Planner Scheduler/ Readiness Coordinator - PA Work Management - Somerset

About the role

This is an open position with Pennsylvania Electric Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. This is a full-time, on-site role based in Somerset, PA. The position is responsible for short-range planning and scheduling of operational processes, analyzing results, and supporting process improvements to maximize productivity and efficiency within FirstEnergy’s work management system.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate and direct a solid commitment to all aspects of safety.
• Provide reliable support to operations supervision by planning and scheduling activities, managing the work queue, staffing, equipment, materials, tools, switching orders, permits, and work package instructions required to operate, maintain, and/or construct overhead/underground line facilities.
• Develop a firm two-week plan of assigned operations center activities and a one-month projection of anticipated future activities, providing management with a daily work plan and job contingency strategy.
• Assist supervision in establishing work commitment dates, expediting projects when necessary, and adjusting schedules daily due to changes in available resources or external conditions.
• Reflect line employees’ crewing and vehicle assignments in FEWS and dispatch work daily to assigned crews.
• Utilize FEWS to create the troubleman/serviceman schedule and assign work.
• Participate in interactions with internal/external customers on inquiries concerning construction and maintenance activities.
• Coordinate work request activities with appropriate groups to establish job start and completion dates.
• Aid in performing pre-construction work request assessments to facilitate optimal resource utilization.
• Ensure underground utility locates are completed (e.g., OUPS, PA ONE CALL, MISO Utility Tickets) and switching/hold-offs are completed.
• Manage time and priorities, and update management on work in progress, backlog of work, section productivity, and other applicable status updates.
• Assist management by providing technical reports and metrics to ensure compliance with FirstEnergy practices and procedures; interpret report analysis and prepare recommendations.
• Collaborate with Consolidated Planning regarding alignment between actual work and the budgeted annual work plan, review actual work hours vs. forecasted, provide variance explanations, and communicate areas requiring forecast adjustments.
• Follow existing processes and improvement practices to develop and support appropriate documentation, communication, and training.
• Discuss work to be performed with the operations team to address special needs, equipment, vehicles, flaggers, and review prints when necessary.
• Plan and schedule accelerated/service work.
• Assist during emergencies and storm-related activities, including travel to various off-site locations, FirstEnergy office locations, training facilities, and customer sites when requested.
• Attend all required regulatory training.
• Provide day-to-day support to supervision and other employees on assigned activities.

Qualifications

• Professionalism to work with engineer and management personnel, as well as interface and work cooperatively with customers, contractors, and the general public in a courteous manner that demonstrates FirstEnergy’s rules of engagement.
• Self-motivated and able to multitask and balance competing priorities.
• Solid verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with PC software applications including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook), SAP, GIS, CREWS, FEWS, PowerOn, CAD/AutoCAD, and Energy Delivery Outage Application.
• Experience with database query tools.
• Knowledge of planning/scheduling best practices, processes, and tools.
• Knowledge of NESC, NEC, and CGES.
• Understanding of the Company’s Accident Prevention Handbook and Manual of Operations and their practical application in the workplace.
• Understanding of the purpose, function, and operating characteristics of equipment, distribution design, residential, commercial, and utility electrical distribution systems, and construction methods, maintenance practices, service practices, standards, and procedures.
• Understanding of legal and regulatory requirements as appropriate.
• Must have a personal vehicle to commute to various facilities and locations as required and possess a valid driver’s license.

Education and Experience

• Lines Planner/Scheduler I: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology or related discipline + 0–1 years of related work experience. In lieu of a Bachelor’s degree, minimum of 2 years of related work experience is required.
• Lines Planner/Scheduler II: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology or related discipline + 1–2 years of related work experience. In lieu of a Bachelor’s degree, minimum of 3 years of related work experience is required.
• Lines Planner/Scheduler III: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology or related discipline + 2–4 years of related work experience. In lieu of a Bachelor’s degree, minimum of 5 years of related work experience is required.
• Lines Planner/Scheduler IV: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology or related discipline + 4–6 years of related work experience. In lieu of a Bachelor’s degree, minimum of 7 years of related work experience is required.

Related work experience includes knowledge of planning/scheduling of work, construction and maintenance practices, procedures, work methods, materials, equipment, and tools used to determine resources necessary to perform construction and maintenance work activities.