What Does a Maintenance Planner Do?
Find out what a maintenance planner does, how to get this job, and what it takes to succeed as a maintenance planner.
Maintenance planners are responsible for planning and coordinating the maintenance activities of an organization. They commonly work with a team of technicians, engineers, and other professionals to ensure that all equipment and systems are functioning properly at all times.
Maintenance planners may also be tasked with developing long-term plans for maintaining the integrity of various systems or equipment. This might include creating schedules for routine inspections or replacing parts as they wear out over time.
Maintenance Planner Job Duties
Maintenance planners have a wide range of responsibilities, which can include:
- Reviewing operating procedures to ensure they are in compliance with safety standards set by regulatory agencies such as OSHA
- Coordinating maintenance activities with other departments such as Facilities and Human Resources to ensure that all facilities are serviced regularly
- Creating a detailed schedule of all planned work activities, including materials needed and team member assignments
- Coordinating with vendors to schedule repairs and maintenance work on equipment or machinery
- Coordinating with contractors to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget
- Scheduling repairs based on equipment failure rates, engineering recommendations, and other criteria
- Maintaining records of all repairs performed, including materials used and costs
- Ensuring that all employees have access to training and information about best practices for safety and efficiency
- Determining the best way to manage maintenance activities based on available resources
Maintenance Planner Salary & Outlook
Maintenance planner salaries vary depending on their level of education, years of experience, and the size and industry of the company. They may also earn additional compensation in the form of bonuses.
- Median Annual Salary: $71,500 ($34.38/hour)
- Top 10% Annual Salary: $109,500 ($52.64/hour)
The employment of maintenance planners is expected to grow at an average rate over the next decade.
Demand for maintenance planning services will depend on the condition of equipment and facilities in the economy. As equipment ages, it will need more repairs and maintenance. Similarly, as buildings and other structures age, they will require more maintenance and repair.
Maintenance Planner Job Requirements
There are several requirements for obtaining a position as a maintenance planner, including:
Education: Maintenance planners typically need at least a high school diploma or GED. Some employers prefer candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in facility management, construction management or a related field.
Training & Experience: Maintenance planners typically receive on-the-job training in their new roles. This training may last for a few months and may include shadowing a current maintenance planner or a supervisor. The training may include learning the company’s policies and procedures, the software they use and the equipment they maintain.
Certifications & Licenses: Certifications are not usually a requirement to become a maintenance planner, but they can help you become a more competitive candidate when applying for jobs.
Maintenance Planner Skills
Maintenance planners need the following skills in order to be successful:
Technical skills: Maintenance planners use technical skills to create and review technical documents, including spreadsheets, diagrams and other types of data. They use technical skills to research and understand the technical aspects of the facilities they plan for. They also use technical skills to create and review maintenance schedules and other technical documents.
Communication skills: Maintenance planners communicate with a variety of people, including other members of the maintenance team, building owners, contractors and suppliers. They use verbal and written communication skills to create and update maintenance plans, submit reports and communicate with other professionals. They also use communication skills to explain maintenance plans to others, including building owners and contractors.
Project management skills: Maintenance planners often work with project managers to develop maintenance plans. Having strong project management skills can help you work with project managers to create a maintenance plan that meets the needs of an organization. Maintenance planners often use project management skills to create schedules, track project milestones and evaluate project success.
Problem-solving skills: Maintenance planners use their problem-solving skills to develop solutions to potential issues that may arise during the course of a project. For example, if a project requires a certain type of equipment that the company doesn’t have, a maintenance planner may use their problem-solving skills to find a solution to the issue, such as finding a supplier that has the equipment or finding a way to make the equipment themselves.
Organizational skills: Maintenance planners use organizational skills to keep track of maintenance records, schedules and other documents. They also use organizational skills to keep track of their calendar and to organize meetings and other events.
Maintenance Planner Work Environment
Maintenance planners work in a variety of settings, including factories, office buildings, and hospitals. They may work indoors or outdoors, depending on the facility they are working in. Maintenance planners typically work a regular 40-hour week, although they may be required to work overtime to meet deadlines or to respond to emergencies. They may also be on call 24 hours a day to respond to emergencies. The work can be stressful, and maintenance planners must be able to handle last-minute changes and unexpected problems.
Maintenance Planner Trends
Here are three trends influencing how maintenance planners work. Maintenance planners will need to stay up-to-date on these developments to keep their skills relevant and maintain a competitive advantage in the workplace.
The Need for More Technical Skills
As businesses become more complex, the need for maintenance planners with technical skills becomes increasingly important.
Maintenance planners are responsible for planning and executing all maintenance activities for a company’s assets. In order to do this effectively, they need to have a deep understanding of the equipment that they are working on. This requires a strong background in both mechanical and electrical engineering.
In addition, maintenance planners need to be able to communicate effectively with other members of the team, such as engineers and managers. They also need to be able to work quickly and efficiently in order to meet deadlines.
More Collaboration Between Maintenance and Operations
The trend towards collaboration between maintenance and operations is becoming more common in today’s business world. This is due to the fact that both departments play an important role in keeping a business running smoothly.
As a result, maintenance planners will need to be able to work closely with operations staff in order to ensure that their needs are met. This includes developing plans for preventive maintenance, as well as responding to emergencies when they occur.
A Greater Focus on Preventative Maintenance
Preventative maintenance is becoming increasingly important in today’s economy. This is because it can help businesses to save money by preventing costly repairs and replacements.
As preventative maintenance becomes more popular, maintenance planners will need to learn how to identify potential problems before they become serious. They will also need to be able to create schedules that allow for regular inspections.
How to Become a Maintenance Planner
A career as a maintenance planner can be rewarding in many ways. It offers the opportunity to work with a variety of people and technologies, to see your ideas come to life, and to make a positive impact on the world around you.
To be successful in this field, it’s important to have a strong understanding of engineering, math, and science. You should also be able to think critically and creatively, and be able to work independently with little supervision.
If you want to become a maintenance planner, start by gaining experience in construction or manufacturing. This will give you a better understanding of how things are built and how they work. Also take courses in engineering, math, and science, so that you have a strong foundation in these subjects.
Related: How to Write a Maintenance Planner Resume
Advancement Prospects
Maintenance planners typically start out in entry-level positions and advance to higher-level positions as they gain experience. With experience, maintenance planners may move into supervisory or managerial positions, or they may become independent consultants. Some maintenance planners also become certified maintenance and reliability professionals.
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