Senior CAPEX Project Planner (7010)

Senior Capex Project Planner

Join a global market leader in the production and process support of active pharmaceutical ingredients across the chemical and biotechnology sectors. This 24-month contract role is based in the Valais area, Switzerland, with a hybrid working arrangement requiring four days on-site and one day from home.

The CAPEX Project Planner is responsible for developing, maintaining, and reporting integrated project schedules across the lifecycle of Capital Projects within the client’s global facilities and infrastructure portfolio. This role supports project teams by providing accurate planning, schedule analysis, forecasting, and reporting to ensure successful project execution and delivery.

Main Responsibilities

• Project Planning & Scheduling
  • Develop, maintain, and manage integrated project schedules throughout all project phases, from concept design through commissioning and start-up.
  • Create baseline schedules and schedule basis documentation for review and approval by project stakeholders.
  • Ensure project schedules reflect current scope, resources, milestones, and execution strategies.
  • Support resource planning and resource-loaded schedules where required.
• Schedule Monitoring & Analysis
  • Monitor project progress against approved baselines and identify schedule variances and deviations.
  • Perform critical path and near-critical path analysis to assess schedule impacts and potential risks.
  • Evaluate schedule performance and recommend mitigation and recovery plans where necessary.
  • Maintain accurate records of scope changes, trends, delays, and variances affecting project timelines.
• Reporting & Communication
  • Prepare and distribute regular schedule progress reports, dashboards, trend analyses, and schedule performance metrics.
  • Present schedule updates, critical issues, and recovery strategies to project teams and stakeholders.
  • Facilitate project scheduling workshops and interactive planning sessions.
  • Collaborate closely with Project Managers, Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning teams to ensure schedule alignment.
• Schedule Governance & Quality
  • Ensure the integrity, quality, and reliability of project scheduling data.
  • Conduct regular schedule reviews with project team members to validate progress and forecast completion dates.
  • Apply scheduling best practices, standards, and project control procedures across assigned projects.
  • Support continuous improvement initiatives related to project planning and scheduling processes.

Qualifications and Experience

• Relevant working/residency permit or Swiss/EU-Citizenship required.
• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent qualification in Engineering, Science, Construction Management, Project Management, or Business Management.
• 5-10 years of project planning and scheduling experience supporting large capital projects within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, chemical, engineering, or related industries.
• Demonstrated experience planning projects valued at CHF 20 million or greater, from design through commissioning and start-up.
• Experience working within an EPCM environment.
• Experience developing and managing integrated project schedules in complex, multidisciplinary project environments.
• Experience supporting mega-projects exceeding CHF 300 million (CAPEX).
• Client-side capital project experience.
• Experience within Pharma.
• Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Project.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency in PowerPoint and Word.
• Experience with schedule risk assessment, critical path analysis, and progress measurement methodologies.
• Understanding of project controls principles, including planning, forecasting, reporting, and change management.
• English business fluent required, German beginner level preferred.