Assistant Director, Project Planning & Scheduling

At Universal Creative, we design, develop and deliver the most compelling entertainment experiences imaginable to drive growth for Universal Parks & Resorts worldwide. Our innovative attractions, immersive theme parks and world-class resorts fuse art and technology to create new standards in the themed entertainment industry.

Our Team Members are the driving force behind Universal Creative. With their diverse skills and forward-thinking ideas, our team pushes us beyond the boundaries of what's possible to achieve the extraordinary. Together, we're creating a Universe of fun, always ensuring the next thing we do is better than the last thing we did.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Assistant Director, Project Planning & Scheduling is responsible for planning and scheduling for assigned projects including hotels, theme park, attractions, and other capital development projects. Leads in-house planners and schedulers within a project. Also responsible for the collection, integration and analyses of current project schedules, future projects and conceptual projects for the purpose of providing management input used to make decisions regarding future project selection and realistic estimated timelines.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for planning and scheduling for all stages and portions of sophisticated, highly integrated projects including hotels, theme park, attractions, and other capital development projects. These project schedules encompass all stages of development from project initiation stages through final commissioning. Works with multiple stakeholders or internal staff, contractors and vendors ensuring that they confirm the required project milestones and contain the appropriate accurate durations and logic relationships.

• Leads planning & scheduling Team Members, including determination of staffing requirements, performance evaluations, and feedback.

• Develops functional standards, guidelines, and templates. Serves as a trainer and helps develop project controls training materials. Establish scheduling procedures and templates to ensure effective support of project needs.

• Performs scheduling risk analysis studies, and detailed resource analysis to validate basis of schedule activity durations. Develops and maintains an activity duration database for historical purposes which can be used to create accurate projections for scope of work timelines. In conjunction with the data base, documents historical and project future unit production rates for key development and construction scopes.

• Adapts sophisticated Planning and Scheduling data to diverse stakeholders and audiences of varying levels. Provides regular reporting for monthly executive update documents. Leads and/or participates in weekly schedule meetings and communicates with the contractors, suppliers or vendors on schedule critical tasks. Evaluates the short-term look ahead schedules, critical paths, identifying any potential risks, and provides suggestions to mitigate or enhance the schedule. Communicates project plan and advises of schedule risks in design process. Develops and tracks break-out micro-project schedules for key sub-set activities.

• Evaluates acceleration alternatives to reduce overall critical path timelines, working with project estimating to evaluate cost benefit analysis for key acceleration activities and projections for additional crews. Address any schedule disputes in a timely manner with the ability to resolve them in a manner that minimizes both the schedule and financial impact.

• Oversee and assist in the development of the appropriate level of schedule detail for contracts/work packages, including durations and logic sequences and critical milestones Responsible for contract milestones development in the generation of project RFP packages. Ensure key milestones are identified and ensure they are coordinated with all project Vendor's contract milestones.

• Establishes "Baseline Schedules" and continues to review and monitor the various project schedule reporting (monthly reports, look ahead schedules, micro schedules etc.) to ensure that they are meeting the required contractual milestones. If needed assist in the development of alternative scheduling logic or work around plans to mitigate delays.

• Provides detailed plan and tracking for project permitting activities. Works with design team and permitting agencies to outline all required permits, durations for reviews, predecessors, and approval flow charts.

• Understand and actively participate in Environmental, Health & Safety responsibilities by following established UO policy, procedures, training and team member involvement activities.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Global travel may be required. Directly/Indirectly supervises 2+ Exempt and Non-Exempt team members; Indirectly supervises efforts of vendors assembled to support specific project-related tasks. Number and types of staff will vary dependent upon the project.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be fully versed in Primavera "P6" scheduling software and capable of building complex resource loaded baseline schedules.

• Thorough knowledge of planning techniques and scheduling software

• Able to work independently, meet deadlines and manage time effectively, and capable of independently producing conceptual level schedules with minimal supervision

• Knowledge of multiple disciplines, including architecture, engineering, production and construction management. Understands construction documents (e.g., drawings, specifications, schedules, contracts)

• Ability to provide leadership, guidance/mentoring to the planning & scheduling team

• Computer literate with multiple software applications (i.e., Word, Excel, Primavera and MS Project, AutoCAD systems, 3D design tools)

• Proven decision-making and relationship building ability and confident presenter who can adapt to their audience and communicate optimally, both in writing and verbally

• Ability to manage multiple tasks and personnel at the same time while working on a diverse number of projects. Able to interface with multiple contractors, sub-contractors and vendors in a positive manner in order to obtain their required contractual schedule deliverables.

• Skillsets and additional talents include:

• Strategic Planning, Budgeting, Forecasting, Conceptual Thinking, Analytical Thinking, Negotiation Skills, Presentations Skills, Time Management Skills

EDUCATION:

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Architecture, Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Business or an applicable field required.

EXPERIENCE:

10+ years' experience in master planning and scheduling or cost engineering required; 8+ years' experience in a theme park environment preferred; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Your talent, skills and experience will be rewarded with a competitive compensation package.

Universal is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Universal Orlando via-email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from Universal Orlando HR/Recruitment will be deemed the sole property of Universal Orlando. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Universal Orlando as a result of the referral or through other means.

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