Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Electrical Planner

🎯 Role Definition

As an Electrical Planner, you are the strategic mastermind behind our electrical maintenance operations. You will bridge the gap between engineering, maintenance execution, and operations by developing detailed, safe, and efficient work plans. Your primary goal is to minimize equipment downtime and enhance system reliability by ensuring that technicians have the drawings, materials, tools, and procedures they need to succeed before a job begins. This role is critical for driving proactive maintenance strategies, managing work order backlogs, and ensuring all electrical work complies with stringent safety standards and regulations.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Lead Electrical Technician / Journeyman Electrician
Electrical Engineering Technologist
Junior Maintenance Planner

Advancement To:

Senior Electrical Planner / Planning Lead
Maintenance Supervisor or Manager
Planning & Scheduling Manager

Lateral Moves:

Reliability Engineer / Specialist
Project Coordinator / Scheduler
Maintenance Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop comprehensive and detailed work packages for all electrical maintenance activities, including preventive, predictive, and corrective work orders, ensuring all necessary resources are identified.
Scope out the full extent of maintenance work needed, performing field walk-downs to identify and document all job requirements, including safety precautions, material lists, and special tooling.
Create and manage detailed job plans that specify sequential steps, labor hours, material requirements, and specific skill sets needed for successful execution.
Liaise with operations, engineering, and maintenance supervision to screen incoming work orders for accuracy and clarity, ensuring they are properly prioritized and approved.
Plan and coordinate electrical activities for major plant shutdowns, turnarounds, and outages, developing integrated schedules to minimize production impact.
Procure and kit all necessary parts, materials, and specialized equipment for planned jobs, working closely with procurement and warehouse teams to ensure timely availability.
Estimate the cost of labor, materials, and external services for each work order to support budget management and financial forecasting.
Maintain and update the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), such as SAP PM or Maximo, with accurate job plan data, work order status, and equipment history.
Review and analyze completed work orders to refine job plans, update Bills of Materials (BOMs), and improve the accuracy of future planning efforts.
Interpret complex technical documents, including electrical schematics, single-line diagrams, P&IDs, and vendor manuals, to inform job planning.
Ensure all planned work incorporates strict adherence to safety protocols, including Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) procedures, arc flash safety (NFPA 70E), and National Electrical Code (NEC) standards.
Develop and maintain a library of standard job plans for repetitive electrical maintenance tasks to improve planning efficiency and consistency.
Manage the work order backlog effectively, providing clear visibility on workload, resource constraints, and forward-looking maintenance schedules.
Coordinate with and oversee third-party contractors for specialized electrical work, ensuring they adhere to site safety policies and scope of work.
Participate in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations for significant electrical failures to identify and plan corrective actions that prevent recurrence.
Develop long-range and short-range maintenance plans for critical electrical infrastructure, including switchgear, transformers, motors, and VFDs.
Generate and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) related to planning and scheduling effectiveness, such as schedule compliance, backlog aging, and plan vs. actual hours.
Provide technical guidance and support to maintenance technicians regarding planned work, clarifying procedures and resolving potential issues before work begins.
Conduct regular reviews of the preventive maintenance (PM) program for electrical equipment, recommending adjustments to tasks and frequencies to optimize effectiveness.
Create and manage Bills of Materials (BOMs) for critical electrical assets within the CMMS to streamline the parts procurement process.
Actively support reliability engineering initiatives by providing equipment data and insights from maintenance history to inform asset strategies.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory analysis related to maintenance performance and equipment reliability.
Contribute to the development and management of the annual maintenance budget, particularly concerning electrical parts and services.
Mentor and provide guidance to junior planners or apprentices within the maintenance organization.
Participate actively in site safety committees, audits, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

CMMS Proficiency: Advanced knowledge of a Computerized Maintenance Management System, particularly SAP Plant Maintenance (PM) or IBM Maximo.
Electrical Schematics & Drawings: Ability to read, interpret, and work from electrical single-line diagrams, P&IDs, loop diagrams, and schematics.
Safety Code Knowledge: Deep understanding of electrical safety standards, including NFPA 70E (Arc Flash), NEC, and LOTO procedures.
Project Scheduling Software: Proficiency in using scheduling tools like Microsoft Project or Primavera P6 for planning complex outages and projects.
Cost Estimation: Skill in accurately estimating labor hours, material costs, and contractor expenses for maintenance work.
Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Experience with structured problem-solving methodologies to investigate equipment failures.
Microsoft Office Suite: Strong command of Excel, Word, and Outlook for reporting, documentation, and communication.

Soft Skills

Exceptional Organization & Planning: A natural ability to manage multiple priorities, organize complex tasks, and foresee potential obstacles.
Strong Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively coordinate between diverse teams (technicians, engineers, managers, vendors).
Meticulous Attention to Detail: A thorough and precise approach to developing work packages and verifying information.
Problem-Solving Acumen: The ability to analyze issues from multiple perspectives and develop practical, effective solutions.
Collaborative Team Player: A proactive approach to building relationships and working effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve common goals.
Self-Motivation: Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and take ownership of the planning function.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or GED combined with a Journeyman Electrician certification or a Technical Diploma in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, or a related technical field.
Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) or Certified Reliability Leader (CRL) designation is a significant asset.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Electrical Engineering Technology
Industrial Maintenance
Project Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5-10 years of hands-on experience in an industrial manufacturing, power generation, or heavy construction environment, with a strong focus on electrical systems.

Preferred: At least 3+ years of experience in a dedicated maintenance planning or scheduling role is highly desirable.