Head – Project Planning

About Business:

Adani Group: Adani Group is a diversified organisation in India comprising 10 publicly traded companies. It has created a world class logistics and utility infrastructure portfolio that has a pan-India presence. Adani Group is headquartered in Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, India. Over the years, Adani Group has positioned itself to be the market leader in its logistics and energy businesses focusing on large scale infrastructure development in India with O & M practices benchmarked to global standards. With four IG rated businesses, it is the only Infrastructure Investment Grade issuer in India.

Adani Airports Holding Limited: Adani Airports Holding Limited is reshaping the aviation landscape, transforming airports into dynamic hubs of connectivity, innovation, and service excellence. By prioritizing passenger experience, leveraging state-of-the-art technology, and enhancing operational efficiency, we are redefining airport infrastructure across India. Our vision is to create world-class airports that serve as gateways to regional development and global connectivity, positioning Adani Airports as a leader in the aviation sector with a focus on sustainable growth and community impact.

Job Purpose: Head - Project Planning & Control is responsible for providing strategic leadership to ensure successful project planning, control, and timely execution of projects within the function. This role involves developing and overseeing a robust planning and control framework, managing integrated project schedules, controlling project costs, and ensuring alignment with overall project and organizational objectives.

Strategic Planning and Execution:

Lead the development and implementation of strategic planning and control frameworks for large projects, ensuring resource efficiency and risk mitigation.

Provides strategic leadership governance and oversight to the project management function.

Align project milestones with organizational goals, managing cost control and quality assurance.

Oversee the internal budgeting process, optimizing resource allocation to meet both timeline and financial benchmarks.

Provide inputs on project phasing to the master planning team.

Schedule Management:

Develop and maintain integrated project schedules using industry-standard tools (e.g., Primavera, MS Projects), ensuring coordination across Engineering, Procurement, and Construction phases.

Monitor critical paths and project milestones, identifying variances and implementing corrective actions to maintain on-schedule progress.

Control Management and Oversight:

Oversee change management processes, ensuring smooth execution of change requests while minimizing impacts on schedule and costs.

Monitor project progress, develop SOPs, identify deviations, and engage teams to ensure corrective actions are taken for on-time project delivery.

Work closely with CPAG to ensure alignment with project objectives and outcomes, incorporating best practices and compliance.

Project Portfolio Management:

Develop and implement robust project portfolio management processes, including project prioritization, evaluation, and alignment with organizational goals.

Ensure projects are delivered in line with established priorities and objectives.

Stakeholder Management:

Foster cross-functional collaboration between Techno-Commercial, Design, Contractors, and Operations teams.

Engage with external stakeholders, including the Ministry of Civil Aviation, statutory authorities, and AERA, to ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and project objectives.

Financial Oversight:

Provide strategic oversight of project financials, ensuring alignment with capital expenditure (CAPEX) targets and long-term financial planning.

Develop and enforce cost control frameworks to ensure project expenditures remain within budget.

Monitor cost performance against project financial benchmarks and initiate corrective actions to mitigate cost overruns.

Performance Monitoring and Reporting:

Develop and track key performance indicators to monitor project progress, quality, safety, and budgetary compliance effectively.

Ensure accurate and timely reporting of project status, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership, aiding in strategic decision-making.

Evaluate project performance metrics periodically, optimizing resource allocation and improving project outcomes as needed.

Establish SOPs for the PPC department to streamline processes and enhance efficiency.

Risk Management:

Develop and implement risk management strategies to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate potential project risks throughout the project lifecycle.

Establish comprehensive KPIs and reporting mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability in financial performance, project progress, and risk management.

Team Leadership and Development:

Establish a project management team focusing on PPC deliverables, internal initiatives and multiple Projects.

Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing project planning and control team, fostering collaboration, accountability, and innovation.

Promote a values-driven team culture focused on excellence, timely delivery, and client satisfaction.

Digital Mindset:

Lead the integration of advanced digital tools and technologies (e.g., Building Information Modeling (BIM), AI-driven project management platforms, Power BI) into the project planning and control processes to enhance data accuracy, predictive analytics, and decision-making capabilities.

Key Stakeholders - Internal:

Chief Executive Officer - CSD

Chief Executive Officer - Aero

Chief Executive Officer - Non Aero

Chief Project Officer

Chief Business Officers

Chief Airport Officers

Project Heads

Planning & Design Team

Construction & Engineering Teams

Techno Commercial Team

Compliance & Legal Departments

IT Systems Team

Finance Department

Key Stakeholders - External:

Airport Authorities

Government and Regulatory Bodies

Contractors and Suppliers

DGCA

External Consultants

Educational Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering or a related field (B.E/B.Tech).

Project Management Certification (PMP or equivalent).

Post-graduate degree in Project Planning/Management (NICMAR or equivalent) preferred.

Work Experience:

20+ years of comprehensive experience in Project Planning & Control, with at least 10 years in a leadership role managing large-scale construction projects.

Prior experience in Airport construction projects is highly preferred.