Maintenance Planner
Job Title: Maintenance Planner
Department: Engineering / Maintenance
Reports To: Maintenance Manager / Engineering Manager
Location: Liverpool
Industry: Manufacturing / FMCG
Salary: £42,000
Working Pattern: Monday–Friday (Days)
Employment Type: Permanent / Full-Time
Overview
The Maintenance Planner will be responsible for developing and managing effective maintenance plans to support a fast-paced manufacturing/FMCG operation. This role ensures maintenance tasks are prioritised, scheduled, and executed safely and efficiently, reducing downtime and improving overall equipment reliability.
Key Responsibilities
Planning & Scheduling
- Create, manage, and optimise the Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) schedule through the CMMS system.
- Prioritise and coordinate reactive and corrective maintenance work orders.
- Plan labour, materials, tools, and contractor requirements for all maintenance activities.
- Schedule major shutdowns, project work, and engineering upgrades.
- Ensure all work orders are accurately logged, updated, and closed in a timely manner.
Coordination & Communication
- Work closely with Engineering, Production, and Facilities teams to align maintenance activity with operational needs.
- Coordinate external contractors, ensuring appropriate permits, RAMS, and compliance documentation are in place.
- Lead or contribute to daily and weekly maintenance planning meetings, reviewing backlog, KPIs, and resourcing.
Compliance & Documentation
- Maintain accurate asset records, maintenance history, and technical documentation.
- Ensure all maintenance activity adheres to statutory guidelines and company safety procedures.
- Support internal and external audits by maintaining high data integrity in the CMMS.
Continuous Improvement
- Analyse maintenance performance data to identify trends and areas for improvement.
- Support initiatives such as root cause analysis, reliability improvements, and optimisation of the PPM schedule.
- Assist in developing long-term maintenance strategies to enhance asset health and reduce breakdown risk.
Skills & Experience Required
Essential
- Experience in a Maintenance Planner or Engineering Coordinator role within manufacturing or FMCG.
- Strong understanding of mechanical and/or electrical maintenance practices.
- Proficiency with CMMS or CAFM systems.
- Excellent organisational, planning, and scheduling skills.
- Ability to interpret technical drawings, manuals, and engineering instructions.
- Good communication skills with the ability to liaise across multiple departments.
- Strong understanding of health & safety and permit-to-work systems.
Desirable
- Engineering qualification (NVQ Level 3, HNC, HND, Apprenticeship, or similar).
- Background in high-volume, automated, or continuous-process environments.
- Knowledge of reliability-centred maintenance techniques and lean methodologies.
Key Competencies
- Attention to detail
- Proactive planner
- Strong problem-solving skills
- Stakeholder management
- Technical aptitude
- Ability to manage multiple priorities