Cingula is a specialist consultancy revolutionising the delivery of water infrastructure in the UK. We are growing and we are looking for exceptional people at every stage of their career to grow with us. These are not roles where you sit still. Every position at Cingula is a launchpad, we expect our people to develop rapidly, take on more responsibility, and progress to the next level within one to two years. If you are looking for a quiet role where you can coast, this is not the place for you. If you want to be challenged, developed, and rewarded for your ambition, read on.

Current Vacancies

Apprentice Planner

  • Starting at £18,000 - £22,000

    Location: Midlands

    Level: Entry level

    Expected progression: Assistant Planner upon completion of apprenticeship

  • This is where your career in planning and project controls begins. As an Apprentice Planner at Cingula you will be learning from experienced professionals on live water infrastructure programmes, gaining hands-on exposure to the tools, techniques, and disciplines that underpin successful project delivery. This is a structured apprenticeship combining on-the-job learning with formal qualifications, designed to give you the foundations you need to build a genuinely rewarding career in one of the UK's most critical sectors.

    We will invest in you. In return we expect commitment, curiosity, and the ambition to grow.

  • From the outset you will be working alongside our planning and project controls team on real programmes, not making coffee or filing paperwork. Your day-to-day will include:

    • Supporting the development and maintenance of project schedules under the guidance of experienced planners

    • Learning to use industry-standard planning software including Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project

    • Assisting with the preparation of progress reports and programme updates

    • Supporting the maintenance of risk registers and early warning logs

    • Attending project meetings and learning how planning interfaces with commercial, engineering, and client teams

    • Developing your understanding of NEC4 contracts and how they govern programme management

    • Completing your apprenticeship qualification alongside your practical work

    • A genuine interest in construction, engineering, or infrastructure

    • Strong attention to detail and numerical ability

    • Excellent communication skills, written and verbal

    • Ambition and a desire to develop quickly

    • Someone who asks questions, takes initiative, and does not wait to be told what to do

    • Structured apprenticeship programme with formal qualifications

    • Hands-on experience from day one on live water infrastructure programmes

    • Mentoring from senior planning professionals

    • Clear progression pathway to Assistant Planner

    • A culture that rewards ambition and hard work

    • The opportunity to be part of a consultancy that is genuinely changing how the water industry delivers

  • This role is a stepping stone, and we are completely transparent about that. We do not want apprentices who are happy to stay apprentices. We want people who are hungry to learn, develop, and move up. If you do not have the ambition to progress to Assistant Planner within two years, this role probably is not right for you. If you do, there is no better place to start your career.

Apply Now

Graduate Planner/Assistant Planner

  • Salary: £30,000 - £45,000 dependent on experience and level

    Location: Midlands - hybrid working

    Level: Graduate/Assistant

    Expected progression: Planner within 12 to 24 months

  • Whether you are stepping into the profession for the first time with a relevant degree or you have one to three years of experience already under your belt, this role is designed for people who are serious about building a career in planning and project controls. At Cingula you will not be sitting on the periphery of a large team waiting for someone to give you something to do. You will be working on live water infrastructure programmes, developing your technical skills rapidly, and taking on real responsibility from the outset.

    We have combined the Graduate and Assistant Planner levels into a single role because we know that experience varies. What does not vary is what we expect from the people in it, ambition, commitment, and a genuine desire to become exceptional at what they do. Salary and responsibility will reflect your starting point, but the destination is the same for everyone in this role: Planner level within 12 to 24 months.

  • Depending on your level of experience your day-to-day will develop progressively, but will include:

    • Supporting and then independently developing and maintaining project schedules using Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project

    • Conducting variance analysis and contributing to programme performance reporting for client teams

    • Supporting the administration of NEC4 programme obligations including programme submissions and early warning logs

    • Assisting with and progressing towards independently assessing time impacts for compensation events

    • Maintaining risk registers and supporting quantitative risk analysis activities

    • Attending and contributing to client and project team meetings

    • Developing your understanding of how planning and project controls interfaces with commercial and delivery management

    • Supporting senior team members on complex programme challenges and beginning to take ownership of defined workstreams

    • Contributing to the mentoring and support of Apprentices where relevant

    • Working towards professional chartership with full support from the business

    • We are recruiting at two points within this role:

      Graduate entry - You have a degree in engineering, construction management, project management, quantity surveying, or a related discipline. You may have limited work experience but you have the academic foundation, the analytical ability, and the drive to develop quickly in a demanding professional environment.

      Assistant level entry - You have experience working in the construction or infrastructure sector in any capacity, ideally within water, utilities, or civil engineering. Experience with Primavera P6 is advantageous but not essential. You are motivated to build a career in planning and ready to learn with support from experienced professionals.

    • Across both levels we are looking for:

      • Strong analytical and numerical ability

      • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

      • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel

      • A proactive, self-starting approach — someone who identifies what needs doing and does it

      • The ambition and hunger to progress to Planner level within two years

      • Genuine interest in water infrastructure and the challenges facing the sector

      • Willingness to work towards professional chartership — APM PMQ or equivalent

    • Salary of £30,000 to £45,000 dependent on experience and starting level, reviewed on progression

    • Structured development programme tailored to your starting point and career goals

    • Full support towards professional qualifications - APM PMQ or equivalent

    • Mentoring and day-to-day guidance from experienced Senior Planners and Directors

    • Hybrid and flexible working from the Midlands

    • A clear, defined progression pathway to Planner within 12 to 24 months - not a vague promise but a genuine expectation

    • Hands-on exposure to complex, high-value water infrastructure programmes from day one

    • The opportunity to join a consultancy at an exciting stage of its growth and help shape how it operates

  • We are not looking for people who want a job. We are looking for people who want a career and who understand that the difference between the two is the effort and ambition you bring every single day. The water industry is undergoing a period of transformation and investment unlike anything it has seen before. Cingula is at the forefront of that. If you want to be part of something that matters, that challenges you, and that rewards you for being genuinely good at what you do, we want to hear from you. If you are looking for somewhere to settle in and stay comfortable, this is not the right place and we would rather be honest about that now.

Apply Now

Planner

  • Salary: £45,000 - £65,000 dependent on experience

    Location: Midlands - hybrid working Level: Mid-level

    Expected progression: Senior Planner within 12 to 24 months

  • You are a competent, confident planning professional with real delivery experience. You can own a schedule, manage a client relationship, and operate independently on a complex programme. At Cingula, the Planner role is where you move from being supported to being the one who supports, leading planning workstreams, mentoring junior colleagues, and taking genuine ownership of programme controls on live water infrastructure schemes.

    This is a high-impact role in a growing consultancy. The best Planners at Cingula will be Senior Planners within two years. That is not a vague aspiration, it is our expectation.

    • Leading the development and maintenance of complex project schedules in Primavera P6

    • Owning variance analysis and delivering programme performance reporting directly to client stakeholders

    • Managing NEC4 programme obligations independently including programme submissions, acceptance, and early warning management

    • Assessing and preparing time impact analyses for compensation events

    • Leading risk workshops and maintaining programme risk registers

    • Beginning to take a lead role in delay analysis where required

    • Mentoring and supporting Assistant Planners and Graduates within the team

    • Contributing to business development activity including proposal preparation and client relationship management

    • Supporting the development of Cingula's planning standards, tools, and methodologies

    • Three or more years of experience in planning and project controls within water, utilities, or civil engineering

    • Strong Primavera P6 capability, you can build, maintain, and interrogate complex schedules independently

    • Solid understanding of NEC4 programme management and compensation event administration

    • Experience of client-facing reporting and stakeholder communication

    • Ability to manage your own workload and deliver to deadlines without close supervision

    • Beginning to develop commercial awareness and an understanding of the wider project environment

    • Qualified or working towards APM PMQ or equivalent

    • The ambition and capability to step into a Senior Planner role within two years

    • Salary of £50,000 to £65,000 dependent on experience

    • Direct client exposure and programme ownership from day one

    • Support towards and recognition of professional chartership

    • Flexible and hybrid working from the Midlands

    • A genuine meritocracy with clear progression to Senior Planner within 12 to 24 months

    • The opportunity to help build and shape a consultancy at an exciting stage of its growth

    • Involvement in business development and the commercial side of consultancy life

  • We are looking for Planners who are ready to own their work completely. That means being the person the client calls, being the one who spots the issue before it becomes a problem, and being the one who drives the solution. If you are used to waiting for direction and working within a rigid structure, this role will challenge you. If you thrive with autonomy, responsibility, and the opportunity to make a real difference, you will love it here.

Apply Now

Senior Planner

  • Salary: £65,000 - £80,000 dependent on experience

    Location: Midlands - hybrid working

    Level: Senior

    Expected progression: Lead Planner / Planning Manager within 24 months

  • You are an experienced planning professional with a track record of delivering on complex, high-value infrastructure programmes. You are recognised by clients and colleagues as someone who adds genuine value, not just technically but strategically. At Cingula, the Senior Planner is a cornerstone of our delivery capability and a key figure in our client relationships.

    This is a senior role with real weight. You will be leading planning on significant water sector programmes, developing junior team members, contributing to the growth of the business, and helping define what excellent planning looks like at Cingula. The best Senior Planners will progress to Lead Planner or Planning Manager level within two years as the business scales.

    • Leading planning and project controls on complex, multi-workstream water infrastructure programmes

    • Acting as the primary planning interface with senior client stakeholders and programme directors

    • Developing and owning baseline schedules, variance analysis frameworks, and performance reporting suites for major programmes

    • Leading NEC4 programme management including managing programme acceptance processes and compensation event time assessments at programme level

    • Conducting and leading forensic delay analysis using recognised methodologies including time impact analysis and windows analysis

    • Leading quantitative risk analysis and advising on programme contingency and float management

    • Providing technical leadership and mentoring to Planners, Assistant Planners, and Graduates within the team

    • Contributing actively to business development including client relationship management, bid writing, and proposal development

    • Developing and owning Cingula's planning standards, procedures, and quality frameworks

    • Representing Cingula at senior client and industry forums

    • Five or more years of experience in planning and project controls, with significant experience in the water sector or wider regulated infrastructure

    • Expert level Primavera P6 capability, you can do things in P6 that others cannot

    • Deep understanding of NEC4 programme management, compensation event administration, and delay analysis

    • A proven track record of delivering on complex programmes and managing senior client relationships

    • Strong commercial acumen and the ability to understand the wider business context of the programmes you work on

    • Experience of delay analysis and dispute avoidance in a contractual environment

    • APM PMQ , or equivalent strongly preferred

    • The drive and capability to move into a leadership role as Cingula grows

    • Someone who takes pride in their work, holds themselves and others to a high standard, and genuinely wants to help build something exceptional

    • Salary of £65,000 to £80,000 dependent on experience

    • A senior, high-impact role with genuine influence over how Cingula operates and grows

    • Direct involvement in business development and client relationship management

    • Flexible and hybrid working from the Midlands

    • A clear pathway to Lead Planner or Planning Manager as the business scales

    • The opportunity to shape planning standards and ways of working across the consultancy

    • Recognition and reward for exceptional performance

    • The chance to be a founding senior member of a consultancy that is revolutionising water sector delivery

  • We will be direct. We are only interested in Senior Planners who are genuinely exceptional. Not people who have the years of experience and the CV but who stopped developing five years ago. We want Senior Planners who are still hungry, who read the industry, who challenge their own thinking, who want to be the best in the sector at what they do. If that sounds like you, and if the idea of helping build something genuinely new and impactful in the water industry excites you, we would love to hear from you. If you are looking for a comfortable senior role where you can manage the status quo, we are probably not the right fit.

Apply Now

PAYE, Inside or Outside IR35

All roles at Cingula are available on a permanent employed basis or as a consultancy engagement, either inside or outside IR35 depending on the nature of the assignment and your circumstances. We understand that experienced professionals in our sector work in different ways and we are happy to accommodate the right arrangement for the right person. If you are interested in any of our roles on a contract or consultancy basis, please mention this in your application or get in touch directly at info@cingula.com to discuss your options.

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