Skip to main content

Project Planner CV Example

A project planner CV should highlight your expertise in developing detailed project schedules, managing critical paths, and providing accurate progress reports that enable informed project decisions.

Recommended template: Sleek

Open in Reader

Key Skills to Include

Project Scheduling (Primavera P6, MS Project)Critical Path AnalysisEarned Value ManagementResource LoadingBaseline ManagementProgress ReportingRisk Schedule AnalysisGantt Chart Development

Quick Tips

  • Specify the planning tools you are proficient in, as Primavera P6 and MS Project are highly sought after.
  • Highlight the size and complexity of programmes you have planned for.
  • Demonstrate your ability to maintain schedule integrity and identify critical path impacts.
  • Include examples of how your planning contributed to successful project delivery.

Ready to build your CV?

Start with the Sleek template and customise it for your business operations role.

How to Write Your Project Planner CV

A project planner CV should demonstrate your technical mastery of scheduling tools and your ability to produce planning outputs that drive project success. Employers want to see that you can build robust schedules, maintain baseline integrity, and identify critical path issues before they become problems. Your CV should position you as a specialist whose planning expertise directly contributes to on-time, on-budget project delivery.

CV Structure

Use a reverse-chronological format with a strong technical profile. For each role, describe the programme type, value, and complexity before listing your planning responsibilities and achievements. Include specific references to tools used, schedule sizes, and reporting outputs. Dedicate a section to your planning certifications and tool proficiencies.

CV Format

Choose a clean, professional template that prioritises readability. Planning professionals are judged on accuracy and structure, so your CV should reflect these qualities. Use consistent formatting throughout and ensure your tool proficiencies and certifications are immediately visible.

CV Profile Examples

Senior Project Planner

Experienced project planner with ten years of expertise in Primavera P6 and MS Project, delivering planning services for major infrastructure and construction programmes valued up to £500M. Specialist in critical path analysis, earned value management, and resource-loaded scheduling. Known for producing planning outputs that enable informed decision-making and contribute directly to on-time project delivery.

Project Planner — Defence

Detail-oriented project planner with seven years of experience in the defence sector, developing and maintaining integrated master schedules for complex systems engineering programmes. Proficient in Primavera P6, MS Project, and schedule risk analysis tools. Holds APM Planning and Scheduling qualification with security clearance for work on classified programmes.

Junior Project Planner

Methodical project planner with two years of experience supporting the planning function on rail infrastructure projects. Skilled in building programme schedules in Primavera P6, tracking progress through site data collection, and producing monthly schedule reports. Studying towards the APM Planning and Scheduling qualification while developing expertise in earned value management.

Open with your primary planning tools, years of experience, and the scale of programmes you have planned for. Mention your specialism — infrastructure, defence, IT — and include one metric that demonstrates the impact of your planning work.

Key Skills for Your Project Planner CV

Project Scheduling (Primavera P6, MS Project)

Building and maintaining detailed project schedules using industry-standard planning software.

Critical Path Analysis

Identifying the longest sequence of dependent activities to determine the minimum project duration and key milestones.

Earned Value Management

Measuring project performance by integrating scope, schedule, and cost data to produce SPI and CPI metrics.

Resource Loading

Assigning labour, plant, and material resources to schedule activities to identify overallocations and support capacity planning.

Baseline Management

Establishing and maintaining schedule baselines with formal change control to track deviations and measure performance.

Progress Reporting

Collecting actual progress data and producing reports that compare performance against planned milestones and baselines.

Risk Schedule Analysis

Using quantitative techniques such as Monte Carlo simulation to assess schedule uncertainty and inform contingency planning.

Gantt Chart Development

Creating clear, readable Gantt charts that communicate schedule information to project teams and stakeholders.

What-If Scenario Analysis

Modelling alternative schedule scenarios to assess the impact of changes, delays, or acceleration on project outcomes.

Work Experience Examples

For each role, describe the programme, its value, and the complexity of the schedule you managed. Include activity counts, tool usage, and specific planning techniques applied. Quantify your impact with examples of critical path issues identified, schedule accuracy maintained, or reporting improvements delivered.

Senior Project Planner

Atherton Infrastructure Ltd

Led the planning function for a £180M highways improvement programme, managing the integrated programme schedule and reporting to the programme director and client delivery team.

Responsibilities

  • Developed and maintained the integrated programme schedule in Primavera P6 with over 8,000 activities across design, procurement, and construction phases.
  • Conducted critical path analysis and programme-level what-if scenarios to assess the impact of changes and delays on key milestones.
  • Implemented earned value management reporting, producing monthly SPI and CPI analyses for the programme board.
  • Managed baseline schedules and formal change control, ensuring all amendments were documented and approved.
  • Collected progress data from site teams and subcontractors, updating the schedule and producing four-week look-ahead reports.

Achievements

  • Identified a critical path conflict three months in advance that would have delayed the programme by eight weeks, enabling the team to implement a recovery plan on time.
  • Introduced an earned value dashboard that provided the programme board with real-time visibility of cost and schedule performance, reducing reporting lag from ten days to two.
  • Maintained schedule accuracy within 3% variance against baseline across a 30-month programme, contributing to on-time completion.

Project Planner

Fenwick Rail Solutions

Developed and maintained project schedules for a portfolio of rail signalling and electrification projects, working with project managers and site teams.

Responsibilities

  • Built project schedules in Primavera P6 from work breakdown structures provided by project managers, incorporating resource loading and logic links.
  • Collected weekly progress data from site engineers and updated schedules to reflect actual versus planned performance.
  • Produced monthly programme reports including Gantt charts, milestone trackers, and narrative schedule analysis.
  • Participated in schedule risk analysis workshops, providing input on duration estimates and identifying schedule vulnerabilities.

Achievements

  • Developed a standardised work breakdown structure template adopted across the rail division, reducing schedule build time by 30%.
  • Flagged a resource overallocation issue that was resolved by rescheduling non-critical activities, avoiding a £45,000 subcontractor delay claim.

Education & Qualifications

Lead with planning-specific certifications such as APM Planning and Scheduling, AACE Planning Professional, or Primavera P6 training. Follow with your degree and any broader project management qualifications such as PRINCE2 or APM PMQ.

APM Planning & Scheduling

The industry-standard qualification for project planners, covering scheduling techniques, tools, and best practice.

Primavera P6 Certification (Oracle)

Formal training in Oracle Primavera P6, the leading enterprise project scheduling tool.

AACE Certified Planning Professional

An international certification validating expertise in project planning and scheduling across industries.

PRINCE2 Foundation

A project management qualification that provides governance context for planning activities within structured project environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which planning tools should I highlight on my CV?
Primavera P6 and MS Project are the two most in-demand tools. Primavera is preferred for large-scale infrastructure, construction, and defence programmes, while MS Project is common in IT and corporate environments. List both if you are proficient, and specify your level of expertise. Employers often filter candidates by tool proficiency, so prominent placement is essential.
How do I demonstrate scheduling expertise on my CV?
Describe the complexity of schedules you have built — number of activities, phases covered, and integration with other schedules. Mention techniques you have applied such as critical path analysis, resource levelling, and earned value management. Include examples where your planning identified issues early or contributed directly to on-time delivery.
Is the APM Planning and Scheduling qualification worth getting?
Yes. It is the most widely recognised qualification specifically for project planners in the UK. It covers scheduling theory, techniques, and tools and is valued by employers across construction, infrastructure, and engineering sectors. The qualification demonstrates formal planning competence beyond just tool proficiency and is frequently listed as a requirement in planner job descriptions.
How do I show the impact of my planning work on my CV?
Connect your planning work to project outcomes. Describe instances where your critical path analysis prevented delays, your progress reporting enabled informed decisions, or your resource analysis avoided overallocations. Include schedule accuracy metrics, such as variance percentages against baseline, and any recognition you received for the quality of your planning outputs.

More Business Operations CV Examples

Builder Command Palette

Type a command or search...