Projects
• Oil & Gas / Petrochemical
• Large-scale Infrastructure
• EPC / EPCM Projects
• Greenfield Industrial Projects

Aluminium Smelter project experience will be a significant advantage.

Technical Skills

The candidate should have strong knowledge of:

• Primavera P6
• Project Scheduling & Planning
• Critical Path Method (CPM)
• Baseline Schedule Management
• Progress Measurement
• Schedule Updating
• Schedule Forecasting
• Delay Analysis
• Recovery / Catch-up Planning
• Resource Planning
• S-Curves
• Manpower & Equipment Histograms
• Productivity Monitoring
• Engineering & Procurement Tracking
• Construction Planning
• Commissioning & Start-up Planning
• Change Management
• Schedule Risk Identification
• EOT / Claims Schedule Support

Educational Qualification

Mandatory:

• B.E. / B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering

Preferred:

• PMP / PMI-SP or other recognized project planning / project management certification.
• Additional qualifications in Project Management, Project Controls or Construction Management.

Experience Profile

The ideal candidate should have:

• 6–15 years of total professional experience.
• Significant experience in project planning and scheduling.
• Experience handling complex, multidisciplinary projects with multiple interfaces.
• Experience working with EPC contractors, consultants, owners or project management organizations.
• Exposure to international / overseas projects will be an advantage.
• Experience on projects involving significant capital expenditure and long execution periods is preferred.

Key Performance Areas

The Project Planning Engineer will be measured on:

• Schedule development and quality.
• Accuracy of progress reporting.
• Effective monitoring of critical path activities.
• Timely identification of delays and risks.
• Effectiveness of recovery and mitigation plans.
• Accuracy of project completion forecasts.
• Coordination with project disciplines and contractors.
• Timely submission of planning and progress reports.

Personal Attributes

• Strong ownership and accountability.
• Excellent analytical and numerical skills.
• Detail-oriented approach.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet strict project deadlines.
• Proactive approach to identifying project risks and schedule issues.
• Strong team-working and coordination abilities.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural international project environment.

Work Location

Lagos, Nigeria

The position will be associated with a major USD 2 Billion Aluminium Smelter Project and may require coordination with engineering offices, vendors, contractors and site teams.

Ideal Candidate

A B.E./B.Tech Mechanical Engineer with 6–15 years of experience in Project Planning / Project Controls, strong hands-on Primavera P6 expertise, and experience in large-scale EPC or heavy industrial projects. Candidates with Aluminium Smelter / Metals / Mining project experience will be highly preferred.