Project Planner – Mining & EPCM

SUMMARY:
Project Planner – Mining & EPCM
One of our clients, a leading organisation within the mining and Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) industry, is seeking an experienced Project Planner to join its team based in Marikana, Rustenburg, North West. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing, maintaining and monitoring integrated project schedules for mining, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning activities. The role requires strong project planning expertise, proficiency in project scheduling software and the ability to monitor project progress, identify schedule risks and support effective project controls. The successful candidate will work closely with project managers, engineers, procurement teams, construction personnel, contractors and other stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered in accordance with approved schedules, budgets, milestones and scope requirements.

POSITION INFO:
Minimum Requirements Grade 12 (Matric). National Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying or a related field. Minimum of 5-8 years' experience in project planning and scheduling within the mining, EPCM, engineering, construction or heavy industrial environment. Proven experience developing and maintaining project schedules for mining projects, engineering projects or capital expenditure programmes. Experience planning and monitoring engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning activities. Proficiency in project scheduling software such as Primavera P6 and\/or Microsoft Project. Strong knowledge of project planning methodologies, critical path analysis, schedule baselining and progress measurement. Experience developing work breakdown structures (WBS), activity sequencing, project milestones and resource-loaded schedules. Ability to monitor project progress against approved schedules and identify potential delays, constraints and schedule risks. Experience preparing progress reports, look-ahead schedules, project forecasts and schedule performance analyses. Understanding of project lifecycle activities, including feasibility, design, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning. Experience coordinating project schedules across multidisciplinary engineering and project teams. Strong analytical, organisational, problem-solving and time-management skills. Excellent communication and stakeholder coordination abilities. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel. Understanding of project risk management, change control and schedule management principles. Willingness to work on-site in Marikana, Rustenburg, North West . Roles and Responsibilities Project Planning & Scheduling Develop, maintain and update detailed project schedules for mining, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning activities. Establish project baselines, work breakdown structures, activity lists, dependencies, durations and milestones. Develop integrated schedules that align engineering deliverables, procurement packages, construction activities and project completion targets. Ensure project schedules reflect approved scope, execution strategies, resource requirements and contractual milestones. Apply critical path methodology to identify activities that directly influence project completion dates. Prepare detailed short-term and long-term schedules, including weekly and monthly look-ahead plans. Coordinate schedule inputs from engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and project management teams. Ensure project schedules are logically sequenced, achievable and aligned with the overall project execution plan. Progress Monitoring & Schedule Control Monitor actual project progress against approved schedules and baseline milestones. Collect and validate progress information from project teams, contractors and suppliers. Update project schedules to reflect actual progress, forecast dates and approved changes. Identify schedule deviations, delays, critical activities and potential bottlenecks. Analyse the impact of delays and changes on project completion dates and contractual milestones. Develop recovery schedules and recommend corrective actions where project activities fall behind schedule. Monitor engineering deliverables, procurement lead times, equipment deliveries, construction progress and commissioning readiness. Ensure schedule updates accurately reflect the current status and forecast completion of project activities. EPCM & Project Coordination Coordinate planning activities across engineering, procurement, construction and project management disciplines. Integrate engineering design schedules, technical deliverables, procurement activities and construction work packages into the overall project schedule. Monitor procurement schedules, including tendering, purchase order placement, manufacturing, inspections, delivery and installation of long-lead equipment. Liaise with engineering teams to monitor design progress, drawing approvals and technical documentation. Coordinate with construction teams to monitor site progress, resource requirements and work-front availability. Track contractor schedules and assess their alignment with overall project milestones. Identify interface risks between engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning activities. Participate in project planning meetings and coordinate schedule-related actions across disciplines. Critical Path & Risk Management Perform critical path analysis to identify activities that may affect project completion. Identify schedule risks, resource constraints, procurement delays and other potential threats to project delivery. Conduct schedule risk assessments and evaluate the potential impact of delays on project milestones. Develop mitigation strategies and recovery plans in collaboration with project management and relevant stakeholders. Monitor float consumption, activity dependencies and changes to critical path activities. Assess the scheduling implications of design changes, scope variations, resource constraints and contractor delays. Escalate significant schedule risks and recommend practical solutions to protect project deadlines. Support project change control by assessing the schedule impact of proposed changes. Resource & Milestone Planning Coordinate resource requirements with project managers, engineering leads and construction supervisors. Monitor labour, equipment, contractor and material requirements against project schedules. Identify resource conflicts and potential constraints that could affect project execution. Develop resource-loaded schedules where required. Track key project milestones, contractual deliverables and planned completion dates. Monitor the availability of critical equipment, materials and specialist contractors. Support project teams in aligning resource allocation with construction priorities and delivery targets. Reporting & Project Controls Prepare weekly and monthly project progress reports, schedule updates and forecast completion dates. Develop progress curves, milestone trackers, look-ahead schedules and schedule performance reports. Monitor schedule performance indicators and report deviations from approved baselines. Provide accurate planning information to support project management decisions. Maintain project schedules, progress records, assumptions, constraints and supporting documentation. Prepare schedule forecasts and provide early warnings of potential delays. Support project reviews, management meetings and client reporting requirements. Ensure planning information is accurate, consistent and available to relevant stakeholders. Stakeholder Management & Continuous Improvement Work closely with project managers, engineers, procurement specialists, construction teams, contractors and clients. Facilitate planning and progress meetings to review project performance, constraints and upcoming activities. Follow up on outstanding actions and ensure schedule-related issues are addressed timeously. Communicate changes to project schedules, milestones and critical activities to relevant stakeholders. Support the implementation of standardised planning procedures, reporting templates and project controls processes. Identify opportunities to improve scheduling accuracy, progress measurement and project reporting. Ensure planning activities comply with project procedures, contractual requirements and applicable company standards. Contribute to lessons-learned reviews and continuous improvement initiatives across mining and EPCM projects. Closing Date: Submissions for this vacancy will close on 20 October 2026. Late applications may still be considered until 11 November 2026. Please Note: Thank you for submitting your CV to Marvel Placement Consultants. Should your application be successful, we will contact you. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of your application, please consider your application unsuccessful. Your details will remain on our database for possible future opportunities. PoPI Act Compliance: Marvel Placement Consultants adheres to the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (Act No. 4 of 2013). Section 9 of PoPI states that \"Personal Information may only be processed if, given the purpose for which it is processed, it is adequate, relevant and not excessive.\"