MAINTENANCE SCHEDULER/PLANNER

A Finkl & Sons Co•Chicago, IL

6d•$70,000 - $85,000

About The Position

The Maintenance Planner is responsible for planning, coordinating, and scheduling preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance to support equipment reliability, operational efficiency, and minimal production downtime. The role works closely with Maintenance, Operations, Engineering, and Purchasing to ensure work is properly planned and resources are available. The position supports manufacturing operations across the Melt Shop, Forge Shop, Heat Treatment, Machine Shops, and supporting facilities. It contributes to equipment availability and continuous improvement by managing maintenance work packages and schedules, supporting reliability initiatives, coordinating materials and contractors, and monitoring maintenance performance.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 3–5 years of experience in industrial maintenance, maintenance planning, or a related manufacturing environment.
Working knowledge of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and industrial equipment systems.
Experience using a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).
Strong understanding of preventive maintenance programs, work order management, and maintenance scheduling.
Ability to interpret technical drawings, equipment manuals, and maintenance procedures.
Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and other Microsoft Office applications.
Effective communication skills and ability to coordinate across multiple departments.
Ability to work in office and industrial manufacturing environments, walk throughout the facility, climb stairs, and access equipment areas as needed.
Ability to comply with company safety policies and personal protective equipment requirements.
Flexibility to adjust working hours as needed to support shutdowns, maintenance outages, and operational requirements.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree or technical certification in Maintenance Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Industrial Technology, or a related field.
Familiarity with eMaint.
Experience with SAP.
Experience in steel manufacturing, forging, heavy industrial manufacturing, or similar environments.
Familiarity with furnaces, forging presses, cranes, hydraulic systems, CNC machinery, pumps, compressors, and material-handling equipment.
Experience with predictive maintenance technologies and reliability-centered maintenance practices.
Experience planning major equipment shutdowns or maintenance outages.
Familiarity with maintenance performance metrics and continuous improvement methodologies.
Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) or similar certification.

Responsibilities

Develop, maintain, and coordinate weekly and long-term maintenance schedules with Maintenance Supervisors and Operations leadership.
Plan preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities to reduce downtime and production disruptions.
Develop detailed work packages through on-site reviews, including job scopes, labor estimates, parts, tools, access requirements, and safety considerations.
Prioritize maintenance work orders according to equipment criticality, operational requirements, and safety considerations.
Coordinate planned equipment shutdowns and maintenance outages with Operations and Engineering.
Identify opportunities to combine maintenance activities and improve labor efficiency.
Maintain and plan the maintenance work order backlog.
Develop, review, and improve preventive maintenance programs for production equipment and facility systems.
Ensure preventive maintenance activities are scheduled and completed according to established requirements.
Analyze equipment failures, maintenance histories, and recurring issues to identify reliability improvements.
Collaborate with Maintenance and Engineering on corrective actions to reduce unplanned downtime.
Support predictive maintenance programs, including vibration analysis, oil analysis, thermography, and other condition-monitoring activities.
Assist in establishing equipment maintenance standards, procedures, and best practices.
Use the CMMS to create, plan, schedule, track, and close maintenance work orders.
Ensure work orders include accurate equipment information, labor estimates, materials, and maintenance instructions.
Maintain accurate equipment maintenance histories and records.
Monitor work order completion, preventive maintenance compliance, and maintenance backlog.
Improve CMMS data accuracy, reporting, and system utilization.
Generate maintenance reports and update Maintenance leadership on planned work, outstanding orders, and equipment reliability.
Coordinate with Purchasing, Stores, and Maintenance to ensure spare parts, materials, and tools are available before scheduled work.
Identify long-lead-time materials and coordinate procurement to prevent maintenance delays.
Assist with identifying critical spare parts and appropriate inventory levels.
Support inventory optimization to balance equipment reliability and inventory costs.
Coordinate outside contractors and vendors when specialized services are required.
Verify labor, materials, and equipment resources are available before scheduling maintenance work.
Analyze maintenance performance data and recommend improvements to planning, scheduling, and reliability.
Track and report PM compliance, planned versus unplanned maintenance, schedule compliance, backlog, MTBF, MTTR, and equipment downtime.
Participate in root cause analysis investigations for significant equipment failures.
Identify opportunities to reduce maintenance costs, improve productivity, and increase equipment availability.
Support the development and implementation of maintenance standard operating procedures.
Incorporate applicable safety requirements, including LOTO, confined space entry, and fall protection, into maintenance plans.
Coordinate with Maintenance Supervisors and Safety personnel to identify hazards associated with planned work.
Ensure maintenance documentation supports company policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
Promote safe work practices in maintenance planning activities.