Planning Engineer

Description

Engineering is more than design and delivery at Zutari; it is the craft of shaping possibility.

As a leading buildings, infrastructure engineering, and advisory practice with over 90 years of heritage across Africa and the Middle East, we work across the full infrastructure lifecycle to deliver innovative, digitally enabled solutions. From bridges and dams to energy systems and smart infrastructure, our work connects communities and unlocks long-term value.

We are looking for technical minds who see beyond constraints and are driven to engineer solutions that matter, today and for generations to come.

Role Overview

We are looking for a skilled Planning Engineer to join our Transport Unit in Dubai. The successful candidate will support project managers and delivery teams in planning, scheduling, monitoring, and reporting on transport and infrastructure projects including roads, bridges, interchanges, and transport-adjacent works.

This role requires strong project controls capability, excellent analytical skills, and the ability to communicate progress and schedule risks to stakeholders at all levels, including clients, contractors, and local authorities.

Responsibilities

• Develop, review, and maintain detailed project schedules using Primavera P6 (and other planning tools as required).
• Support project managers in preparing baseline schedules, WBS, programme narratives, and resource/cost loading (where required).
• Monitor progress against baseline, identify slippages and critical path impacts, and recommend corrective/recovery actions.
• Coordinate with design, procurement, utilities, and construction teams to obtain accurate updates and maintain realistic forecasts.
• Prepare weekly/monthly progress reports, dashboards, and schedule narratives for internal and client reporting.
• Support preparation and review of look-ahead programmes, key milestone trackers, and interface schedules (utilities diversions, traffic management, permits/approvals).
• Assist with delay analysis, EOT support, and delay impact assessments in line with contractual requirements (including FIDIC where applicable).
• Participate in risk reviews/workshops and maintain schedule risk items, constraints, and mitigations.
• Ensure planning outputs align with Zutari standards and client requirements, including documentation control and auditability.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Construction Management, or a related discipline.
• 3–5 years’ experience in planning & scheduling on major transport/infrastructure/construction projects.
• Proven expertise in Primavera P6 and MS Project (Power BI knowledge is a plus).
• Solid understanding of FIDIC contracts, programme management principles, and cost/schedule risk management.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills, including proficiency in Excel and schedule dashboards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English (Arabic is an advantage).
• Consultancy, engineer’s representative, or project management experience preferred.
• UAE experience highly desirable, including familiarity with local authorities/clients and their processes (e.g., RTA, Dubai Municipality, DEWA, Etisalat/du, NOC processes).

Soft Skills

• Strong organisational and problem-solving abilities.
• Collaborative team player able to work across multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Proactive in identifying risks and recommending practical mitigation strategies.
• We believe that a diverse workforce is a key to our business success. We seek the best people for our jobs based on their skills, qualifications and experience. We embrace the principle of equal opportunity in employment, and we work towards eliminating all forms of unlawful discrimination in our employment practices.

We believe that a diverse workforce is a key to our business success. We seek the best people for our jobs based on their skills, qualifications and experience. We embrace the principle of equal opportunity in employment, and we work towards eliminating all forms of unlawful discrimination in our employment practices.