Planning Manager
Elyar Safarov
Webuild
Baku City,Baku Ekonomik Zone
5
Languages
1
Certification
15
Years of experience
Planning and Project Controls professional with over 20 years of international experience delivering large-scale hydropower, oil & gas, offshore, pipeline, construction, and turnaround (TAR) projects across Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Türkiye, the UAE, and the USA. Experienced in developing and managing integrated project schedules, project controls, progress measurement, critical path analysis, delay analysis, risk assessment, and executive reporting for complex EPC projects. Successfully supported multi-billion-dollar projects, including the US$3 billion Koysha Hydroelectric Project, coordinating planning activities for workforces of up to 4,700 personnel. Proven ability to align engineering, construction, and management teams, establish effective planning and reporting systems, and support project delivery through structured scheduling, stakeholder coordination, and data-driven decision-making using Primavera P6, SAP, Maximo, and advanced reporting tools. Recognized for delivering clear project visibility, improving planning processes, and supporting timely, safe, and efficient project execution across multicultural and multidisciplinary environments.
Work History
Planning Manager
1 Year 6 Months- Developed and maintained integrated project schedules and reporting programmes to support planning, progress monitoring, and project execution.
- Prepared Monthly Progress Reports summarizing construction progress, schedule performance, key activities, and project status for management and stakeholders.
- Enhanced schedule accuracy by introducing a structured methodology for estimating activity durations based on technical quantities, production rates, and resource planning.
- Coordinated planning activities with engineering, construction, technical, and project management teams to maintain alignment between project schedules and ongoing site activities.
- 5 years 9 months
- (1 year 6 months)
Planning Manager
4 Years 3 Months- Developed and maintained the Level 5 integrated project schedule for the US $3 billion Koysha Hydroelectric Project, supporting planning and execution across a workforce of approximately 4,700 personnel.
- Developed a contract-compliant Level 5 integrated project schedule by incorporating updated design information, construction methodology, logical dependencies, and detailed work breakdown structures.
- Facilitated look-ahead planning and monthly coordination meetings with construction and section managers to review progress, priorities, and upcoming activities.
- Developed a structured delay analysis methodology comparing planned and actual progress, providing objective schedule assessments to support contractual evaluations and management decision-making.
- 4 years 4 months
Lead Maintenance Planer
2 Years- Developed and managed resource-loaded maintenance schedules using SAP and Primavera P6, aligning work orders with resource availability, operational priorities and safety-critical requirements.
- Planned and levelled preventive maintenance (PM) workloads to maintain achievable schedules and effective resource utilization.
- Established a structured SAP-based work pack tracking process, improving visibility of work readiness and supporting maintenance execution.
- Planned and coordinated the Full Field Shutdown (TAR) workload, integrating maintenance activities, resources and execution priorities.
- 2 years 2 months
- (2 years 1 month)
Senior Planning Engineer
3 Months- Developed and maintained integrated construction schedules for the Area 51 Pipelines Project in Tengiz, Kazakhstan, supporting project planning and execution.
- Developed project performance reporting and KPI monitoring to support progress tracking and management decision-making.
- Led a team of six planning professionals, coordinating schedule development, resource planning, and equipment availability.
- Established a structured schedule review process involving the client, contractor, and key project stakeholders to monitor milestones, resolve planning constraints, and coordinate project priorities.
- Developed, maintained, and monitored project schedules using Primavera P6 and Microsoft Excel.
- 4 months
Activity Planning Functional Scheduler
7 Months- Managed integrated planning and scheduling activities across eight offshore production platforms in the Azerbaijan and Shah Deniz fields (including East Azeri, West Azeri, Central Azeri, Deep Water Gunashli, West Chirag, Chirag, Shah Deniz Alpha, and Shah Deniz Bravo)
- Developed and maintained integrated 6-week, 8-quarter, and 12-week functional schedules across multiple operational disciplines.
- Coordinated functional scheduling activities, resource planning, and campaign priorities with operational stakeholders.
- Performed resource leveling and monitored delivery risks, schedule constraints, and emergent work affecting campaign execution.
- Developed visual planning dashboards highlighting campaign priorities and critical upcoming activities, improving planning visibility and supporting proactive decision-making.
- Established a structured resource planning and schedule review approach to assess resource availability and support campaign planning across multiple offshore assets.
- Shah Deniz Bravo
SDB — Construction, Integration & Commissioning Planning
Planned and coordinated greenfield, brownfield and bluefield construction, including module integration, hook-up, commissioning, start-up and handover.
Developed integrated schedules covering topsides, living quarters, jackets, drilling rig and wells, including construction and offshore interfaces.
Coordinated marine pipeline installation, riser crossings and onshore terminal interfaces with construction teams, Area Authorities and responsible disciplines.
Achievements
Developed integrated execution schedules supporting offshore construction and multidisciplinary interfaces.
Supported the on-time float-out and offshore mobilization of the Shah Deniz Bravo platform/facility and drilling rig through integrated planning, interface coordination and schedule control. - 6 years 9 months
- (8 months)
Activity Planning Site Scheduler
2 Years 6 Months- Activity Planning Site Scheduler
- Shah Deniz Alpha & Shah Deniz Bravo, Azerbaijan
- Shah Deniz Alpha
- SDA — Operations & Turnaround Planning
- Developed resource-loaded integrated schedules, look-ahead plans and manpower plans for offshore operations and Turnaround (TAR) activities.
- Managed POB and resource planning for planned and emergent work.
- Facilitated optimization meetings with Operations, Execution, Inspection, contractors and site leadership to coordinate priorities and resolve schedule constraints.
- Produced S-Curves, Earned Value and Critical Path Analysis (CPA) for performance monitoring and management decision-making.
- Developed and controlled TAR schedules in line with Master Turnaround Guidelines.
- Achievement
- Supported successful execution of the 2015 Shah Deniz Alpha TAR through integrated planning, resource-loaded scheduling and schedule control.
- 2 years 7 months
Site Scheduler
1 Month- Coordinated planning activities between Maintenance, Operations, and supporting departments to align maintenance schedules with operational requirements.
- Coordinated with Operations and contractors to validate planning data and maintenance schedules.
- Supported maintenance planning by balancing operational requirements with equipment reliability and preventive maintenance priorities.
- Estimated resource requirements and prepared maintenance completion reports to support planning and management reporting.
- Facilitated planning meetings to prioritize emergent work and optimize maintenance scheduling.
- Achievements
- Supported the transition from Microsoft Project to Oracle Primavera Portfolio Management, assisting with planning data migration and schedule implementation.
- Developed standardized resource profiles for maintenance activities, improving resource planning consistency and supporting more reliable schedule development.
- Recognized by management for contributions to planning process improvements and planning system implementation.
- Tools: Primavera P6, Oracle Primavera Portfolio Management, Microsoft Project, Maximo.
- 2 months
Area Scheduler
1 Year 4 Months- Coordinated maintenance planning activities between Operations, Maintenance, and supporting departments.
- Coordinated with Operations leadership and contractors to validate planning data and maintenance schedules.
- Developed long-term and short-term maintenance schedules to support operational planning.
- Supported maintenance planning by balancing operational requirements with equipment reliability and preventive maintenance priorities.
- Coordinated planning activities supporting construction and preventive maintenance works.
- Estimated resource requirements and prepared maintenance completion reports to support planning and management reporting.
- Facilitated planning meetings to prioritize emergent work and coordinate maintenance activities.
- Established a standardized scheduling approach aligned with contractual requirements and company planning procedures, improving schedule consistency, usability, and planning effectiveness for maintenance teams and management.
- Tools: Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Maximo, Microsoft Excel.
- 1 year 5 months
Site Scheduler
7 Months- Shah Deniz Alpha (SDA) Offshore Platform, Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan
- Responsibilities
- Developed and coordinated 12-week plans, 6-week look-ahead schedules and 2-week execution schedules for offshore operations.
- Planned and levelled preventive maintenance (PM) work orders based on resource availability, operational priorities, GMS and company procedures.
- Integrated maintenance, production and drilling activities, considering SIMOPS, area availability, resource constraints and operational priorities.
- Coordinated priorities with the OIM, Well Site Leaders, Production and Maintenance Supervisors, Area Authorities and Permit to Work teams.
- Achievements
- Reduced maintenance backlog and improved schedule KPI performance through resource-based planning and leveling of PM workload in line with GMS.
- Introduced cross-functional coordination meetings, improving visibility and alignment of activities across the offshore platform.
- Improved equipment mobilization planning by aligning offshore deliveries with schedule requirements, avoiding unnecessary early mobilization.
- Top Skills: Offshore Planning
- Integrated Activity Planning
- Look-Ahead Planning
- Execution Scheduling
- Resource Leveling
- Preventive Maintenance
- Backlog Management
- KPI Monitoring
- SIMOPS
- Drilling Interface Planning
- Offshore Logistics Planning
- Cross-Functional Coordination
- 8 months
Area Scheduler - Gas & Produced Water
1 Month- Gas / Produced Water (PW) Facilities
- Responsibilities
- Developed and coordinated 12-week plans, 6-week look-ahead schedules and 2-week execution schedules for Gas and Produced Water (PW) areas.
- Planned and levelled preventive maintenance (PM) work orders based on resource availability, operational priorities and the General Maintenance Strategy (GMS).
- Coordinated schedules with Gas Production Supervisors, PW Area Authorities and Maintenance teams, considering SIMOPS, area availability and resource constraints.
- Achievement
- Improved PM workload distribution by reducing scheduling peaks and aligning resource-loading profiles with personnel availability, GMS requirements and operational priorities.
- Top Skills: Maintenance Planning
- 12-Week Planning
- 6-Week Look-Ahead Planning
- 2-Week Execution Scheduling
- Resource Leveling
- PM Scheduling
- SIMOPS Planning
- GMS
- Workload Optimization
- Cross-Functional Coordination
- 2 months
Site Scheduler ACG / DPCU
9 Months- Early Oil Project (EOP) / ACG — with particular focus on the Dew Point Control Unit (DPCU)
- Responsibilities
- Developed and maintained 6-week look-ahead and 2-week execution schedules for high-priority maintenance and site activities supporting ACG operations and the terminal expansion project, with particular focus on the Dew Point Control Unit (DPCU).
- Coordinated work priorities, SIMOPS constraints, area availability and resource requirements with Operations, Maintenance, contractors and Area Authorities.
- Facilitated cross-area planning meetings to prioritize preventive maintenance, emergent work and construction-related activities in accordance with company planning procedures.
- Monitored schedule performance through KPI metrics and maintained planning information using Primavera P6, Maximo, Microsoft Project and Excel.
- Achievements
- Significantly reduced the maintenance backlog through structured work prioritization, resource planning and closer coordination between Operations and Maintenance.
- Established a standardized scheduling approach aligned with company procedures and project requirements, Eimproving schedule consistency, usability and planning visibility.
- 10 months
Maintenance Planner
9 Months- Sangachal Terminal, Azerbaijan
- Responsibilities
- Developed 2-week maintenance execution schedules for Mechanical, Electrical and Instrumentation disciplines, covering preventive maintenance (PM) and emergent work.
- Planned and balanced maintenance workloads based on resource availability, work priorities and area availability, coordinating schedules with Maintenance Supervisors and Area Superintendents.
- Monitored PM work-order execution and schedule performance against established KPI requirements.
- Achievement
- Improved maintenance schedule KPI performance by approximately 5–10% through structured workload planning, resource balancing and regular coordination with maintenance and operations stakeholders.
- Top skills demonstrated
- Maintenance Planning
- Preventive Maintenance (PM)
- Resource Planning
- Workload Balancing
- 2-Week Look-Ahead Scheduling
- Work Order Planning
- KPI Monitoring
- Mechanical/Electrical/Instrumentation Planning
- Stakeholder Coordination
- 10 months
Education
Bachelor's degree - Power Engineering
Bachelor's degree - Philosophy
Bachelor's degree - Project Management
Skills
Leadership
Work Pack Management
SAP Products
Certification
- Project Management Foundations: Ethics
- EdX Verified Certificate for Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles
- Understanding Business
- Career Essentials in Project Management by Microsoft and LinkedIn
- Build a Successful Career in Project Management
Languages
Russian
Turkish
Italian (Elementary)
English (Limited Working)
Azerbaijani
Publications
Реалли азербайджанского интернет-банкинга
Timeline
Planning Manager
Webuild
05.2025 - CurrentRead More
Planning Manager
Webuild
02.2021 - 05.2025Read More
Lead Maintenance Planer
Bonatti S.p.A.
01.2019 - 01.2021Read More
Senior Planning Engineer
Bonatti S.p.A.
12.2018 - 03.2019Read More
Activity Planning Functional Scheduler
BP
01.2018 - 08.2018Read More
Activity Planning Site Scheduler
BP
07.2015 - 01.2018Read More
Site Scheduler
BP
06.2015 - 07.2015Read More
Area Scheduler
BP
02.2014 - 06.2015Read More
Site Scheduler
BP
07.2013 - 02.2014Read More
Area Scheduler - Gas & Produced Water
BP
06.2013 - 07.2013Read More
Site Scheduler ACG / DPCU
BP
09.2012 - 06.2013Read More
Maintenance Planner
BP
12.2011 - 09.2012Read More
Alison
Bachelor's degree from Project Management
Read More
BSU
Bachelor's degree from Philosophy
Read More
Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry UniversityASOIU
Bachelor's degree from Power Engineering
Read More