Maintenance Planner

Process Coach – Maintenance | Diesel Head Machining, 6.7L Engine Program

Department

Powertrain Manufacturing – Machining Operations

Reports To

Maintenance Manager / Area Manager, Diesel Head Machining Manager

Direct Reports

6 Maintenance Technicians (direct) | 50+ Production Team Members (indirect/matrixed collaboration)

The Process Coach – Maintenance is responsible for leading the maintenance strategy, technical direction, and daily execution of equipment reliability within the Diesel Head Machining area for the 6.7L engine program. This role owns the health and performance of high-complexity automated systems, including Schneider PLC-controlled assembly machines, mechanical and hydraulic systems, lift-assist devices, gantry systems, MAG 4-axis CNC machines, Eco Clean washing systems, and Marposs / JW Froelich final assembly and gauging equipment. The Process Coach will drive equipment reliability, lead a team of technicians, support new equipment installation and validation, and partner with Production to deliver results across all critical metrics: Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People, and Maintenance (SQDCPM).

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong technical expertise, people management skills, and a continuous improvement mindset grounded in TPM, Lean Manufacturing, and Six Sigma methodologies.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

1. Team Leadership & People Management

Directly supervise, coach, and develop a team of 6 maintenance technicians across assigned shifts.

Provide functional leadership and cross-collaboration with 50+ indirect production team members to ensure alignment on equipment performance and issue resolution.

Manage schedules, training plans, skill matrices, and performance evaluations for the maintenance team.

Foster a culture of safety, accountability, discipline, and continuous improvement.

Provide availability and flexibility to support multiple shifts, weekends, and emergency call-outs as required by production demands.

2. Equipment Reliability & Technical Ownership

Own the reliability strategy for assembly machines with Schneider PLC controls, mechanical/hydraulic systems, lift-assist units, and gantry systems.

Provide technical leadership for MAG 4-axis CNC machines, Eco Clean washer systems, and Marposs/JW Froelich final assembly and gauging equipment.

Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and problem-solving activities (5 Why, Fishbone, 8D) for chronic equipment failures.

Drive predictive and preventive maintenance (PM) programs to maximize equipment uptime and reduce unplanned downtime.

Analyze machine downtime data, MTBF/MTTR trends, and reliability metrics to identify improvement opportunities.

3. TPM, Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

Champion Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) pillars, including Autonomous Maintenance and Planned Maintenance, in collaboration with Production.

Apply Lean Manufacturing principles to reduce waste, improve process flow, and optimize maintenance response times.

Utilize Six Sigma tools and methodology (DMAIC) to lead structured problem-solving and process improvement projects.

Support and lead Kaizen events focused on equipment reliability, changeover reduction, and maintenance efficiency.

4. New Equipment Implementation & Validation

Lead the installation, commissioning, and validation of new equipment and process upgrades within the head machining area.

Coordinate Run-at-Rate, capability studies, and equipment buy-off activities with Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing teams.

Develop and validate PM plans, spare parts strategies, and technical documentation for new equipment prior to production launch.

Ensure new equipment integration aligns with plant safety, ergonomic, and quality standards.

5. Metrics Management (SQDCPM)

Partner with Production leadership to manage and improve daily/weekly metrics: Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People, and Maintenance.

Lead daily tier meetings, reporting equipment status, action plans, and escalation of critical issues.

Track and report KPIs such as OEE, downtime, PM compliance, MTBF/MTTR, and cost per unit.

Develop corrective action plans when metrics deviate from targets and drive accountability for closure.

6. Safety & Compliance

Ensure all maintenance activities comply with plant safety standards, lockout, and environmental regulations.

Promote a zero-incident safety culture within the maintenance team and area.

Ensure equipment modifications and repairs maintain compliance with engineering and safety specifications.

Ideal Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Mechatronics, Industrial, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field (required).
• Certifications in TPM, Lean Manufacturing, or Six Sigma (Green Belt/Black Belt preferred) are highly valued.

Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in maintenance within an automotive manufacturing environment, ideally in machining or powertrain operations.
• Proven experience leading maintenance teams (direct reports) in a high-volume production environment.
• Hands-on experience with PLC-based control systems (Schneider preferred), CNC machining centers, hydraulic/mechanical systems, and automated assembly/gauging equipment.
• Experience with new equipment installation, validation, and Run-at-Rate processes.
• Demonstrated experience managing plant-level metrics (SQDCPM) in partnership with Production.

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of TPM principles (Autonomous & Planned Maintenance pillars).
• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing tools (5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, SMED).
• Six Sigma methodology and statistical problem-solving skills (DMAIC, root cause analysis).
• Proficiency in reading electrical schematics, hydraulic diagrams, and PLC logic (Schneider platform preferred).
• Familiarity with CMMS systems for maintenance planning and tracking.

Leadership & Soft Skills

• Strong people leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop, and hold technicians accountable.
• Ability to influence and collaborate cross-functionally with Production, Quality, and Engineering teams.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills under pressure.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred, depending on plant requirements.

Availability

• Flexibility to work rotating shifts, weekends, and respond to off-hours emergencies as needed by production demands.