Maintenance Planner

A Maintenance Planner is responsible for organizing and scheduling all maintenance activities to ensure the efficient operation of equipment. This role involves creating detailed work plans for both preventive and corrective tasks, ensuring that technicians have the necessary tools, parts, and instructions to complete their work effectively. The primary goal is to minimize equipment downtime and disruptions to production through proactive preparation.

Functioning as a key link between maintenance and production teams, the planner coordinates with supervisors and technicians to schedule work in a way that aligns with operational goals. This position requires balancing the priorities of different departments to ensure maintenance is performed in a timely and logical sequence. Effective planning helps move an organization from a reactive to a proactive maintenance environment, enhancing overall workflow.

By managing resources and anticipating needs, the Maintenance Planner directly contributes to asset reliability and longevity. Their work helps to control maintenance costs and prevent unexpected equipment failures, supporting smoother and more predictable operations.

Duties:

• Develop detailed work plans for both preventive and corrective maintenance tasks, prioritizing activities based on urgency and operational impact.
• Manage the inventory of spare parts and materials, coordinating with procurement to ensure all necessary resources are available for scheduled work.
• Maintain and update records within the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), including work orders, asset history, and documentation.
• Coordinate with production and operations departments to schedule maintenance activities in a manner that minimizes downtime and disruption.
• Plan and oversee large-scale maintenance projects, such as plant-wide shutdowns or major equipment overhauls.
• Estimate the cost of labor and materials required for maintenance jobs to assist in budget management.
• Create and maintain procedural manuals and documentation that outline standardized maintenance tasks.
• Serve as a liaison between the maintenance team, contractors, and other departments to ensure clear communication and coordination of work.

Requirements/Qualifications:

Education: A Maintenance Planner typically possesses a high school diploma, though many employers prefer candidates with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in fields such as mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, or a related technical discipline. Coursework in these programs often covers essential topics like maintenance strategies, equipment reliability, and production processes, providing a strong foundation for the role.

Experience: Most Maintenance Planners have a background in maintenance, often starting as technicians or supervisors. This hands-on experience is crucial for understanding the intricacies of equipment and maintenance procedures. On-the-job training is a significant component of a Maintenance Planner’s development, allowing them to become proficient with computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) and to learn the specific planning and scheduling protocols of their organization.

Certifications & Licenses: While not always mandatory, certifications can significantly enhance a Maintenance Planner’s career prospects. Relevant certifications include the Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP), the Certified Maintenance Planner (CMP), and the Maintenance Planning and Scheduling Certification (PSC). These credentials validate an individual’s expertise in maintenance planning, scheduling, and reliability.

DISCLAIMER:

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the

general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not

designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities

and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Horizon Organic Dairy is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to give

equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, creed,

religion, gender, genetic testing information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression,

marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, military service, status as a disabled

veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, disability or any other consideration made unlawful by state,

federal or local law. All employment practices and personnel actions, including hiring,

termination, job assignment, compensation, discipline, and access to benefits and training are

made without regard to any status protected under applicable law. It is our policy to select the

most qualified person for each position in the organization, whether that is a new hire, a transfer

to another position, or a promotion.

This policy applies to all persons involved in the operation of Horizon Organic Dairy, including,

but not limited to, employees, vendors, customers and their employees, contract and temporary

workers and anyone else on the Company’s property.