Project Planner - Operational Readiness (Scheduler)

in Visp

General Information

• Start Date: ASAP
• Latest Start Date: 2nd of January / mid of January
• Duration: 12-month contract. Will be extended.
• Workplace: Visp (on-site minimum 3 days/week)
• Workload: 100%
• Department: Capital Projects

Job Summary:

Our client, a global leader in life sciences, is seeking an experienced Scheduler to own and manage end-to-end schedules for operational readiness programs. This role is critical for planning and tracking activities related to manufacturing building operations (PCP) and ensuring alignment across internal stakeholders such as QA, QC, Operations, MSAT, Plant Engineering, and support teams.

The position involves developing integrated schedules, managing resource workloads, and leading meetings to update and track progress. Beyond scheduling, you will support additional tasks related to operational readiness planning and execution.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and update E2E schedules for operational readiness programs, including workload and resource allocation for PCP operations
• Develop, monitor, and update integrated project plans and schedules so that project timelines reflect information from different workstreams and are logically connected
• Establish interface milestones with the CAPEX schedule to ensure deviations are captured and reflected in the Operational Readiness Plan (ORP) schedule
• Lead meetings with internal stakeholders (QA, QC, Ops, MSAT, Plant Engineering, support teams) for schedule updates and tracking
• Facilitate project scheduling meetings and interactive planning workshops
• Actively participate in risk meetings and support impact assessments
• Develop progress reporting systems and prepare schedule progress reports, trending charts, and schedule analysis (monthly/bimonthly)
• Resource (labor) schedule loading to represent workload required from internal and external teams
• Monitor schedule deviations, perform root cause analysis, and propose corrective actions
• Support the team in building realistic schedules and applying sound methodology, going into task-level detail when needed

Must Have:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant industry experience
• Full autonomy with Primavera P6 and strong Excel skills
• Excellent command of English (German is a plus)
• Open mindset, data-driven, curious, and detail-oriented
• Ability to lead meetings, challenge stakeholders constructively, and drive execution

Nice-to-Haves

• Knowledge of pharmaceutical operations/manufacturing and GMP
• Strong leadership and proactive approach
• Familiarity with project methodologies and ability to go into detailed scheduling at task level
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and managing ambiguity

Additional Skills

• Competency using Microsoft Project, Excel, Word, PowerPoint
• Strong analytical skills for large data sets and decision support
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to prioritize and execute tasks effectively