Planning Engineer at alfanar – Riyadh
Overview of the Planning Engineer Role
alfanar published a Planning Engineer opportunity within its Building Systems sector in Riyadh on September 25, 2026. The role supports large-scale real estate development projects by preparing schedules, tracking progress, and producing reports across several projects running at the same time. The position works in coordination with site teams, project managers, and client planners to keep schedules accurate, usable, and reflective of actual execution. The role therefore combines engineering knowledge with organization, analysis, and ongoing communication.
The company page lists a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering as the required qualification and shows experience ranges in the experience section. Because more than one experience range appears on the page, applicants should refer to the official application form to determine which range applies to this vacancy or track. Do not assume that one number automatically replaces the other without official confirmation. The location shown in the posting is Riyadh, and applicants should review the application page for working hours and attendance requirements.
Developing the Baseline Schedule
One of the stated responsibilities is developing, building, and maintaining detailed project schedules using Primavera P6. The schedule may cover several phases, including civil, mechanical, electrical, finishing, mobilization, and handover activities. Good planning begins by breaking the project scope into clear activities, assigning a reasonable duration to each activity, linking activities through logical relationships and dependencies, and reviewing the sequence with the team before using it as a baseline for comparison.
A Work Breakdown Structure helps the team convert a large project into manageable units that can be monitored. The planner needs to ensure that activities cover the agreed scope, that activity names are understandable, and that responsibilities and dependencies do not leave gaps. Durations, assumptions, and waiting periods should also be reviewed because an error in schedule logic can make a completion date appear realistic on screen while being impractical on site.
After the schedule is prepared, the baseline needs to be reviewed and controlled. The posting refers to managing baseline changes and aligning approved versions with the execution strategy. This means the planner should not change the original baseline simply because a delay occurs or because of an informal request. Instead, approved change-control procedures should be followed and version history should be retained. This helps management understand the difference between the original plan, actual progress, and revised forecasts, as well as the reasons for any changes.
Progress Tracking and Reporting
The role includes collecting progress data from site teams, validating it, and updating the schedule weekly or every two weeks, as stated in the posting. Updates should not rely on unexplained percentages. The planner should gather available evidence and confirm that reported completion reflects work actually performed according to the agreed measurement method. Because progress measurement can differ from one activity to another, using a consistent method with the project manager and execution teams helps reduce conflicting figures.
After updating the data, the planner compares actual progress with the plan and prepares recurring reports showing variances and the status of scheduled activities. A good report should not stop at a red indicator or delay percentage. It should explain which activity is affected, what the known cause is, what the possible impact on downstream activities may be, and who is responsible for the required action. If there is not enough information, the report should say so rather than presenting an estimate as a confirmed fact.
Clear indicators help the team identify delays early. For example, a delay in material approval or access to a work area may affect later activities. The Planning Engineer’s role is to show that relationship in the schedule and coordinate with the team to understand possible alternatives while leaving execution decisions to the authorized parties. It is important to distinguish between scenario analysis and committing to a new delivery date, because changing a project milestone requires appropriate approval.
Coordination and Problem Solving
According to the description, the Planning Engineer works with site teams, project managers, and client planners. This requires requesting information at the right time, explaining how updates should be submitted, and following up on missing data clearly and professionally. When two parties disagree on the percentage of completion, the planner can refer back to the agreed measurement definition, documents, and available observations rather than relying on opinion alone. Professional communication helps make the schedule a shared project tool rather than a separate planning-department file.
The company also states that the employee is expected to resolve work-related issues and escalate complex operational matters. A useful approach is to define the issue, identify its source, assess the expected impact, and outline available options before escalating it to the decision-maker when it exceeds the planner’s authority. Escalation should not mean passing responsibility away without follow-up. It means informing the appropriate people early and documenting what requires a decision so that work is not delayed by an invisible dependency.
Priorities may also change when several projects are being managed at the same time. The planner therefore needs to organize deadlines and data, clearly identify the latest update for each project, and use consistent file and version naming. Maintaining a record of open observations and pending decisions is also important. Good organization reduces the risk of using an outdated schedule or creating conflicting updates, especially when several site teams and stakeholders are involved.
Quality, Safety and Improvement
The posting refers to quality requirements and compliance with safety, environmental, and related procedures and policies. The Planning Engineer does not replace quality or safety specialists, but supports the project by making required activities, approvals, and milestones visible in the plan and coordinating with the relevant teams when conflicts appear. Approved procedures should be treated as part of the execution method rather than as an administrative step added after the work is complete.
The page also refers to improving work procedures and identifying opportunities for automation. Improvement can begin with reducing manual data entry, standardizing reporting templates, or clarifying responsibility for updating each activity. Any automation should preserve data quality and confidentiality and should be approved by the appropriate authority. Simplifying a report should not remove information that the project manager needs to make an informed decision.
An effective Planning Engineer reviews the working method continuously: Are site updates received on time? Can the report be understood without a long explanation? Does the same issue repeat across several projects? These questions can help identify measurable improvements. It is often better to test a change on a small scale and compare the result before applying it more widely, while documenting the new procedure and training affected users if necessary.
Qualifications and Skills
The qualification listed for the role is a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. Skills mentioned include project planning, resource management, and risk assessment. Candidates should understand the relationships between activities, resources, and deadlines and be able to use project data to explain the impact of change. Knowledge of Primavera P6 is directly relevant because the posting specifically mentions its use for detailed scheduling. Applicants should describe their real level of proficiency and examples of schedules or reports they have prepared.
In your CV, connect your experience to practical results that you can explain. You may mention the number of projects you supported if disclosure is allowed, the type of schedules you developed, how often progress was updated, and how your reporting helped the team identify risks or delays. Do not claim that you managed an entire budget or team if your role was limited to schedule preparation. Accurate descriptions of responsibility strengthen credibility and make it easier to answer detailed interview questions.
Communication and teamwork are also important alongside technical skills. A schedule is only useful if reliable site information can be collected and the right information reaches the people who need it. Explain how you handled missing data, how you verified updates, and how you followed agreed actions. If you do not have direct experience in a particular project area, explain what you do know and what you still need to learn rather than exaggerating your experience.
Application and Preparation Steps
Before applying, open alfanar’s official careers page and confirm that the vacancy is still available and review the qualification and experience requirements. Prepare an updated CV, your university qualification, and any information requested in the application form. Present your planning experience in clear chronological order and use accurate job titles and tool names. If you know Primavera P6 or a similar system, explain how you used it and at what level, and distinguish between theoretical knowledge and practical experience.
Write a short application summary explaining why your background fits the role: your civil-engineering background, scheduling and progress-tracking experience, and ability to coordinate with several teams. Avoid generic claims such as “I work well under pressure” without an example. Instead, describe a situation where you tracked a variance or resolved a data gap while protecting confidential information from a previous employer.
During the interview, be prepared to explain how you build a schedule from a scope of work, how you sequence activities and dependencies, how you update progress, and how you analyze variance. The interviewer may ask you to explain a report or respond to a hypothetical delay scenario. Answer step by step and state the assumptions you are making. If you are asked to provide a revised completion date, explain what information you would need before giving a final estimate, because a realistic schedule depends on resources, approvals, and decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the position based? The posting lists Riyadh.
What qualification is required? A bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, according to the job page.
Is the experience requirement clear? The company page shows more than one experience range, so applicants should check the official application form to confirm which one applies to this vacancy.
Is Primavera P6 required? The posting states that it is used for detailed scheduling, so applicants should describe their experience with it accurately.
Is the role remote? The posting lists Riyadh and does not confirm remote work. Check the official application page or recruitment team for attendance arrangements.
Does applying guarantee acceptance? No. All applications are subject to alfanar’s recruitment and selection process.
Where can I apply? Use the official vacancy link below and review the current status and requirements before submitting your information.
Summary
The Planning Engineer role at alfanar is aimed at a civil-engineering professional who can build schedules, track progress, prepare reports, and coordinate across project teams. Success in the role depends on accurate data, a clear understanding of dependencies, effective communication, and compliance with quality and safety procedures. Review the official vacancy carefully, confirm the applicable experience range, and apply with a CV that accurately explains your real responsibilities and impact.
Apply through the official company page: View the Job Posting and Apply