Service & Spare Parts Planner

Position Title: Service & Spare Parts Planner

Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Department: Supply Chain

Founded in 1953 Avtron has a long history of manufacturing market leading power test solutions. Now with a global footprint and sales into some of the largest industrial projects, Avtron will continue to push the envelope of what’s possible in the electrical test environment. Avtron Power Solutions manufacture and distribute market leading load bank solutions for mission critical applications. We have the largest portfolio in the industry and can meet the highest load testing standards with our intelligent SIGMA load bank control system.

Position Summary

The Service & Spare Parts Planner is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing all supply chain activities supporting Avtron's Service Center operations and aftermarket spare parts business.

This role manages demand planning, inventory planning, material availability, and work order coordination for customer repairs, warranty claims, refurbishment projects, and spare parts orders. The position serves as the primary link between Customer Service, Service Technicians, Procurement, Warehouse Operations, Engineering, and Production to ensure timely fulfillment of customer requirements.

The Service & Spare Parts Planner will leverage SAP Business One (SAP B1) to manage inventory, plan material requirements, coordinate service work orders, and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction while optimizing inventory investment.

Key Responsibilities

Spare Parts Planning

• Manage planning and replenishment of aftermarket spare parts inventory.

• Analyze historical demand and consumption trends.

• Establish inventory stocking strategies for critical service parts.

• Maintain target inventory levels to support customer service objectives.

• Monitor inventory health, excess inventory, and obsolete stock.

• Coordinate replenishment activities with Procurement.

Service Center Planning

• Plan and coordinate material requirements for repair and refurbishment activities.

• Support scheduling of warranty repairs and customer return authorizations (RMA).

• Ensure timely availability of components required for service work orders.

• Monitor service backlog and prioritize activities based on customer commitments.

• Coordinate repair schedules with Service Technicians and Operations teams.

• Track turnaround times and identify opportunities to improve service performance.

Warranty & Returns Management Support

• Coordinate material planning activities related to warranty claims.

• Support root cause investigations by ensuring component traceability.

• Manage replacement parts requirements for warranty cases.

• Assist in disposition decisions for returned products.

SAP Business One Planning & Inventory Management

• Utilize SAP Business One to manage inventory planning activities.

• Execute MRP recommendations for spare parts and service requirements.

• Maintain planning parameters, safety stock levels, lead times, and reorder points.

• Create and manage service-related Work Orders.

• Ensure accuracy of inventory transactions and planning master data.

• Monitor inventory accuracy and support cycle count activities.

Customer Order Fulfillment

• Coordinate fulfillment of customer spare parts orders.

• Work closely with Customer Service to prioritize urgent requests.

• Communicate material availability and lead times.

• Support expedited shipments when required.

• Improve customer response times and service levels.

Supplier Coordination

• Collaborate with Procurement to ensure timely replenishment of service inventory.

• Escalate critical shortages affecting customer deliveries.

• Monitor supplier performance related to service and spare parts demand.

Continuous Improvement

• Develop planning metrics and dashboards.

• Identify opportunities to reduce inventory while improving service levels.

• Improve forecasting methodologies for service and aftermarket demand.

• Participate in Lean and Continuous Improvement initiatives.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Service & Spare Parts Planner will be measured on:

• Spare Parts Fill Rate

• Service Center Turnaround Time

• Warranty Response Time

• Inventory Accuracy

• Inventory Turns

• Service Backlog Aging

• On-Time Shipment of Spare Parts Orders (OTD)

• Service Work Order Completion Rate

• Customer Satisfaction

• Past Due Service Orders

• Obsolete Inventory Reduction

Required Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's Degree in:

• Supply Chain Management

• Operations Management

• Industrial Engineering

• Business Administration

• Related field

Experience

• 3-5 years of experience in planning, inventory management, customer service support, or supply chain operations.

• Experience supporting service operations, repairs, aftermarket, or spare parts environments preferred.

• Experience with SAP Business One or similar ERP systems.

• Experience managing inventory in a manufacturing environment.

Technical Skills

Required

• SAP Business One (SAP B1)

• Material Requirements Planning (MRP)

• Inventory Planning / Min Max / Kanban Management

• Demand Forecasting

• Microsoft Excel (Advanced)

• Inventory Control

• Work Order Management

• Data Analysis

Preferred

• Power BI

• SQL Reporting

• APICS / ASCM Certification

• Service Parts Planning Experience

• Warranty Operations Experience

Behavioral Competencies

Customer Focus

Maintains a strong sense of urgency to support customer needs and service commitments.

Planning & Organization

Effectively manages multiple priorities while maintaining execution discipline.

Analytical Thinking

Uses data to identify trends, forecast demand, and improve inventory performance.

Collaboration

Builds strong working relationships across Customer Service, Procurement, Operations, Engineering, and Service teams.

Problem Solving

Quickly identifies supply risks and develops mitigation plans.

Accountability

Takes ownership of service performance and inventory availability.

Critical Expectations

The successful candidate must be able to:

• Maintain high availability of critical spare parts.

• Reduce customer downtime through proactive planning.

• Improve turnaround time for repairs and warranty cases.

• Drive inventory optimization without negatively impacting customer service.

• Establish planning discipline within Service Center operations.

• Create visibility into service backlog, inventory status, and customer commitments.

• Partner effectively with Service Technicians, Customer Service, and Supply Chain teams.

• Deliver exceptional support to Avtron customers throughout the product lifecycle.

Preferred Industry Experience

• Electrical equipment manufacturing

• Power generation equipment

• Load Banks

• Service Operations

• Aftermarket Parts

• Warranty Management

• Industrial Equipment Repair

• Technical Customer Support

Success Profile (First 12 Months)

A successful Service & Spare Parts Planner will:

• Improve spare parts availability to >95%.

• Reduce service backlog and repair turnaround time.

• Improve inventory accuracy and planning discipline.

• Establish reliable forecasting methods for service demand.

• Enhance customer satisfaction through faster response and fulfillment.

• Create visibility and accountability across all Service Center planning activities