Main Responsibilities and Required Skills for Maintenance Planner

machine operator working on a machine

A Maintenance Planner is a professional who is responsible for planning and coordinating all maintenance activities of a plant equipment and machinery. They provide leadership and guidance to support the maintenance planning organization and make recommendations for scheduling improvements. In this blog post we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Maintenance Planners.

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Main Responsibilities of Maintenance Planner

The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Maintenance Planner:

Analyze

  • Analyze all planned change parts and makes recommendations for Preventative Maintenance changes.

  • Analyze and track repairs and determine the causes of gaps.

  • Analyze maintenance repair specifications to determine tools, parts, requirements.

  • Analyze metrics from the CMMS to improve uptime and reduce costs and maintain quality data.

Apply

Apply feedback to improve performance.

Assess

Assess and adjust daily work schedules to meet business / asset team needs.

Assign

Assign PMs to maintenance staff.

Assist

  • Assist E&I Supervisor in the timely execution of down and critical priority jobs.

  • Assist in driving continuous improvement, collaboration, and a lean manufacturing culture.

  • Assist in the development and upkeep of a Preventative / Predictive Maintenance program (Pdm).

  • Assist stores in job kitting.

  • Assist the Facility Manager in meeting or exceeding Site KPIs.

  • Assist with developing a "Planned Maintenance” schedule.

  • Assist with development of annual overhaul / shutdown schedules.

  • Assist with supervision of maintenance employees as required.

Audit

Audit the SAP hierarchy and resolve discrepancies.

Build

  • Build and update task lists (job plan library) for recurring jobs.

  • Build and validate job kits as appropriate (parts, tools, etc.).

  • Build object structure in CMMS.

  • Build time based and condition based Preserve Task Lists.

Champion

Champion of Safe work practices.

Coach

Coach and educate staff on the CMMS functions and best practices for performing tasks.

Collaborate

  • Collaborate with Maintenance Procurement on the purchasing of parts and material needs.

  • Collaborate with our plant team to ensure effective, detailed work is planned.

Communicate

  • Communicate and be a liaison between maintenance and production.

  • Communicate facilities requirements to team leads.

Compile

Compile estimation of labor hours and cost and plan jobs and materials.

Complete

  • Complete accident investigation and complete all required forms as required.

  • Complete paperwork / data entry in accordance with regulatory compliance.

Conduct

Conduct annual outage maintenance planning in designated areas.

Confirm

Confirm that appropriate change controls are approved prior to the execution of work if required.

Consolidate

  • Consolidate, analyze and produce shut-down schedule.

  • Consolidate orders (preventive and corrective) that can be completed at the same time.

Convert

Convert, upload and maintain updated OEM information to CMMS such as drawings and manuals.

Coordinate

  • Coordinate and establish downtime for maintenance events.

  • Coordinate and plan preparations for major shutdowns.

  • Coordinate daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly scheduling of maintenance plans.

  • Coordinate external work with subcontractors.

  • Coordinate internal and external human resources.

  • Coordinate plant shutdowns to attain all essential schedules.

  • Coordinate vendor service activity and outside support resources.

  • Coordinate with production and various services to optimize availability of facilities.

Create

  • Create and audit task lists for repetitive work plans.

  • Create and maintain BOM's.

  • Create and maintain miscellaneous maintenance reports.

  • Create and publish weekly and daily schedules.

  • Create and update repetitive preventive maintenance work in SAP.

  • Create job plan packages including material, job steps, and permits.

  • Create maintenance work orders from work requests.

  • Create purchase requisitions and reservations for necessary materials, equipment, or services.

Develop

  • Develop and improve PM tasks and frequencies for all equipment and processes.

  • Develop and report on maintenance effectiveness (KPI's, Data Integrity, Cost control).

  • Develop effective response plans and implement per the plan.

  • Develop planning and scheduling for non-emergency-based work orders.

Direct

  • Direct contractors and ensures compliance with safety and quality requirements.

  • Direct relative experience and knowledge to accurately coordinate maintenance activities.

Document

Document work to ensure information is retrievable.

Draw

Draw up network diagram, create Bar / Gantt chart and obtain approval for program execution.

Ensure

  • Ensure accurate administration of the Computerized Maintenance Management System.

  • Ensure all applicable health and safety policies are followed.

  • Ensure CMMS Maintenance master data is built for new equipment.

  • Ensure every piece of equipment has a service manual with parts list.

  • Ensure implementation and adherence to holistic planning systems.

  • Ensure maintenance opportunities are communicated with mechanics in advance.

  • Ensure minimum shelf quantities and maintain MRP parameters (safety stock and maximum stock level).

  • Ensure parts are available for all planned work.

  • Ensure that safety is the number one priority in the planning of maintenance work.

  • Ensure that these requirements are included in the maintenance schedules.

  • Ensure that the Techlog Release has been signed by certifying staff.

Establish

Establish min / max stock levels for critical spares and PM supplies.

Evaluate

  • Evaluate job feedback to improve job plans.

  • Evaluate the performance of the planning and scheduling system.

Exhibit

Exhibit objectivity and openness to others' views.

Facilitate

  • Facilitate and Manage Maintenance Systems, 30%.

  • Facilitate Investigation of Asset Failures 15%.

Follow up

Follow up on major shutdowns in the form of a post mortem.

Help

Help plan the short-term and long-range maintenance schedule of an impressive mobile fleet.

Identify

  • Identify and secure all parts and material required to complete the work.

  • Identify and obtain all blank work permits and parts required for planned jobs.

  • Identify, propose and implement miscellaneous maintenance improvement opportunities as a result.

  • Identify, track, and report on maintenance department KPI's.

Implement

Implement and establishes critical spares review for equipment in assigned area.

Improve

Improve team member capability and team performance.

Incorporate

Incorporate the purchases into manufacturing orders.

Increase

Increase equipment reliability.

Initiate

  • Initiate creative and practical designs which meet expectations.

  • Initiate corrective actions as appropriate.

Interpret

Interpret and analyse data and action to ensure asset care practice and performance is optimized.

Issue

Issue work orders to maintenance staff for execution daily.

Keep

Keep requestor updated on status.

Lead

  • Lead and assist in the evaluation of critical spares.

  • Lead with Integrity and Respect.

Learn

Learn multiple CMMS system platforms and route engineering change requests through CMMS system.

Maintain

  • Maintain and enter planned information into Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).

  • Maintain effective internal and external working relationships.

  • Maintain electronic and hard copy records of completed maintenance activities generated by SAP.

  • Maintain equipment file lists.

  • Maintain oversight of Total and Ready Backlog.

  • Maintain up to date records for all state, federal, and local licenses and inspections.

Make

Make recommendations for planning and scheduling improvements.

Manage

  • Manage and optimize part preparation for daily work.

  • Manage assigned maintenance contracts.

  • Manage continuous improvement projects in coordination with the line management teams.

  • Manage inventory system & ensure priority spare availability.

  • Manage / participate in maintenance, operational, capital and reliability-based projects.

  • Manage pressure relief device program spares for maintenance activities.

  • Manage project priorities, schedule & installation master plan for shutdowns.

  • Manage spare parts and supplies inventory.

  • Manage the work order system.

  • Manage work order backlog based on equipment criticality.

Meet

Meet plant goals for safety, productivity, and customer satisfaction.

Minimize

  • Minimize any rework by ensuring quality work order data.

  • Minimize unplanned maintenance activities.

Monitor

  • Monitor and coach individuals that do not utilize the SAP system as expected.

  • Monitor implementation and update plans with actual performance.

  • Monitor, update, and maintain all existing Plant maintenance systems.

Order

Order, receive and supervise required material to assist maintenance activities.

Participate

  • Participate and facilitate, maintenance scheduled downtime, outages, and weekly planning meetings.

  • Participate in the Plant Safety program and practices.

Perform

  • Perform administrative assignments as required.

  • Perform After Action reviews for work completed on major production units as per AAR agenda.

  • Perform job close out and follow up.

  • Perform monthly building audits.

  • Perform purchasing duties as required.

  • Perform related duties as required.

  • Perform special project work and / or administrative assignments as required.

Place

Place emphasis on CFI and Internal Control.

Plan

  • Plan and schedule all non-emergency maintenance work.

  • Plan and schedule E&I and maintenance.

  • Plan, schedule and coordinate all maintenance activities, both preventative and reactive work.

  • Plan the required resources for the maintenance activities including equipment, parts and materials.

Prepare

  • Prepare accurate and professional written communications for Veolia & the client.

  • Prepare reports for selected KPI 's and any other performance information required.

  • Prepare work order kits for maintenance.

Present

Present performance data to maintenance teams regularly.

Print

Print the PM according to the schedule.

Process

Process change control requests for maintenance master data changes.

Promote

Promote sound occupational health and safety management.

Provide

  • Provide direction for inventory clerk (CMMS Admin).

  • Provide documentation of upcoming work, including parts lists / kits required.

  • Provide labor, duration & materials cost estimates on maintenance work orders.

  • Provide leadership and guidance to support the maintenance planning organization.

  • Provide leadership in problem solving using Production, Maintenance, and Engineering personnel.

  • Provide procedural direction and problem solving guidance to unionized staff.

  • Provide quality analysis of customer feedback on an ongoing basis.

  • Provide software trainings to end users and new EAM Administrators.

  • Provide technical assistance as required for maintenance personnel.

  • Provide technical expertise to solve department problems.

  • Provide the site maintenance and production teams with plans for maintenance activities.

  • Provide training and support to maintenance personnel on CMMS as required (Maximo).

  • Provide training, guidance and technical support to other team members in the facility.

  • Provide work planning and scheduling function for a self-directed work team.

Pursue

Pursue / maintain the corporate MRO initiatives.

Receive

  • Receive, review and screen all work order requests to ensure their work scope is clearly.

  • Receive / review / enter work orders into the CMMS.

Re-order

Re-order PM supplies, as needed.

Report

Report potentially unsafe conditions.

Reserve

Reserve material for planned work.

Return

Return excess materials if not utilized on planned work.

Review

  • Review and update maintenance Standard Operating Procedures for equipment and processes.

  • Review KPIs and work order feedback forms to improve the SAP Process.

Revise

Revise task lists from job feedback forms.

Roll

Roll out SAP Maintenance Plans, Items and Task Lists to the facility Maintenance and Operation Teams.

Schedule

  • Schedule and approve the work time of the non-exempt employees working for the Maintenance Manager.

  • Schedule department WO backlog to accommodate production needs.

  • Schedule maintenance activities to maximize OEE and processes.

  • Schedule Preventative Maintenance and perform necessary optimization of database.

  • Schedule contractor(s) for equipment repairs / rebuild work.

  • Schedule work to reflect availability of backordered parts.

Scope

Scope and schedule work orders for building / facility equipment.

Serve

Serve as liaison for problem solving and escalation.

Solve

Solve problems as they occur daily.

Source

Source, order, stage and kit parts and materials as required for planned maintenance work.

Stop

Stop any observed unsafe acts and obey facility safety rules and procedures.

Strive

Strive to increase productivity.

Support

  • Support and plan outages and plant projects.

  • Support departmental shutdown meetings.

  • Support department initiatives as needed.

  • Support department's compliance to any Lean Manufacturing / 5s goals and objectives.

  • Support his / her manager in achieving sector objectives.

  • Support identification, specification, procurement, and stocking of spare parts.

  • Support maintenance team during reactive maintenance by providing correct parts.

  • Support Plant Safety and Environmental Initiatives, 10%.

  • Support positive safety culture.

  • Support proactively all EH&S procedures and policies ensuring they are followed.

  • Support Project Engineering team, Maintenance, and / or Operations.

  • Support Team Performance & Continuous Improvement, 15%.

  • Support the coordination of facilities activities during shutdowns.

  • Support the supervisor in work organization.

  • Support variance reporting and reforecast to meet the monthly reporting calendar dates.

Take

  • Take responsibility for own actions.

  • Take the initiative to develop his or her skills.

Track

Track all asset information, including spare parts, documentation and Booked Labor.

Understand

  • Understand and fulfill responsibilities outlined in the Quality Management System.

  • Understand the operation of all plant equipment / machinery.

Update

  • Update and create schedules and plans within SAP.

  • Update SAP with preventative maintenance data.

  • Update the CMMS on and ongoing basis as required.

Use

  • Use equipment and materials properly.

  • Use of the masculine in our communications refers equally to both men and women.

  • Use SAP heavily for all planning, ordering, and preventative maintenance data.

Utilize

Utilize CMMS to record work order classification, priority, activities and trade.

Work

  • Work closely with vendors for timely delivery of parts and equipment.

  • Work in town on multiple projects, earning a good paycheck.

  • Work with Facility Managers, operations and technicians as required to complete the work.

  • Work with Manager and Supervisor with the necessary reports.

  • Work with outside vendors and consultants as required.

  • Work with the Storeroom Team to ensure parts are available and ready.

Most In-demand Hard Skills

The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Maintenance Planner:

  1. SAP

  2. Maintenance Planning

  3. CMMS

  4. MS Excel

  5. Electrical

  6. MS Word

  7. Mechanical

  8. Accounting

  9. Planning

  10. Maximo

  11. Maintenance

  12. Scheduling

  13. Manufacturing

  14. Building Systems

  15. Corporate Environment

  16. Facilities Management

  17. Financial Knowledge

  18. Matrix Management

  19. Project Management

  20. Property Management

Most In-demand Soft Skills

The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Maintenance Planner:

  1. Written and oral communication skills

  2. Organizational capacity

  3. Interpersonal skills

  4. Leadership

  5. Time-management

  6. Problem-solving attitude

  7. Analytical ability

  8. Planning

  9. Clear communicator

  10. Collaborative manner

  11. Management

  12. Supervisory

  13. Verbal and written, who is organized

  14. Work ethic

  15. Attention to detail

  16. Priority management

  17. Creative

  18. Solve problems

  19. Challenge traditional methods of accomplishing tasks

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