Role search
Get a Planner / Scheduler who can own create structural heavy civil schedules.
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You choose from a short list of people who have done this before.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Interim Headhunters starts with the work behind this request: A planner or scheduler acts as the primary validator for your project roadmap. This hire is about managing the logic of work execution rather than just documenting dates.
This is what we do all day: place interim executives, interim managers and contract professionals.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
- No upfront fee
- 2 to 3 vetted consultants per assignment
- Matched to your industry
- You choose
- Interim plus permanent search
- Planner / Scheduler
The judgment call
What this hire really comes down to
A planner or scheduler acts as the primary validator for your project roadmap. This hire is about managing the logic of work execution rather than just documenting dates. You need someone who translates engineering designs or scope documents into a functional network diagram. They force team members to confront realistic durations and sequencing constraints.
The hire is about maintaining a defensible audit trail of your project progress. You need someone who records how the schedule shifts over time in response to site changes or material delays. This individual translates complex technical data into clear reports for project leadership. You are paying for a person who identifies potential bottlenecks before they arrive.
What we check
What we check before you see anyone
- We evaluate proficiency in structural scheduling software for heavy civil infrastructure. Applicants demonstrate skills creating global calendars, defining activity codes, and modeling intricate work breakdown structures from raw drawings. We inspect their process for assigning labor units, equipment productivity rates, and material costs to individual tasks. We reject resumes listing administrative coordination that lacks genuine technical modeling of multi-year construction sequences.
- We probe their command of critical path methodology inside complex industrial facilities. Candidates explain how they interpret negative float readings and resolve resource-driven bottlenecking. We ask them to identify orphaned activities within large database imports. They clarify how they present performance trends to site superintendents. We demand proof of their reporting transparency concerning real-world installation variances and site progress data.
- We verify their aptitude regarding forensic schedule reviews and forensic delay analysis. They describe how they prepare comprehensive impact statements for contract extensions. We ask them to discuss their approach for updating project files after unexpected site conditions. They demonstrate how they preserve clear audit trails during the entire delivery process. We ensure their methodology aligns with strict industry standards for forensic documentation.
- We examine their rigor in performing diagnostic health checks on high-density schedules. We look for expertise in purging invalid constraints, excessive lead-lag relationships, and broken logic chains. We ask how they reconcile physical field inspections against digital project projections. They show a deliberate method for ensuring data consistency. They define the specific distinction between static original plans and iterative monthly progress reporting.
Sourcing
Where we find them
Prioritize technicians who manipulate logic networks to accurately mirror physical construction progression rather than passive data entry operators. Successful practitioners synthesize engineering blueprints into logic-driven frameworks while demonstrating rigorous adherence to constraint-free modeling and systematic baseline integrity. They proactively audit activity relationships to detect illogical sequencing that obscures true project completion dates. Expect candidates who translate raw field observations into actionable narrative documentation that guides stakeholders through complex multi-year infrastructure delivery hurdles and regulatory compliance milestones throughout every construction phase without fail.
We target professionals accustomed to direct field engagement during complex construction life cycles. A technical scheduler gains satisfaction from establishing control in chaotic environments. They appreciate handling specific logic errors. We source individuals who manage various overlapping project phases. These experts prefer roles requiring immediate logic stabilization and onsite coordination with engineering teams to keep work sequences aligned with actual production outcomes.
Where searches go wrong
Mistakes we see
- Hiring managers often mistake a data entry clerk for a scheduler. A planner must understand logic, dependencies, and resources. Someone who simply updates dates based on field feedback without auditing the logic will misrepresent your project health.
- We see clients ignore the difference between a software user and a scheduler. Knowing the menu items in a scheduling application does not equate to knowing how to build a valid critical path. Technical comfort without domain knowledge results in broken networks.
- Some managers prioritize candidates with the longest tenure in a single firm. This often masks a lack of exposure to different project lifecycles. A scheduler who has only seen one type of contract or project phase may fail when faced with a new, complex baseline requirement.
The search
How the Planner / Scheduler search runs
- First, we define the technical scope of the project. We identify whether you need a baseline developer or someone to manage monthly updates and delay analysis. This stage prevents us from presenting specialists who lack the specific software or logic skills your project requires.
- Second, we interview the candidate to assess their logical approach. We require them to explain how they diagnose a broken critical path. We look for someone who shows an interest in the underlying dependencies rather than just the visual reporting. They must demonstrate how they communicate schedule volatility to non-technical stakeholders.
- Third, we facilitate a technical check of their past documentation. We look for clear, consistent narratives and accurate data tracking. We confirm that their methodology stands up to internal audits and external reviews. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Questions
What is the difference between a project planner and a scheduler?
A planner typically focuses on the high-level methodology, resource strategies, and overall project sequencing. A scheduler focuses on the detailed implementation and maintenance of the project schedule within software tools.
Do I need a scheduler who specializes in a specific software?
Yes. While the concepts of CPM scheduling remain the same, the data architecture and manipulation techniques differ significantly between Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project. You should align the hire with your existing project system.
How do you verify if a candidate can handle delay analysis?
We ask them to provide redacted examples of time impact narratives they have authored. We verify their process for quantifying schedule slippage against the original baseline.
Can these professionals work remotely on my schedule?
Many schedulers operate effectively in a remote capacity provided they have access to the master project file. We ensure they have the necessary technical environment to maintain your files.
What replacement terms apply?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
How are recruiting fees agreed?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present. We scope the assignment before quoting; the fee page explains our model.
How soon can we see options?
Availability depends on the assignment and the people who fit it. We qualify interest and commitments rather than promising a shortlist date before the search is scoped.
What if the scope grows?
Discuss new responsibilities before adding them to the engagement. Agree the priorities and record any change to the brief and terms.
Can we extend an engagement?
Discuss what remains unfinished and whether the same responsibility is still needed. Extensions depend on the person's commitments and the agreed engagement terms.
Can the appointment become permanent?
A permanent move can be discussed if both sides want it. Review the future role and the applicable agreement instead of assuming that temporary coverage automatically converts.
How is a confidential search handled?
Tell us what can be disclosed and whom we must not contact. We agree those boundaries before approaching people; do not send sensitive records with an initial brief.
What are the replacement terms?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What do you not do?
We do not sell job-board reposting as a search or bill hourly for recruiting work. We do not take a retainer unless expressly agreed, and an introduction does not authorize an engagement.
Tell us the seat
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Share the title, the situation and the timing. A person reads it.
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The Six-Step Search
What do you get at each step of the search?
We agree what the person must own before contacting anyone. You see how the search is scoped and which backgrounds we pursue. We speak with candidates about the work before presenting them. The Six-Step Search gives you useful written notes and support through interviews, rather than a pile of applications.
- 01
Scope call
We talk through the seat, the business and what has to change.
You get: A one-page role brief you approve before we search.
- 02
Market map
We work out where people who have done this job actually sit.
You get: A short note on the pool and how we plan to reach it.
- 03
Direct outreach
We approach people who are not looking at job boards.
You get: Progress updates so you are never chasing us.
- 04
Screening
We interview every candidate on the work, not the resume.
You get: Written notes on fit, availability and terms for each person.
- 05
Shortlist and interviews
You meet a short list. We handle the scheduling.
You get: Several vetted options and a debrief after each interview.
- 06
Offer and start
You choose. We help settle terms and the start date.
You get: Confirmed terms, a start date and check-ins after day one.
Tell us who you need.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Send us the seat. We will take it from there.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.