Fleet Maintenance Planner (Chester)

What can you expect from CAF?

• Positive Work Environment: You will work in a positive environment, based on mutual respect and team spirit.
• Professional Development: Our projects are often measured in years, sometimes decades, giving you and the organisation a future.
• Learning and Autonomy: We will encourage you to work autonomously, being able to propose and decide 'what' and 'how'.
• Security and Reliability: CAF has been working for over 100 years on a path that stretches into the future, giving you the security you need.
• Cutting-edge technology: You will work with the latest technologies, facing the challenge of devising innovative approaches and solutions every day.

What will be your role in the company?

The Fleet Maintenance Planner will primarily manage the fleet planning strategy and develop both medium- and long-term maintenance plans. Working closely with the Production Team, they will ensure that the necessary resources are always in place to execute these plans. In collaboration with the Senior Materials Manager, they will also verify in advance that all required materials for maintenance are going to be available.

The Fleet Maintenance Planner will maintain regular communication and close collaboration with the Performance Manager and the Operational Excellence Leader (LEO) to ensure that any performance or efficiency improvement initiatives from the Performance Team and the LEO are effectively integrated into the maintenance planning process.

Additionally, the Fleet Maintenance Planner will focus on maximising depot capacity, ensuring efficient use of facilities, and minimizing train visits to the depot, while always adhering to the standards and margins defined in the VMIs.

Your daily duties will include:

• This person will be responsible for ensuring that maintenance activities are planned and conducted within the parameters defined in the maintenance plan, and that they do not exceed the maximum limits of hours or mileage set for maintenance.
• Daily face to face contact with the Production Manager at the Chester production office, at the start and end of each day, to support the operational plans for the following day or for the week.
• Weekly meeting at the Chester depot with the Modifications and Overhauls team, to align project requirements with depot capacity.
• Lead weekly sessions, on the first and last day of the week, to review the activity programme planning with the senior project team.
• Manage the fleet maintenance strategy in line with the approved vehicle maintenance plan to achieve the required fleet availability.
• Liaise with Engineering & Production departments, clients, and other key stakeholders to deliver the vehicles for passenger service in line with the agreed plan.
• In coordination with the Senior Production Manager, assist in the daily review to ensure vehicle availability, identifying and proposing mitigations and solutions in the planning.
• Develop and implement strategies to reduce maintenance costs.
• Implement and enforce maintenance policies and procedures.
• Manage scheduling for routine and unplanned maintenance activities.
• React to train failures and infrastructure-related issues in conjunction with the Operator to minimize the impact on the production plan.
• Work closely with the client's Planning Team to ensure any timetable changes have a minimal impact on depot operations.
• Develop a thorough understanding of contractual clauses related to fleet planning, and those that may imply Liquidated Damages related to Operations, to minimize risks and ensure full compliance.

What salary will you be paid for this role?

As a Real Living Wage Employer, we are proud to pay competitively at CAF. For this role you will be offered a salary in the region of £50,000 to £55,000 per annum.

What will make you successful in this position?

To succeed in this role you will need:

• Level 6 Engineering Degree or higher. Candidates with lower qualifications may also be considered relevant experience.
• Knowledge of Health, Safety, Quality, and Environmental standards and systems.
• Knowledge of railway transport operations and maintenance.
• Thorough understanding of and ability in the use of IT tools (e.g., Microsoft Office, especially Excel, CMMS, Microsoft Forms, Power Automate, etc.)
• Previous relevant experience in a similar role within the transport industry.
• Knowledge of train care depot procedures and rail operations.
• Experience in fleet management, including maintenance planning, scheduling, and optimization.
• Experience in leading and managing teams within a transport or rail operations environment.
• Proven ability to liaise with key stakeholders, including engineering teams, clients, and regulatory bodies.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and safety standards within the rail industry.