Lead Planning Specialist, Turnaround

About the Role

The Planning Specialist, Maintenance Turnaround, reports directly to the Superintendent, Maintenance Turnaround and is responsible for the development, coordination, execution, and closeout of major plant turnarounds and outages. This role leads planning efforts from initial scope development through execution and post-turnaround review, working closely with operations, maintenance, engineering, contractors, and leadership teams to ensure turnaround work is completed safely, on-schedule, within budget, and in accordance with company quality standards. During execution, the planning specialist transitions into a field execution role, providing coordination, problem-solving, schedule management, and daily oversight.

This is a DOT position requiring a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card in good standing status. Reasonable accommodations will be made to ensure essential job functions can be performed.

Responsibilities

• Develop turnaround work scopes with Operations, Maintenance, and Engineering/Reliability teams.
• Prepare multi-craft work packages including job plans, labor estimates, materials, equipment, tools, and safety/quality requirements.
• Support development of resource-loaded schedules and critical path risk mitigation.
• Lead constructability reviews and execution readiness assessments.
• Coordinate procurement, staging, and availability of materials, equipment, contractors, permits, procedures, and documentation.
• Support hazard analyses, risk assessments, and pre-job planning activities.
• Provide field leadership during turnarounds, outages, and shutdowns to ensure safe, efficient execution.
• Lead and support daily planning, coordination, and status meetings with operations, maintenance, contractors, and leadership.
• Monitor schedule performance, manage emergent work, and implement recovery plans as needed.
• Coordinate multi-discipline maintenance activities, including mechanical, rotating equipment, piping, electrical, instrumentation, and inspection.
• Ensure contractor compliance with safety, quality, productivity, and site requirements.
• Track labor productivity, crew performance, and turnaround progress.
• Communicate daily status, risks, milestones, and schedule forecasts to leadership.
• Champion zero-incident safety performance and ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Assist the Inspection Department with coordination of QA/QC activities and ensure documentation, inspections, and turnover requirements are completed.
• Support turnaround budgeting, cost estimating, cost control, contractor cost reviews, and change management.
• Participate in turnaround closeout, lessons learned, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Update planning standards, job plans, and turnaround processes based on findings and best practices.
• Develop recommendations to improve equipment reliability, maintainability, and availability.
• Support regulatory compliance, departmental KPIs, and maintenance performance objectives.
• Attend required training and support onboarding and development of new employees.
• Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned to meet business needs.

Requirements

• High School diploma or GED is required; formal education in a related technical or engineering discipline is desirable.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in respective crafts working in an Oil, Gas, Chemical, or LNG facility, with at least 3 of those years in planning experience.
• Minimum of 3 years supporting Major Turnarounds, with at least 1 year leading execution of work scope.
• Proficient understanding of CMMS systems; Maximo experience is a plus.
• Experience with Oracle eAM, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project, and Microsoft Excel is desirable.
• Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, equipment drawings, and technical documentation.
• Knowledge of equipment repair practices, work order planning best practices, and safe work practices.
• Familiarity with governmental regulations, technical and safety codes, and reporting requirements.

Work Conditions

• Frequent standing, walking, sitting, climbing stairs, working at heights, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, talking, hearing, smelling, typing, and writing.
• Ability to board a ship via a gangway, climb to the top of a tank (200+ steps), scale vertical steel ladders up to forty feet or more, and lift/move objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Work indoors and outdoors, exposed to year-round weather conditions, ocean environment, noise, and occasionally process gases and vapors.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Subject to drug and alcohol testing per federal regulations and company requirements.
• Required to pass regularly scheduled physical examinations mandated by regulatory authorities.
• Must be available for call-outs, including holidays, weekends, and nights.

About Us

Cheniere Energy is a global leader in LNG, providing flexible, reliable, and affordable energy while powering the transition to a lower-carbon future. We are a values-driven company focused on teamwork, respect, accountability, integrity, nimbleness, and safety. Our high-performing employees are united by a shared mission and culture of inclusion, with comprehensive compensation and benefits prioritizing wellness and performance incentives. Headquartered in Houston, Cheniere has U.S. offices in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Washington D.C., production sites in Cameron, Louisiana, and Gregory, Texas, and international offices in London, Singapore, Beijing, and Tokyo.