Maintenance Planner and Inventory Controller

Location: 2577 AR-59, Decatur, AR
Job Type: Full-Time, On-Site
Department: Maintenance
Reports To: Maintenance Manager

About United Petfood

United Petfood is a private label producer of high-quality dry and wet pet food, biscuits, and snacks. We are a Belgian family business with 25 high-tech pet kitchens across Europe and the United States.

Joining us means becoming part of an international, passionate, and driven team with one common goal: a healthy planet filled with healthy pets! We believe in building supportive, long-lasting partnerships both inside and outside our fast-growing family company. By working with high-quality ingredients and innovative technology, we create an environment where our employees can grow, develop, and help make thousands of pets happy worldwide.

Position Summary

The Maintenance Planner and Inventory Controller is responsible for coordinating maintenance planning, scheduling, and spare parts inventory management to support the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of manufacturing equipment at our Decatur, Arkansas facility.

This position works closely with Maintenance, Operations, Production, and external vendors to ensure preventive and corrective maintenance activities are effectively planned, scheduled, and supported with the necessary parts, materials, tools, and resources. Responsibilities include managing maintenance work orders, coordinating daily maintenance activities, monitoring preventive maintenance compliance, maintaining inventory accuracy, and supporting equipment reliability initiatives.

The ideal candidate combines strong organizational and inventory management skills with practical industrial maintenance knowledge. This is a hands-on position that also assists Maintenance Technicians with preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and equipment repairs as operational needs require.

Duties & Responsibilities

Maintenance Planning & Scheduling

• Develop, coordinate, and maintain preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance schedules to support equipment reliability and minimize unplanned downtime.

• Plan maintenance work orders by identifying labor requirements, estimated completion times, necessary tools, spare parts, materials, and equipment availability.

• Coordinate daily, weekly, and long-term maintenance schedules with Maintenance Supervisors, Operations, and Production leadership.

• Prioritize maintenance activities based on equipment criticality, safety, production requirements, and operational needs.

• Coordinate planned equipment downtime, shutdown activities, and maintenance projects to ensure efficient execution.

• Review open work orders, maintenance backlogs, and equipment history to identify priorities and scheduling opportunities.

• Reschedule incomplete, deferred, or parts-dependent work orders and communicate changes to appropriate departments.

• Monitor work order completion, follow up on outstanding maintenance activities, and ensure maintenance schedules are updated accordingly.

• Coordinate maintenance technician assignments and work schedules to maximize productive maintenance time and support established utilization targets.

Daily Maintenance Operations & Team Coordination

• Lead or coordinate daily pre-shift maintenance meetings to review work orders, safety topics, contractor activities, equipment concerns, and root cause analysis findings.

• Review and manage maintenance technician pass-downs to ensure outstanding equipment issues and maintenance priorities are communicated between shifts.

• Ensure end-of-shift maintenance pass-downs are completed accurately and consistently.

• Communicate daily maintenance priorities, resource requirements, and schedule changes to Maintenance and Operations leadership.

• Monitor preventive maintenance completion and forecast upcoming PM activities to support scheduling and resource planning.

• Coordinate maintenance activities across production shifts to minimize disruption and ensure continuity of operations.

• Assist with identifying recurring equipment issues and coordinating appropriate follow-up actions.

Maintenance Systems & Documentation

• Maintain accurate maintenance records, equipment histories, preventive maintenance schedules, and work order documentation within the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).

• Create, update, and manage preventive maintenance tasks, equipment maintenance plans, and associated work order information.

• Track maintenance performance indicators, including PM compliance, work order completion, equipment downtime, technician utilization, and maintenance backlog.

• Assist with analyzing maintenance trends and identifying opportunities to improve equipment reliability and maintenance efficiency.

• Maintain accurate equipment records, parts lists, maintenance procedures, and related technical documentation.

• Complete required daily maintenance reports and provide accurate updates to Maintenance leadership.

• Support maintenance audits, compliance reviews, and corrective action tracking.

• Identify opportunities to improve CMMS accuracy, maintenance planning processes, and overall work order management.

Spare Parts & Inventory Management

• Manage maintenance spare parts, tools, consumables, and repair materials to ensure availability while maintaining appropriate inventory levels.

• Establish and maintain organized inventory storage locations, accurate parts identification, labeling, and inventory records.

• Maintain appropriate minimum and maximum inventory levels for critical spare parts and regularly review stock requirements.

• Monitor low-stock alerts, flagged inventory items, and parts requirements identified through maintenance inspections and work orders.

• Source maintenance parts from approved vendors and coordinate purchasing requests and replenishment activities through established company procedures and systems.

• Work with vendors and suppliers to obtain pricing, confirm availability, track deliveries, and resolve order discrepancies.

• Receive, inspect, and accurately record incoming maintenance parts and materials.

• Conduct routine cycle counts and periodic physical inventories to ensure inventory accuracy.

• Track parts usage, inventory transactions, and associated maintenance costs.

• Identify obsolete, excess, or slow-moving inventory and recommend appropriate corrective actions.

• Coordinate with Maintenance and Operations to identify critical spare parts needed to support production equipment and minimize downtime.

• Maintain proper storage and organization of grease, lubricants, and other maintenance supplies, including designated fire safety cabinets.

Hands-On Maintenance Support

• Assist Maintenance Technicians with preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, equipment repairs, and other maintenance activities as needed.

• Support maintenance activities involving conveyors, mixers, packaging equipment, motors, bearings, mechanical drives, and other industrial production equipment.

• Assist with equipment inspections, lubrication, adjustments, component replacement, and mechanical repairs within demonstrated qualifications and training.

• Support emergency breakdown response and equipment restoration efforts when necessary.

• Follow established maintenance procedures, safety requirements, and equipment manufacturer recommendations.

• Coordinate hands-on maintenance responsibilities with planning, scheduling, and inventory priorities to ensure essential administrative and operational functions are maintained.

Vendor Coordination & Continuous Improvement

• Coordinate with outside contractors and service providers for scheduled maintenance, equipment repairs, and specialized services.

• Assist with obtaining quotes, scheduling vendor visits, and ensuring required materials and equipment are available.

• Participate in root cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives related to equipment failures and recurring maintenance issues.

• Identify opportunities to improve maintenance planning efficiency, spare parts availability, equipment reliability, and inventory cost control.

• Collaborate with Maintenance, Operations, Engineering, and Quality teams to support plant performance and production goals.

• Assist with developing and improving maintenance procedures, work processes, and corrective action plans.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; technical certification or associate degree in Industrial Maintenance, Maintenance Technology, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred.

• Minimum of 3 years of related experience in industrial maintenance, maintenance planning, scheduling, or maintenance inventory management.

• General working knowledge of mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and plumbing systems.

• Familiarity with Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), work order management, and maintenance inventory processes.

• Experience with spare parts inventory management, purchasing coordination, or materials tracking.

• Mechanical aptitude and ability to assist with industrial maintenance activities within demonstrated skill and training.

• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications such as Excel, Word, and Outlook.

• Good mathematical, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to read and write English, follow written and verbal instructions, and perform basic mathematical calculations.

• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• Effective written and verbal communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with maintenance personnel, operational leadership, and external vendors.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in food, pet food, or other industrial manufacturing environments.

• Previous experience as a Maintenance Planner, Maintenance Scheduler, Maintenance Technician, or Maintenance Parts Coordinator.

• Experience using CMMS software to manage preventive maintenance schedules, work orders, and spare parts inventory.

• Experience establishing inventory controls, minimum and maximum stock levels, and cycle count processes.

• Knowledge of preventive maintenance programs, equipment reliability principles, and maintenance performance metrics.

• Experience coordinating planned downtime, equipment shutdowns, or maintenance projects.

• Familiarity with conveyors, mixers, extruders, dryers, packaging equipment, and related manufacturing machinery.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in maintenance scheduling, inventory records, and documentation.

• Ability to anticipate maintenance needs and proactively coordinate resources to minimize equipment downtime.

• Strong planning, prioritization, and multitasking skills.

• Ability to adapt to changing production schedules, maintenance priorities, and urgent equipment needs.

• Understanding of maintenance workflows, equipment reliability, and spare parts requirements.

• Ability to work independently while maintaining effective communication with Maintenance and Production teams.

• Hands-on, team-oriented approach with a willingness to assist with maintenance activities when needed.

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective working relationships across departments.

• Self-motivated with a commitment to safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Workplace Safety

• Follow all company safety policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.

• Comply with Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), machine guarding, electrical safety, and other applicable maintenance safety procedures.

• Participate in required safety training and use appropriate personal protective equipment.

• Maintain clean, safe, and organized maintenance work areas, inventory storage locations, and parts rooms.

• Follow applicable Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), food safety, and sanitation requirements.

• Complete required safety and quality documentation accurately and report any deviations from established standards.

• Immediately report unsafe conditions, near misses, injuries, and equipment-related safety concerns.

• Support maintenance-related audits, corrective actions, and compliance initiatives.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Work is performed in office, maintenance shop, inventory storage, and active manufacturing environments.

• Regular walking, standing, sitting, bending, kneeling, reaching, and climbing may be required.

• Ability to lift and move materials, tools, and parts weighing up to 50 pounds, with assistance or lifting equipment as appropriate.

• Exposure to production noise, dust, fumes, oils, grease, and varying temperatures.

• Ability to safely work around manufacturing equipment and wear required personal protective equipment.

• Ability to drive a vehicle during the workday when necessary for assigned job responsibilities.

• Flexibility to support maintenance activities and operational needs across production shifts when necessary.

Why Join Us?

At United Petfood, we believe in investing in our employees and providing opportunities for growth and development. As our Maintenance Planner and Inventory Controller , you will play an important role in improving equipment reliability, coordinating maintenance activities, and ensuring our maintenance teams have the resources needed to keep production running efficiently.

This position offers a unique combination of maintenance planning, scheduling, inventory management, and hands-on technical involvement within a growing international manufacturing organization.

We offer competitive pay, benefits, and a supportive work environment where your contributions are valued.

Equal Opportunity Employer: United Petfood Producers USA Inc. is an equal opportunity workplace. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.