The successful candidate will serve as a subject matter expert for project scheduling, working independently to develop and maintain realistic project schedules, integrate contractor schedules, monitor project performance, identify schedule risks, and recommend mitigation or recovery strategies. They should be highly proficient in P6 and comfortable developing schedules from the ground up, integrating contractor schedules, analyzing critical-path and performance issues, forecasting completion, and developing mitigation or recovery plans.

Planner/Scheduler IV – Major Capital Projects

Location: Duluth, MN or Edina, MN
Experience Level: Senior / Expert
Schedule: Full-Time

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Planner/Scheduler IV to support large, complex capital projects with multiyear durations. This is a senior-level scheduling position requiring extensive hands-on expertise with Primavera P6 and a strong background in project planning, scheduling, schedule analysis, and project controls.

The successful candidate will serve as a subject matter expert for project scheduling, working independently to develop and maintain realistic project schedules, integrate contractor schedules, monitor project performance, identify schedule risks, and recommend mitigation or recovery strategies.

This role is well suited for an experienced scheduler who understands not only how to build and update a schedule, but also how to analyze it, challenge it, and communicate what it means to project leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed, realistic project plans and schedules aligned with overall project objectives, milestones, and completion targets.
• Serve as an expert user of Primavera P6 and provide scheduling expertise and best-practice recommendations to project teams.
• Ensure established project planning and scheduling procedures, standards, and systems are consistently followed.
• Develop and maintain appropriate Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), coding structures, resource loading, and schedule logic.
• Implement and support Earned Value Management (EVM) practices.
• Monitor and accurately report Schedule Performance Index (SPI) and Earned Value curves.
• Coordinate regular schedule updates using actual project progress and forecast remaining durations, milestones, and completion dates.
• Review contractor schedules and ensure contractor planning and scheduling activities are properly integrated into the overall project schedule and comply with project standards and contractual requirements.
• Analyze schedule performance to identify potential delays, constraints, critical-path issues, and other risks to project execution.
• Apply practical field and construction knowledge to identify scheduling challenges and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Develop recovery schedules when projects experience delays or performance challenges.
• Perform what-if schedule analysis to evaluate alternative execution strategies and assess the potential impact of project events or changes.
• Proactively communicate schedule status, risks, impacts, and recommended mitigation plans to Project Managers, Construction Managers, and Project Controls leadership.
• Manage multiple priorities and complex scheduling assignments with minimal supervision.
• Provide guidance and scheduling expertise to project teams as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Postsecondary education in Engineering, Construction, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in project planning and scheduling.
• Expert-level proficiency with Primavera P6.
• Demonstrated experience developing, maintaining, analyzing, and forecasting complex project schedules.
• Strong understanding of WBS development, schedule coding, resource integration, critical-path scheduling, and schedule performance measurement.
• Experience with Earned Value Management (EVM) and schedule performance metrics.
• Experience reviewing and integrating contractor schedules.
• Demonstrated ability to identify schedule risks and develop mitigation and recovery strategies.
• Experience conducting schedule impact and what-if analyses.
• Ability to work independently and solve complex project scheduling problems with minimal supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to clearly communicate schedule risks and recommendations to project and construction leadership.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively in a fast-paced project environment.

Software & Technical Skills

Strong proficiency with:

• Primavera P6
• Power BI
• EcoSys
• Microsoft Office

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Significant experience supporting large, multiyear capital projects.
• Strong construction or field-project experience that can be applied to schedule development and analysis.
• Experience working within an integrated Project Controls environment.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a scheduling subject matter expert and recommend project planning and scheduling best practices.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a seasoned Planner/Scheduler who can take ownership of complex project schedules rather than simply perform routine schedule updates. They should be highly proficient in P6 and comfortable developing schedules from the ground up, integrating contractor schedules, analyzing critical-path and performance issues, forecasting completion, and developing mitigation or recovery plans.

This position requires someone who can look beyond the dates in P6, understand what's actually happening in the field, identify where a project is at risk, and clearly communicate that information to project leadership.