About us

United Utilities’ (UU) mission is to deliver high-quality water for a stronger, greener and healthier North West of England. We are committed to providing our services in a way that respects the environment, supports the economy, and benefits society. We are proud to be ranked #11 in The Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers List. We value diversity, inclusion and innovation in our workplace, and we foster a culture where our people can grow, excel, and be themselves.
We uphold our ethics, values and business model to fulfil our mission and, by setting clear goals and objectives, we create sustainable long-term value for our colleagues, customers and communities. Whether you work with a team that shares your vision or join a network of peers with similar interests, you will find a welcoming and supportive organisation to be part of.
We’ve got a lot to offer. You’ll be part of a thriving FTSE 100 company and will enjoy a range of core benefits that reflect your value and value contribution. These include:

• A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service, in addition to 8 bank holidays
• A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover
• Up to 7.5% performance-related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements
• A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company-funded scheme
• Flexible and hybrid working

Our projects are designed to be environmentally and socially responsible and will offer you opportunities to develop. It’s an exciting time to become a part of our overall PMO structure as our capital programme increases significantly over the next five years. If you are passionate about making a positive difference for the North West of England and want to join us on our journey of transformation, we would love to hear from you.

The role

Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can utilise your project planning experience and excellent communication skills to support with planning activity on a wide variety of water/wastewater projects? If yes, then we have a brilliant opportunity for you at United Utilities (UU) as a Planning Engineer.
As a Planning Engineer you will work closely with the Planning Manager and/or the Senior Project Controller, as well as the contractors, to produce and maintain an efficient and deliverable Project Schedule and monitor and report performance against it.
We are excited to offer you a flexible and hybrid working model that lets you balance your work and life and enjoy the benefits of working with us wherever you are. In-person attendance is required three days per week at our Lingley Mere, Warrington site to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration, alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

Key accountabilities

• Develop and maintain project programmes to coordinate activities between work packages and contractors, ensuring clear recording and monitoring of give-gets.
• Analyse project/programme progress and performance, identifying potential issues and support with providing solutions to mitigate risks.
• Understand and communicate changes to the critical path, including impacts on the schedule, and communicate this proactively.
• Assess impacts of trends and changes to the project schedule, ensuring timely updates to the baseline.
• Monitor on-site work progress against key milestones and produce progress reports in line with the monthly reporting cycle.
• Collaborate with Project Managers and contractors to troubleshoot issues and develop programmes to prevent delays.

Skills & experience

• Degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent professional experience.
• Well versed in Planning/Programme Controls/Programme Optimisation.
• Good knowledge of design and build techniques, methods, and durations.
• Proficiency in planning software such as Primavera.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for effective relationship management.
• Meticulous attention to detail with the capability to conduct in-depth analysis of plans.
• Recognised Project Management/Project Controls qualification is desirable but not essential.

Other

We believe in empowering you to achieve your aspirations and dreams, both in your work and in your life. To help you achieve your goals, we offer a variety of voluntary benefits that you can select according to your needs and preferences.

• Onsite gym and physio lounge with instructor-led gym classes and dedicated physiotherapist, onsite childcare and nursery, free parking and EV charging points, dedicated multi-faith/prayer rooms and free bus service for UU colleagues – Warrington only
• My Gym Discounts - gym and wellness benefit that offers up to 25% off on gym memberships and digital fitness subscriptions
• Best Doctors
• Salary Finance
• Wealth at Work courses
• Deals and discounts
• EVolve Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Mental health first aiders
• Share Buy
• MORE Choices flexible benefits
• Enhanced parental leave schemes
• You may be entitled to relocation expenses of up to £8,000 for this position. This will depend on the outcome of an eligibility check

Compliance

More information can be found below:

• UU benefits: https://www.unitedutilities.com/corporate/careers/why-work-for-us/benefits-of-working-for-us/
• Pension information: https://www.unitedutilities.com/corporate/careers/pensions/
• UU careers: https://www.unitedutilities.com/corporate/careers/
• Data privacy: https://www.unitedutilities.com/privacy/

Selection Process Details
Your application will go through the following stages of assessment: