Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Maintenance Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Maintenance Coordinator is the central hub of an effective maintenance department, serving as the primary organizer and facilitator of all maintenance activities. This role is responsible for ensuring that the facility and its equipment are operating safely and efficiently by meticulously planning, scheduling, and tracking work orders. A successful Maintenance Coordinator acts as the critical link between the maintenance team, production or operational departments, and external service vendors, ensuring seamless communication and minimal downtime. This position requires a unique blend of administrative prowess, technical understanding, and exceptional organizational skills to manage the dynamic demands of a busy operational environment.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Maintenance Technician
Senior Administrative Assistant (in a technical/industrial setting)
Junior Facilities Coordinator

Advancement To:

Maintenance Supervisor / Team Lead
Facilities Manager
Maintenance Planner / Senior Scheduler

Lateral Moves:

Project Coordinator
Operations Coordinator
Health & Safety Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Act as the primary point of contact for all incoming maintenance requests, diligently logging, prioritizing, and assigning work orders through a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).
Develop, manage, and distribute detailed daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance schedules for technicians, ensuring optimal allocation of resources and alignment with operational priorities.
Coordinate and schedule all preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities to minimize equipment downtime and extend asset life.
Manage the full lifecycle of work orders from creation to closure, verifying that all required information, labor hours, and parts used are accurately documented for historical and analytical purposes.
Liaise with external contractors and service vendors for specialized repairs, which includes obtaining quotes, scheduling site visits, and ensuring their compliance with company safety and quality standards.
Monitor and track the inventory of spare parts, tools, and essential supplies, initiating purchase requisitions to maintain optimal stock levels and prevent operational delays.
Generate and distribute comprehensive reports on key maintenance performance indicators (KPIs), such as work order backlog, schedule compliance, mean time to repair (MTTR), and budget adherence.
Assist the Maintenance Manager in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of robust preventive maintenance (PM) programs for all critical equipment and facility systems.
Ensure all maintenance activities are performed in strict accordance with health and safety regulations (e.g., OSHA, LOTO) and internal company policies, actively promoting a culture of safety.
Conduct regular follow-ups on completed work orders to ensure tasks are finished to a high standard and that the requesting departments are satisfied with the outcome.
Maintain and update the library of technical documentation, including equipment manuals, service records, blueprints, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for maintenance tasks.
Plan and oversee small-scale facility projects, coordinating with various departments to ensure minimal disruption to daily operations from start to finish.
Play a key role in the planning and execution of scheduled facility shutdowns for major maintenance overhauls, equipment installations, and critical upgrades.
Communicate effectively and proactively with department heads and production supervisors to understand their maintenance needs and provide timely updates on the status of ongoing work.
Triage emergency maintenance requests, promptly assessing the situation, and dispatching the appropriate technical resources to resolve critical issues swiftly.

Secondary Functions

Support the procurement process by sourcing new vendors, assisting in the negotiation of service contracts, and processing invoices for maintenance-related purchases.
Assist in the development and management of the annual maintenance department budget by tracking expenditures and identifying potential cost-saving opportunities.
Participate in root cause analysis (RCA) investigations for significant equipment failures to help identify underlying issues and recommend long-term corrective actions.
Provide essential administrative support to the maintenance department, which can include managing team schedules, coordinating safety training, and maintaining personnel records.
Train new and existing staff on the proper use of the CMMS platform and the established work order request and management process.
Conduct periodic physical audits of the spare parts storeroom and tool crib to ensure inventory accuracy and proper organization.
Collaborate with the Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) department to ensure all necessary work permits (e.g., hot work, confined space entry) are correctly issued and followed.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

CMMS Proficiency: Advanced proficiency in using Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) such as SAP PM, Maximo, Fiix, eMaint, or UpKeep for work order management and reporting.
Maintenance Planning & Scheduling: Strong knowledge of maintenance planning and scheduling principles, including the application of preventive, predictive, and reliability-centered maintenance strategies.
Inventory & Procurement: Competency in MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) inventory management and procurement processes for technical parts and services.
Technical Document Interpretation: The ability to read and interpret technical documents, including equipment manuals, electrical schematics, and mechanical blueprints.
MS Office Suite Mastery: Advanced skills in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel for data analysis and reporting, Word for documentation, and Outlook for scheduling and communication.
Safety Regulation Knowledge: A solid understanding of workplace safety regulations (OSHA) and best practices, such as Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), in an industrial or facilities environment.

Soft Skills

Exceptional Organization: Superior organizational and time-management skills, with a proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced setting.
Clear Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, enabling clear and concise interaction with technicians, engineers, managers, and external vendors.
Resourceful Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a proactive and resourceful approach to overcoming operational challenges and unforeseen issues.
Attention to Detail: A high level of attention to detail and accuracy, which is critical for data entry, record-keeping, and scheduling.
Customer Service Orientation: A strong focus on internal customer service, aimed at providing timely, effective, and professional support to all departments within the organization.
Adaptability & Collaboration: The ability to work both independently with minimal supervision and collaboratively as an integral member of the operations and maintenance team.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or GED equivalent, supplemented with relevant technical certifications or vocational training.

Preferred Education:

Associate's or Bachelor's Degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Facilities Management
Engineering Technology
Logistics or Supply Chain Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3-5 years of direct experience in a maintenance planning, facilities coordination, or operations scheduling role.

Preferred:

Experience gained within an industrial, manufacturing, or large-scale commercial property environment is highly desirable. Prior hands-on experience as a maintenance technician or in a skilled trade is a significant plus.