Planner/Works Programmer in Milton Keynes

Annual salary: up to £29,303.90

Contract Type: Permanent

Business Area: Housing Repairs and Maintenance

Location: Milton Keynes - Woodlands Business Park

About the company

Mears are the largest provider of repairs and maintenance, and regeneration services across the UK. We are a highly responsible partner, who is committed to delivering the highest levels of customer service, keeping our promises, creating a great place to work, and tackling issues that matter to people and communities.

About the Role

We are looking for an organised and proactive Planner to join our local repairs team. You’ll play a vital role in ensuring repairs are scheduled efficiently, works are allocated to operatives, and jobs are completed quickly and to a high standard. As the key link between residents, operatives, and colleagues, you will help deliver a customer‑focused, responsive repairs service.

Role Responsibilities

• Schedule operatives and subcontractors to ensure resources are used effectively and repairs are delivered on time.
• Monitor and update repair jobs daily, including appointments, follow‑on works, and overdue tasks.
• Support the use of IT systems, ensuring operatives update their PDAs and schedule of rates are entered correctly.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with residents, operatives, and stakeholders to keep everyone informed.
• Work closely with administrators, supervisors, and contractors to ensure a seamless service.
• Cover for other planners when needed and attend meetings or training sessions as required.
• Follow company policies and Health & Safety requirements at all times.
• Assist with reporting and performance monitoring to ensure KPIs and targets are met.
• Help prioritise emergency and urgent jobs to minimise disruption for residents.
• Maintain accurate records, data, and documentation for audits and compliance.
• Support continuous service improvements by suggesting ways to streamline planning and scheduling.
• Provide general administrative support to the repairs team when required.
• Working on the call centre taking calls.

Role Criteria

• Experience in the above role with similar or the same duties.
• GCSE (or equivalent) in English & Maths.
• Experience working in a fast‑paced, pressurised environment.
• Strong IT skills with the ability to use job management and scheduling systems.
• Excellent time management, organisational, and communication skills.
• A customer‑first approach with the ability to handle challenging situations.
• Knowledge of repairs and maintenance processes.
• Call centre experience.
• Experience scheduling and planning multi‑trade repairs using an ICT appointing tool.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Company‑wide Mears Fun Day to celebrate your hard work.
• Volunteering leave to support community initiatives.
• Mears Rewards – discounts on groceries, holidays, eye tests, and more.
• Access to confidential EAP counselling and wellbeing support.
• Family‑friendly policies and flexible working support.
• Share Save and You Earn schemes.

Legal & Visa Statements

All our roles require candidates to have the entitlement to work within the UK, Mears does not currently offer visa sponsorship. To drive a Mears vehicle, you must be aged over 21 have held your licence over 3 months and have less than 9 points. Candidates should be aware that all our roles are subject to relevant Background, Identity & Security checks before commencement of employment.

Equal Opportunities

At the company, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, we are a Disability Confident employer, valuing individuality and ensuring equal opportunities for all. We proudly support the Armed Forces Covenant and are honoured to have achieved the Gold Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) to coincide with this, we hold an Endorser Award for the Career Transition Partnership, recognising our commitment to veterans transitioning into civilian careers. In our continued effort to promote social mobility, we invite applicants to voluntarily share their background information during the application stages to help us better understand the diverse experiences of our candidates. This is to ensure we are committed to improving social mobility. We use the Social Mobility Index to assess and enhance opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds. These questions are optional and will not impact your ability to apply.