Job Title: Senior Planning EngineerLocation: ManchesterDuration: 12 months - Outside IR35We are recruiting a Senior Planning Engineer for a 12-month contract based in Manchester, supporting a client that delivers railway automation and telecommunication solutions worldwide.As a senior member of the planning function, you will lead the project planning and control activities on a major project or manage multiple smaller projects. You will be a key member of the project delivery team, supporting senior project and programme managers to ensure the successful planning and delivery of projects.Key Duties and Responsibilities:Provide planning and controls leadership across your projects.Act as the technical planning expert, ensuring consistent application of standards, procedures, templates, and guidance within your project team.Work closely with project, commercial, and finance managers to develop, maintain, and resource/cost-load accurate project schedules.Liaise with site and possession planners to align activities with the main project schedule.Support the Bids and Tendering team in developing tender plans and transitioning them into contract plans.Build and maintain strong relationships with client representatives, working collaboratively to deliver efficient planning and control solutions.Perform critical path analysis and highlight actions and areas of concern.Provide periodic reporting (KPIs, earned value, schedule delay, critical path analysis) for internal and client requ