Planning Engineer – Dubai (Mandarin Speaking)

Guildhall is running a search for an international main contractor delivering infrastructure projects in the region, currently growing its Dubai team. This Planning Engineer will own the Primavera P6 schedule for live packages, track progress against baseline, and be the person site leadership turns to for an honest read on the critical path. The mandate is live and moving now, with an international project team that values clear reporting in English. It's a hands-on controls seat on one of the region's larger active infrastructure builds, not a back-office planning function.

The role

• Own the Primavera P6 schedule across live packages on a major infrastructure project
• Track progress against baseline, flag delays and update the critical path
• Produce weekly and monthly progress reports for management and site leadership
• Coordinate between the main contractor's site teams and international project partners on scheduling
• Support delay analysis, recovery planning and resource forecasting across the programme

What you'll bring

• 5+ years planning or scheduling experience on infrastructure or main contractor projects
• Hands-on Primavera P6 skills: building schedules, resource loading, updates, delay analysis
• Fluent in a second language relevant to the project's international team, plus clear working English
• UAE construction project experience, ideally on large civil or transport works
• Strong grasp of construction sequencing, critical path method and progress tracking

What's on offer

• A seat on a live, large-scale infrastructure project in Dubai
• Direct exposure to main contractor scheduling on a major GCC infrastructure mandate
• A role within a global EPC contractor's regional delivery team
• Salary set according to experience

Why apply through Guildhall

• Boutique executive search firm in Dubai, established 2010
• 8x independent industry awards since 2020
• 4.9-star Google rating from 250+ candidate and client reviews
• Direct access to the retained consultant running this search, in confidence

Hiring a Planning Engineer in Dubai

A Planning Engineer on a large infrastructure project in Dubai typically owns the Primavera P6 schedule for one or more work packages, reporting into a Project Controls Manager or Project Director. The role sits at the centre of progress reporting, delay tracking and cross-team coordination, making it a visible seat on any live main contractor project. On some international project teams, an additional language alongside strong English can be a useful skill. Demand for this profile tends to track live construction milestones rather than hiring cycles, so timing often depends on where a project sits in its programme.

Common questions

What does a Planning Engineer do in Dubai?

A Planning Engineer builds and maintains the project schedule, usually in Primavera P6, and tracks actual progress against the approved baseline. They report on milestones, the critical path and potential delays, and coordinate with construction, engineering and commercial teams to keep the programme accurate. On larger infrastructure projects, this often includes supporting delay analysis and recovery planning.

What experience do I need to apply?

Most employers look for around five years of planning or scheduling experience on construction or infrastructure projects, ideally with a main contractor. Strong hands-on Primavera P6 and Excel skills are expected, along with a solid understanding of construction sequencing and progress tracking. and for some roles, an additional language alongside English may be required.

How do I apply?

Apply directly through this page. A Guildhall consultant reviews every application confidentially and will contact suitable candidates to discuss the role in more detail.