About JC Virtual PMs
JC Virtual PMs (JC.VPMS LTD) is a UK-based virtual consultancy delivering project management, design management, BIM, information management and document control. We work with SMEs and other clients across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, bringing joined-up project, design and information management to projects that need more than a freelancer but less than a large consultancy. We are remote-first and growing.
About the role
This is a senior leadership role at JC Virtual PMs. As Associate Director – Planning & Project Controls you will lead our scheduling and project controls practice across our global markets, owning its standards, people and growth. You will report to the Managing Director, be the senior planning and controls adviser to our key clients, lead controls on flagship commissions, and contribute actively to business development and bid strategy. With the right mix of drive, care and accountability, this role is a clear pathway to Director level within JC Virtual PMs.
Key responsibilities
- Set the strategy, standards and service offer for planning, scheduling and project controls
- Act as senior adviser to clients on programme strategy, earned value, schedule risk and delay analysis
- Lead planning and controls on flagship commissions across the UK, Middle East, Asia and Africa
- Set scheduling standards (structure, coding, logic, baselining and change control) across Primavera P6, Asta Powerproject and MS Project
- Lead, develop and resource the planning team, from Associate Planner to Assistant Planner
- Shape our own project controls platform and reporting, including earned value and dashboards
- Identify and lead bids, framework applications and client pursuits for planning and controls services
- Collaborate with the Managing Director on resource planning, financial management and strategic growth
What we're looking for
Essential
- Demonstrable experience in a senior planning or project controls leadership role within a consultancy, client or contractor environment
- Expert in Primavera P6, with working knowledge of Asta Powerproject and MS Project
- Expert in earned value management (EVM), cost and schedule integration and reporting
- Excellent client management at Executive and Director level, and experience leading bids
- Right to work in the country where you will be based
Desirable
- Experience of quantitative schedule risk analysis and delay analysis
- Experience working across international markets — particularly the UK, Middle East, Asia or Africa
- Experience building and leading a planning team
- Professional membership or certification (APM, CIOB, RICS, AACE or PMI, e.g. AACE PSP or PMI-SP)
Experience levels are a guide, not a cut-off. If you are close and can show equivalent experience, please apply.
How we work
- Remote-first: you work from your home base, with occasional client meetings or site visits when a project needs them.
- Our clients and teams span the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, so we agree working hours that overlap with each project's time zones.
- We work in Microsoft 365 (Teams, SharePoint and Outlook) and our own project controls and HR platforms for timesheets, reporting, leave and expenses.
- This role is open as an associate on a day rate or on an employed basis, full-time or part-time. Tell us which suits you.
- We resource against confirmed client commissions, so start dates follow project mobilisation. We will be open about timing from our first conversation.
What we offer
- Remote, flexible working, full-time or part-time
- Competitive salary or associate day rate, benchmarked to your location and experience. We will discuss pay with you before your interview
- Professional membership fees covered for employed team members
- Exposure to a diverse portfolio of UK and international projects
- A clear career path, with Director as your next step
- A supportive, collaborative team with a focus on professional growth
- The chance to help shape and grow a forward-thinking virtual consultancy
Our hiring process
- Apply online with your CV. We will ask where you would be based, whether you have the right to work there, and a few short questions about your experience.
- Review: our team reviews every application against the role's requirements, and you can follow progress on your application status page.
- Interview: one or two video interviews on Microsoft Teams, booked at a time that suits your time zone. For this role, one conversation includes a discussion of a project or team you have led.
- Offer: we confirm the offer in writing for you to sign electronically, then complete references and right-to-work checks before you start.
If there is no suitable commission straight away, we may keep your details on our active file for up to 12 months so we can contact you when one comes up, and we may invite you to our free remote training sessions (we ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement first). You can ask us to update or remove your details at any time from your application status page or by emailing projects@jcvirtualpm.co.uk.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. If you need any adjustments to apply or interview, just tell us. We do not ask about your pay history.
Working with JC Virtual PMs
- Remote-first with occasional client visits; we work across UK, Gulf and West Africa time zones.
- Senior, hands-on work with recognised frameworks — ISO 19650, NEC, RIBA Plan of Work, FIDIC, CDM 2015.
- CPD time and budget, professional memberships paid, and a structured review cycle.
- We welcome applications from everyone and will make reasonable adjustments at any stage — just tell us what you need.