Fleet Maintenance Planner

Fleet Maintenance Planner | Location : Chester | Permanent | £50,000 – £55,000 The Opportunity We\’re seeking a dedicated Fleet Maintenance Planner to join a leading organisation within the rolling stock sector, focusing on developing and executing a robust fleet planning strategy for both medium- and long-term maintenance. This crucial role involves close collaboration with the Production Team to ensure all necessary resources are in place, and with the Materials Management team to guarantee material availability. You\’ll be instrumental in integrating performance and efficiency initiatives, maximising depot capacity, and minimising unnecessary train visits, all while adhering to established maintenance standards. Responsibilities: Manage the fleet maintenance strategy in line with the approved vehicle maintenance plan to achieve the required fleet availability. Produce medium- and long-term maintenance plans in conjunction with the Production Team and Maintenance Engineer. Liaise with Engineering & Production departments, clients, and other key stakeholders to deliver vehicles for passenger service. Develop and implement strategies to reduce maintenance costs and efficiently use available facilities, minimising train visits. Manage scheduling for routine and unplanned maintenance activities and react to train failures to minimise impact on the production plan. Ensure the availability of necessary parts and equipment in cooperation with the Senior Materials Manager. Develop a thorough understanding of contractual clauses related to fleet planning to minimise risks and ensure full compliance. Conduct daily and weekly meetings with relevant teams (Production, Modifications, Overhauls, and senior project teams) to align plans and project requirements. The Candidate: We\’re looking for a highly adaptable and detail-oriented professional with previous relevant experience in a similar role within the transport or rail industry. Essential Qualifications & Experience: Level 6 Engineering Degree (Candidates with lower qualifications but relevant experience will also be considered). Thorough understanding of and ability in the use of IT tools (e.g., Microsoft Office, especially Excel, CMMS, Microsoft Forms, Power Automate, etc.). Proven experience in fleet management, including maintenance planning, scheduling, and optimisation. Knowledge of railway transport operations and maintenance, and train care depot procedures. 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. Personal Skills: Strong organisational and analytical skills with a keen attention to detail. Adaptable, able to manage change, and perform effectively under stressful conditions. Ability to communicate effectively within a multi-national and culturally diverse organisation. Strong ability to collaborate and work effectively in cross-functional teams. Proven problem-solving skills with the ability to develop creative solutions. Location: Chester Salary: £50,000 – £55,000 About Ford & Stanley Group Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group are in the business of people and performance. Our mission is to create one million better workdays through facilitating great recruitment, leadership and occupational mental fitness. We support our clients in their most challenging business areas – recruiting, developing and retaining the best talent from shop floor to boardroom. Ford & Stanley TalentWise – Business specialising in blue collar trade & technical services – permanent and temporary. Ford & Stanley Recruitment – Business specialising in white collar spanning all company functions with specialist verticals within Digital, Rail Engineering, Civils & Infrastructure, General Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Logistics both permanent and contract. Ford & Stanley Executive Search – Business specialising in Executive Search & Executive Interim Solutions in the UK, North America, Middle East and Europe. Ford & Stanley Genius Performance – Performance is always accelerated when good people are coached, inspired, trained and focused in the right way. Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy