Scheduling & Permit Lead

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Scheduling & Permitting Lead to take ownership of end-to-end scheduling, planning, and permitting activity across operational workloads. This is a key leadership role responsible for ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient delivery across all works, while driving high standards, consistency, and continuous improvement within the scheduling function.

You will play a critical role in balancing operational demand, optimising resource allocation, and ensuring all activities are delivered right first time, in line with regulatory and contractual requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, support, and develop the scheduling and permitting team to ensure consistent, high-quality performance.
• Deliver accurate, compliant, and timely schedules aligned with operational capacity and delivery priorities.
• Allocate and adjust resources effectively to maximise productivity and reduce service disruption.
• Manage in-day issues, exceptions, and escalations to maintain operational continuity.
• Ensure all scheduling and permitting activity meets regulatory, contractual, and safety requirements with full audit compliance.
• Secure, manage, and monitor streetworks permits, including notices, extensions, and negotiations to minimise FPN and Section 74 exposure.
• Act as a key escalation point for operational and client scheduling queries.
• Collaborate closely with operational teams, clients, and stakeholders to support smooth delivery and resolve issues quickly.
• Maintain high-quality system data and use performance metrics to drive insight-led decision making.
• Produce and interpret reporting data to support performance tracking and continuous improvement.
• Coach and guide team members, sharing best practice to build capability and consistency.
• Identify risks and develop practical, compliant solutions to operational challenges.
• Support and contribute to process improvement and optimisation initiatives.

Essential:

• Proven experience in scheduling, planning, coordination, or works management within an operational environment
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage high-volume and changing workloads
• Confident user of scheduling or works management systems with strong IT capability
• Excellent communication skills across operational, client, and stakeholder levels
• Strong analytical ability with experience interpreting data and performance metrics
• Experience working in a regulated or compliance-driven environment
• Proactive, resilient, and solutions-focused mindset
• Good general education (GCSEs or equivalent)

Desirable:

• Experience in utilities, highways, transport, or infrastructure environments
• Knowledge of streetworks or utilities compliance frameworks
• Experience mentoring, coaching, or supporting colleagues
• Exposure to dashboards, MI reporting, or performance analytics
• Involvement in continuous improvement or process optimisation initiatives

If you are interested in this role please apply now and contact Luke Thompson for more information.