Maintenance Parts Clerk/Planner

The Maintenance Parts Clerk & Planner is responsible for managing the maintenance storeroom while coordinating and planning maintenance activities to ensure maximum equipment reliability, operational efficiency, and production uptime. This position serves as the central point of coordination between Maintenance, Production, Purchasing, and Vendors by maintaining accurate inventory records, planning preventive and corrective maintenance, ensuring parts availability, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.

The successful candidate will maintain a highly organized maintenance storeroom, develop comprehensive maintenance work plans, coordinate material and labor requirements, and ensure all maintenance activities are properly documented within the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). This role plays a critical part in minimizing downtime, optimizing maintenance resources, and supporting a proactive reliability-centered maintenance program.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance Planning & Scheduling

• Plan, coordinate, and schedule preventive, predictive, corrective, and improvement maintenance activities.
• Develop detailed work plans that include labor requirements, estimated job duration, required tools, safety requirements, permits, technical documentation, and spare parts.
• Review incoming maintenance work requests for completeness, validity, and priority.
• Coordinate maintenance schedules with Production to maximize equipment availability while minimizing operational disruption.
• Participate in daily and weekly scheduling meetings to establish maintenance priorities and optimize planned downtime windows.
• Ensure all required materials, parts, equipment, documentation, and labor resources are available before scheduling work.
• Monitor work order backlog and continuously adjust priorities to meet operational needs.
• Maintain accurate equipment history, maintenance records, and job documentation within the CMMS.
• Continuously improve maintenance planning, scheduling processes, reporting systems, and workflow efficiency.

Parts Inventory & Storeroom Management

• Receive, inspect, verify, and properly store all maintenance parts, supplies, and materials.
• Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and efficient maintenance storeroom.
• Ensure all inventory is accurately identified, labeled, and stored for quick accessibility.
• Issue parts and materials to maintenance personnel while maintaining accurate inventory transactions.
• Create and maintain new inventory items within the CMMS/ERP system.
• Monitor inventory levels and prepare purchase requisitions to replenish stock before shortages occur.
• Coordinate with Purchasing and approved vendors to ensure timely procurement of maintenance materials.
• Perform routine cycle counts and annual physical inventories while investigating and resolving inventory discrepancies.
• Maintain accurate inventory records that reflect physical stock levels.
• Develop and maintain critical spare parts inventory to support equipment reliability.
• Prepare complete spare parts kits for planned preventive maintenance and scheduled repairs.

Equipment Documentation & CMMS Administration

• Maintain equipment master data, bills of material (BOM), preventive maintenance procedures, and maintenance documentation.
• Ensure equipment history and maintenance records remain accurate and current.
• Maintain technical documentation including manuals, drawings, schematics, and OEM documentation.
• Update preventive maintenance procedures based on equipment modifications or continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support data integrity and continuous improvement of the maintenance management system.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve maintenance planning, inventory control, equipment reliability, and overall maintenance effectiveness.
• Recommend improvements to inventory organization, spare parts management, and maintenance processes.
• Support reliability-centered maintenance initiatives through accurate planning and documentation.
• Assist in developing standardized maintenance procedures and best practices.
• Participate in root cause analysis and corrective action initiatives when required.

Communication & Collaboration

• Serve as the primary liaison between Maintenance, Production, Purchasing, Engineering, and external suppliers regarding maintenance planning and parts availability.
• Communicate maintenance schedules, equipment updates, and inventory status to appropriate personnel.
• Work closely with Maintenance Supervisors and Leads to balance manpower, workload, and maintenance priorities.
• Provide technical and logistical support to maintenance technicians by ensuring necessary resources are available before work begins.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate degree in Industrial Maintenance, Engineering Technology, Supply Chain Management, Business, or a related field; equivalent maintenance planning experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 2–5 years of experience in maintenance planning, maintenance storeroom operations, inventory management, or industrial maintenance in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience in food manufacturing or other high-speed production environments preferred.
• Experience using CMMS and ERP systems such as SAP is strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong understanding of preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance practices.
• Knowledge of industrial maintenance components including mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, automation, and controls systems.
• Working knowledge of maintenance planning and scheduling principles.
• Strong inventory management and warehouse organization skills.
• Ability to interpret equipment manuals, parts breakdowns, engineering drawings, and technical documentation.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across multiple departments.
• Strong computer proficiency including Microsoft Office Suite, SAP, and CMMS software.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment with professionalism and integrity.
• Self-motivated with a proactive, results-driven mindset and commitment to continuous improvement.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to frequently walk throughout the facility and maintenance storeroom.
• Ability to stand, bend, kneel, reach, and climb stairs as required.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to push and pull maintenance materials and inventory as necessary.
• Ability to work in both office and manufacturing environments.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including overtime and weekends, when operational needs require.