Job description for Junior Planner & Scheduler

Are you highly organised with a talent for planning and scheduling? Do you thrive on engaging with stakeholders and building strong working relationships? If so, we have fantastic opportunities for you to join DE&S within the Project Delivery profession as a Junior Project Planner and Scheduler.

In this role, you will play a key part in developing and maintaining project plans and schedules, ensuring that activities are effectively monitored to deliver critical outputs for both our customers and the business. You will typically be responsible for scheduling low to medium complexity projects, with guidance and support to help you succeed.

We champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be approximately 60% of your working week) however this can depend on the demands of the role and could vary. This is to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

What you’ll be doing

• Builds schedule baselines in line with procedures and desk instructions to drive and control project.
• Monitors progress and resources against baseline highlighting variances and advising on potential corrective/recovery actions
• Interrogates supplier reports/schedule to establish progress, provide interpretation and identify areas of focus to PM and to status and update the schedule
• Provides monthly reporting and analysis including critical path, milestones, resourcing, EVM to ensure governance meetings are focused on areas requiring attention
• To collaborate key project schedule performance data to key member of the project, programme and DE&S leadership.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you’ll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Experience in using suitable project schedule software
• Experience of planning and maintaining project schedules.
• Demonstrable experience of managing and interpreting project data
• Extensive stakeholder and teamwork skills.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Delivering at Pace
• Core Behaviour 2: Communicating and Influencing
• Technical Competence 1: Controlling a Project – Supervised Practitioner
• Technical Competence 2: Planning and Scheduling – Supervised Practitioner

 Offered Benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday
• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of – and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

Further Information

• Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles – Civil Service Commission
• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-Candidate-Information-Pack
• Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/DES-Terms-and-Conditions
• Civil Service Code: The Code – Civil Service Commission

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here.

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section ‘Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.’

Selection process details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift – We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift – Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.
3. Interview – If you’re invited to interview, you’ll be assessed against the Sift categories (CV Review) listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. 

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the relative importance of the assessed competencies as per the hierarchy below:

• 1st: Core Behaviour 1
• 2nd: Core Behaviour 1
• 3rd: Technical Competencies
• 4th: CV Review

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise an additional assessment.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email: DESHR-WSC-PMOCOMPLAINTS@mod.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints – Civil Service Commission