Planning Engineer

Who Are We? At Avanceon / Octopus Digital , we don’t just do automation, we lead the charge. As a multinational player with a presence in Dubai, Qatar, Saudi Arabia , and Pakistan , we've been providing cutting-edge control system integration, energy management, and automation solutions for over 24 years. Our clients include major blue-chip companies, and our work spans multiple industries. When it comes to tech, quality, and innovation, we don’t cut corners—we set the standard.

💼 Job Overview: Role Purpose The Planning Engineer – Resource & Cost Management plays a critical role in planning, optimizing, and controlling engineering resources and costs for the IX (Instrumentation, Controls & SCADA) function. The position focuses on resource capacity planning, resource loading, utilization reporting, project / SLA planning, and budget tracking across multiple projects, Service License agreements (SLAs) and supporting informed decision-making for leadership and project management teams. The role supports an engineering organization of approximately 100 engineers and acts as a single source of truth for resource availability, workload distribution, and manpower cost performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Resource Planning & Capacity Management (Primary Focus)
• Develop and maintain resource capacity models for IX engineering teams, considering skills, availability, leave, training, and non-project activities.
• Prepare resource loading plans aligned with project schedules, engineering deliverables, and forecasted workloads.
• Identify over-allocation, under-utilization, and skill constraints, and propose optimization or reallocation strategies.
• Provide short-, medium-, and long-term resource forecasts to IX leadership and PMT.
• Resource Utilization & Performance Reporting
• Prepare weekly and monthly resource utilization reports (planned vs actual) at individual, discipline, and departmental levels.
• Analyze timesheet and hours data to generate actionable insights on productivity, efficiency, and workload trends.
• Develop and maintain management dashboards highlighting utilization, forecast accuracy, and key risks.
• Provide data-driven inputs during IX, PMT, and management review meetings.
• Cost & Budget Control
• Support preparation of manpower cost budgets for projects based on approved resource plans and cost rates.
• Track actual vs planned engineering hours and costs, highlighting variances and potential overruns.
• Coordinate with Accounts and ERP teams to ensure accurate and timely hours and cost reporting.
• Planning & Schedule Integration (Supporting Role)
• Develop and maintain high-level engineering schedules using Primavera /ZOHO, aligned with resource plans
• Integrate engineering, procurement (RFQs, IRs, POs), FAT, iFAT, and T&C activities into planning views.
• Monitor key milestones and highlight schedule impacts caused by resource constraints.
• Support preparation of recovery plans in coordination with IX delivery leads.
• Coordination & Interface Management
• Work closely with Engineering Leads, PMT, Procurement, T&C, QA/QC, and SC to ensure alignment between resource plans and execution.
• Coordinate resource deployment for FAT, iFAT, testing, commissioning, and site activities.
• Track and follow up on critical action items arising from project and IX review meetings.
• Risk Management & Governance
• Identify resource- and cost-related risks impacting project delivery.
• Proactively flag high-risk areas and recommend mitigation actions.
• Maintain governance over IX KPIs, including utilization, forecast accuracy, and cost variance
• 7. Process Improvement & Automation
• Continuously improve planning, reporting, and data management processes.
• Enhance and automate Excel-based models, dashboards, and reporting tools.
• Support standardization of resource planning and reporting practices across IX sub-departments.
• Participate in RFG and continuous improvement initiatives with IX management and HR.
  
  

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong expertise in Excel (Pivot Tables, advanced formulas, data analysis, dashboards), MS Word and power-point
• Solid understanding of resource planning, capacity management, and utilization analysis.
• Good working knowledge of project budgeting and cost control.
• Experience with Primavera, MS Project and/or ZOHO for planning and reporting.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to convert data into management insights.
• Effective communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Organize and Maintain documentation record (Hard copies/ Online Portal).
• Prepare Document tracking sheet/ log sheet in excel.
• Prepare documentation as per client or Avanceon Format
• Good Written and verbal communication skills.
• Manage Multiple tasks and projects.
  
  

🎓 Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Instrumentation / Electrical / Electronics / Control Systems or related field)
• Project Planning or Project Controls certification is an added advantage
• 3-5 years of experience in project planning, scheduling, and control for engineering or EPC projects
• Hands-on experience with Primavera P6, MS Project
• ZOHO project scheduling and progress tracking (Optional)
• Experience coordinating engineering, procurement, testing & commissioning, and project management teams
• Exposure to Instrumentation, Controls, and SCADA (IX) projects across the project lifecycle
  
  

🤩 Benefits

• Competitive Salary & Benefits 💸
• Health & Life Insurance 🏥
• Easy Commute (Travel Benefits 🚗)
• A Chance to Work in a Growing, Dynamic Company 🌱
• Join a Motivated, Talented Team Who Knows How to Have Fun 🤩