Planner
COLASJobsCloseBy Editorial Insights
Colas Ltd is seeking a Planner in Bescot, Walsall to own development, monitoring and reporting of programmes within National Highways Area 9. You will deliver the Commercial Plan, optimise resources and rostering, manage internal and external teams, and coordinate routine and reactive maintenance with traffic management that minimises delays while keeping safety paramount. The ideal candidate has at least two years planning experience in highways, is comfortable with planning systems, and ideally understands Area 9; strong commercial acumen, communication and team leadership are essential. To apply, tailor your CV to show ACP delivery, CPF compliance, risk assessments and productivity gains, and demonstrate safety leadership and alignment with Colas values.
Colas Ltd are a UK subsidiary of the global Colas Group, which operates in over 50 countries worldwide and employs over 55,000 people including over 1500 in the UK across multiple sites. We are specialists in highways construction and have been involved in large-scale UK and international construction projects within the highways, airfields, and marine sectors as well as offering highways maintenance services and manufacturing our own innovative surfacing products. We hold a 'Gold Investor in People' award for continuously developing and rewarding our employees, offering excellent career potential.
Purpose of the role
Colas are responsible for the eight-year Maintenance & Response contract for National Highways Area 9. The contract covers around 2,300 miles of Strategic Road Network within Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and Shropshire, as well as parts of Gloucestershire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire. We deliver cyclical maintenance, reactive maintenance, incident response, severe weather response and minor works in a region that has five strategically critical motorway interchange junctions, as well as being at the heart of the new HS2 network. Area 9 is a critical transport hub enabling customer journeys across the UK.
Colas have an exciting opportunity for a Planner to join the team in Bescot, Walsall, WS1 4NL. You will have overall accountability in the development, monitoring, and reporting of multi discipline of localised area programmes in line with client service level agreement and internal commercial requirements. support the design and implementation of commercial planning strategies. The Planner will provide planning and management of the work and workforce of both internal and external operations, oversee the day-to-day functions of the routine and reactive maintenance works, ensuring productivity and utilization are maximized across all operational tams.
Main Responsibilities
In the Planner role you will develop and implement the ACP (Annual Commercial Plan), plan and deliver the service in line with the Tender strategies, ensure productivity targets are planned for all aspects of the service. You will effectively manage the contract CPF requirements. On a day to day you will be required to: Assist daily reporting of hot costings, develop and improve working practices and seek innovative solutions, develop and manage all relevant programmes and develop planned maintenance solutions by reviewing traffic management proposals to ensure delays are minimized and safety not compromised. You will be accountable for the control and Management of resource allocation, rostering, and programming to ensure the service is delivered efficiently and all resource allocation is optimized. Being able to liaise with other departments regarding TM sharing opportunities and populating transport plans through closures etc. is crucial. Assessing plant and material needs for work to be carried out, undertaking risk assessments & safety checks, toolbox talks and audits, review daily productivity targets to ensure budgets managed effectively. You will be assisting in emergency response, organize remedial repairs, coordinate with NCC after evaluating traffic flows to restore the highway back to normal running. You will be required to perform other duties from time to time as instructed by the Lead Planner/Area Planner. Comply with all relevant HSEA compliance and legislative requirements. You will actively promote Health and Safety in the workplace by setting a good example to others by ensuring compliance with the H&S responsibilities as out in the HSMS.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will have practical experience developed from this business and or industry sector, with strong operational knowledge of highways maintenance. You will have a minimum of 2 years experience within Planning. You will have experience and understanding with using different types of systems. Understanding of the Area 9 network or similar is advantageous.
The successful candidate will be a dynamic and forward-thinking individual with strong commercial acumen and an effective communicator who has previous experience of working within high performing teams and managing their own team. Excellent time management and prioritisation of work for self and team against changing demands of network needs is essential in this role.
Package Description
Here at Colas, we offer a great total compensation package, including:
- A salary between £30,000 and £35,000
- Our Colas Pension Scheme has combined contributions of up to 10%
- Life Assurance Scheme which is x4 basic salary
- 25 days annual leave per year + Public Holidays
- Holiday Purchase & Selling Scheme
- Hybrid Working Scheme (dependent on the role)
- Opportunities to study towards a fully funded Professional Qualification
- Ongoing personal / professional development
- Discounts on car leasing, holidays, cinema tickets, restaurants and much more through our online employee benefits portal
At Colas, our culture is guided by four core values: Respect, Commitment, Pioneering, and Sharing. These values shape how we work, collaborate, and grow together. We believe that respect is the foundation of every relationship. By treating others as we wish to be treated, we foster fairness, transparency, and inclusion within our teams and with our clients, communities, and partners. Commitment means dedicating ourselves fully to everything we do. We strive to create an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to make a meaningful impact. With a pioneering spirit, we prioritise bold innovation over blind ambition. We welcome new ideas, invest in our people, and work to deliver sustainable infrastructure solutions that shape the future. Through sharing, we build trust and solidarity, encouraging collaboration and growth at all levels of the business.
Colas Ltd is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that mirrors the communities we serve. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you want a workplace where your voice is valued and your potential is developed, Colas is the right choice.
Note to Recruitment Agencies
In line with our Company Policy, Colas Ltd has a preference for direct hiring and we will reach out to our PSL (Preferred Suppliers List) agencies if the role is eligible for release. We do not accept speculative CVs from agencies. If a speculative CV is sent, no fee will be applicable.