The Maintenance Planner-Scheduler plays a critical role in the reliability and efficiency of plant operations by ensuring that all maintenance activities are properly planned, scheduled, and communicated. This role is responsible for coordinating maintenance resources, optimizing work order execution, and aligning maintenance plans with production priorities. The Planner-Scheduler will work alongside the Planner – Work Developer to ensure that all work orders have accurate information and details before being scheduled to maintain Work Order Life Cycle efficiency. This role acts as a central liaison between maintenance, production, OEM vendors, and leadership to maintain asset reliability and uptime.
Work Order Management:
Review maintenance backlog daily and prioritize work orders based on safety, urgency, production impact, and resource availability.
Maintain an accurate work order backlog ensuring each work order is updated/classified properly. This includes:
Work description
Work order status
Estimated labor hours
Parts information
Scheduled start date
Participate in the work order approval process via the daily approval meeting. Give input where required on work requests that may be duplicates or require more information before approval is granted.
Develop and maintain preventative maintenance (PM) task plans as needed in collaboration with reliability engineering.
Weekly Scheduling & Communication
Build and publish a rolling weekly maintenance schedule that includes planned safety work, production priorities, corrective work, preventative maintenance, predictive tasks, and TPM/Blitz activities.
Coordinate with production to minimize equipment downtime and ensure planned maintenance aligns with production needs.
Communicate the preliminary weekly schedule for the upcoming week to the maintenance and production teams.
Facilitate the weekly scheduling meeting to review/modify the preliminary weekly schedule based on feedback from the group.
Communicate the finalized weekly schedule to the maintenance and production teams.
Coordination & Resource Allocation
Work closely with the Maintenance Superintendent to confirm technician availability and resource coverage for scheduled work.
Monitor labor capacity and adjust assignments to maximize labor efficiency and reduce overtime.
OEM & Contractor Management
Take ownership of OEM-related scheduling and follow-up activities. This includes:
Scheduling vendor/OEM visits in coordination with plant needs.
Ensure work requests are submitted for recommended follow-up work.
Save and publish OEM service reports and documentation in shared network.
Lead post-visit debriefs to identify action items and assign follow-ups.
Performance Tracking & Continuous Improvement
Monitor and report key scheduling KPI’s/metrics including:
Work order completion rates
Schedule compliance
Deferred work volume and reasons
Labor utilization and wrench time
Recommend process improvements to enhance schedule adherence and maintenance efficiency.
Participate in Asset Failure Investigations (AFI) and incorporate findings into future maintenance planning.
Compliance & Emergency Response
Ensure all required PM’s and regulatory inspections are scheduled and completed on time.
Maintain flexibility in the schedule to adjust for emergent work and unplanned downtime.
Work closely with maintenance technicians and supervisors to close the loop on emergency work and reschedule any impacted tasks.
Assist Maintenance Supervisors and Technicians as required during machine down situations to expedite the machine’s return to service. This is for all plantwide equipment
High school diploma or GED required; degree or technical training in maintenance, industrial technology, or engineering is a plus.
3+ years of experience in maintenance planning/scheduling in a manufacturing or industrial setting, ideally in corrugated or similar industries.
Strong working knowledge of CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems) – experience with Llumin is a plus.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and scheduling tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Microsoft Project).
Assertive and influential in coordinating others (in various positions and departments) to provide planning and scheduling related assistance
Effective at facilitating meetings
Effectively relates to craftsmen and to on-the-floor maintenance work
Understanding of TPM, preventive and predictive maintenance principles.
Strong communication and organizational skills.
Ability to read and interpret technical documents, equipment manuals, and OEM service reports.
Able to read and follow instructions on factory masters.
Ability to read a tape measure with speed and accuracy. Able to calculate figures and amounts such as percentages, measurement, volume and rate. Able to apply concepts of high school math.
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or graphic form.
The individual must have a working knowledge of the following:
Equipment design and capabilities that can be translated into efficient operation
Able to read and understand OEM drawings, schematics, and maintenance procedures as referred to in the OEM O&M Manuals
Must be able to support Supervisors and Technicians with technical information relative to the equipment in the facility such as but not limited to bearings, chains, belting, pumps, motors, pulleys, etc
Product layouts and production specifications
Product quality specifications
Quality standards
Will be required to maintain a current Lift Truck Operator License and/or other appropriate certification to work in certain areas or on certain equipment.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.
The performance of the employee will be measured as follows:
Maintenance Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) – employee will be responsible for supporting the metrics related data, providing updates on a timely manner, providing technical support for the technicians in proper Work Order execution and follow-up to maintain or improve Work Order completion and repeat issues.
Operating standards - the employee will need to meet or exceed the Operating Standards in the areas of quality, cost, safety, customer satisfaction and productivity. Such standards will be set annually and communicated to the employee.
Personal growth - while the company will provide the tools to assist the employee to grow professionally the responsibility for moving forward lies with the individual. Each year there will be goals developed and agreed to by the employee and his/her superior.
Employee relations - through observations the employee will be evaluated regarding his/her behaviors associated with appropriate human interaction, respect and communication.
You should be proficient in: