Full Job Description
About the Job.
The Planning Lead supports the Director, Trades Planning by owning day-to-day coordination and execution of two critical planning functions: (1) Inflight Scope Management for all Trades scopes and (2) the coordination and facilitation of core Preconstruction meetings and planning rhythms. This role ensures scope changes are captured, quantified, priced, and handed off with disciplined documentation, and that planning meetings are run with clear inputs, outputs, and accountability—so projects remain commercially aligned and operationally ready .The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, highly organized, comfortable managing by influence, and experienced in construction change management, Precon coordination, and documentation workflows.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
Inflight Scope Management
Own the execution of change management workflows for Trades scopes supporting the Director, the VP and SMEs, including:
Change Order Intake & Tracking
Receive, log, and track all Trades-related change inputs (RFI, ASI, GC requests, design clarifications impacting scope)
Maintain a complete CO log and status dashboard (request date, scope category, owner, due date, pricing status, submission status, approval status)
Scope Definition & Documentation
Coordinate with SMEs and field leadership to define scope impacts clearly (labor, materials, equipment, schedule, sequencing)
Ensure scope narratives are complete and consistent with contract language and SOW/SOV structure
QTO / Quantification Coordination
Own the process to obtain accurate QTOs for change orders, including coordination with offshore/remote estimating support (e.g., Precon India)
Validate that QTOs align with drawings/revisions and match the change directive; flag gaps and drive corrections
Pricing Coordination (Labor + Materials)
Coordinate CO pricing development with SMEs, procurement/materials, and labor partners
Ensure pricing packages include required backup (takeoffs, assumptions, vendor quotes, labor rates/production assumptions where relevant).
Internal Review & Approval Workflow
Facilitate internal review cycles to ensure the CO package is complete before submission (SME verification, VP review where required)
Manage version control and documentation discipline (avoid 9shadow spreadsheets9 and mismatched assumptions)
Handoff to Project Controls
Assemble and hand off complete CO packages to Project Controls (final pricing, narratives, QTOs, exhibits, correspondence) per required format
Track submissions through approval and ensure final approved values are incorporated into controls systems
Risk & Exposure Visibility
Provide weekly reporting to Director (and others as needed) on CO aging, exposure, disputes, and high-risk items
Escalate stuck items with recommended actions and decision needs
Preconstruction Meeting Coordination
Own the planning cadence logistics and outputs for key precon meetings impacting Trades scopes, including:
Precon Cadence Ownership
Build and manage the recurring preconstruction meeting schedule for Trades involvement (standing meetings and project-specific sessions)
Coordinate attendee lists and ensure the right stakeholders are present (GC/Trades Precon, estimating, DfX, OSC, SMEs, Supply Chain, GC Project team, etc.
Agenda, Inputs, and Pre-Read Discipline
Publish agendas with clear objectives, required inputs, and decision points
Ensure pre-reads are distributed on time (bid tabs, draft SOW/SOV, QTO assumptions, takt inputs, scope clarifications)
Facilitation Support & Action Tracking
Facilitate meetings as assigned (or support the Director as facilitator) to keep discussions structured and decision-oriented
Capture notes, decisions, and action items with owners and due dates; maintain a single source of truth action log
Meeting Outputs
Ensure each meeting produces tangible outputs:
Confirmed assumptions and scope boundaries
Updated risk/constraint list
Decisions logged (e.g., alternates, inclusions/exclusions, sequencing impacts)
Next-step deliverables (who produces what by when)
Distribute minutes and action logs within the agreed SLA (e.g., within 24 hours)
Trade Scope Readiness Alignment
Coordinate follow-ups required to complete contract package inputs: SOW/SOV validation, QTO finalization, bid tab completeness, vendor qualification support
Stakeholder Coordination
Serve as a point of coordination between Director Trades Planning, VP Trades, SMEs, and GC/Trades precon teams
Maintain strong working relationships with estimating support and internal functional teams (Procurement/Materials, Project Controls)
Non-essential Functions & Responsibilities
Support special projects related to planning process improvement (templates, dashboards, documentation standards
Assist with onboarding and training of new planning coordinators or junior planning resources
Education, Work Experience, & Physical Requirements
Bachelor9s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
5+ years in construction planning, estimating coordination, project engineering, project controls, or change management (multifamily preferred)
Strong familiarity with change order workflows, QTO/QTQ fundamentals, and documentation discipline
Proficiency with Procore (or similar), Excel/Sheets, and scheduling/planning tools
Strong communication and coordination skills; able to manage by influence across multiple stakeholders
Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
Occasional travel to project sites and meetings as needed