Aftermarket Services Program Manager

Astronics Corporation•Waukegan, IL

3d•$95,000 - $125,000

About The Position

Astronics Connectivity Systems and Certification (formerly Telefonix PDT and Astronics Armstrong Aerospace) provides in-flight entertainment and connectivity solutions and systems certification for commercial and business aircraft. The company employs over 300 people and has received Chicago’s Best and Brightest Employers to Work For award six times. The Aftermarket Services Program Manager is the primary customer contact for aftermarket activity—including repairs (RMA and BRMA) and spares—throughout assigned products’ in-service lives and end-of-life phases. Working with the Sr. Director of Operations and cross-functional teams, the role manages and reports revenue and margins for assigned aftermarket programs and helps ensure repair turnaround times, spares availability, and customer satisfaction targets are met. The manager serves as a subject matter expert on repair and spares commercial agreements and assures compliance by both customers and Operations. Additional customer-facing duties may be assigned. The role coordinates with the repair station, supply chain, quality, production, and engineering teams. It manages repair and spares processes, risks, customer reviews, commercial agreements, and continuous improvement, while coordinating handoffs with Operations Program Managers for units transitioning from new production to aftermarket support.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field.
At least 5 years of experience in aftermarket services, repair operations, or a related field.
Ability to perform the essential duties satisfactorily, including customer and cross-functional coordination, program and financial management, and management of repair and spares activities.

Nice To Haves

Two or more years of experience in the aviation or aerospace industry.
Experience with MRO, repair station operations, or spares/inventory management.
PMP, Six Sigma Black Belt, or other relevant professional certification.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary customer contact for repair (RMA/BRMA) and spares activity throughout products’ in-service and end-of-life phases.
Manage aftermarket revenue and, with Operations team support, profit margins for assigned customers.
Own the end-to-end RMA and BRMA process, coordinating intake, evaluation, quoting, disposition, and closure with Repair Station Customer Service representatives.
Ensure open RMA and BRMA records are accurate, including pricing, hardware part numbers, and revisions.
Coordinate Repair Station, Quality, Engineering, and Supply Chain support to meet internal and contractual turnaround-time targets.
Monitor repair backlog, aging units, and escalations; drive root-cause analysis and corrective action for repeat or high-volume returns.
Track and report RMA/BRMA metrics, including volume, turnaround time, cost, and first-pass yield.
Own spares forecasting, planning, and order management for assigned customers.
Monitor spares inventory, open orders, and shipment reports against forecasts to support on-time delivery and minimize inventory exposure.
Coordinate with Supply Chain and Production to prioritize spares builds against production and repair demand.
Identify and communicate spares shortages, lead-time risks, and obsolescence issues to customers and internal stakeholders.
Review material shortages affecting repairs and spares with Supply Chain and work with Engineering to identify and qualify alternate components.
Manage repair and spares inventory levels with Supply Chain support to meet delivery requirements while minimizing inventory exposure.
Partner with Quality and Compliance to ensure repaired products and spares meet customer quality and compliance requirements; maintain standards and trend warranty and repeat defects.
Identify and assess repair and spares risks, including capacity constraints, turnaround-time slippage, stockouts, component obsolescence, and quality escapes; develop mitigation strategies and contingency plans.
Manage aftermarket commercial agreements, including Repair or Depot Agreements, Product Support Agreements, Statements of Work, warranty terms, and Aftermarket Services Agreements.
Work with customers to define repair and spares scopes, generate requests for quotes, communicate commercial proposals, and secure purchase orders.
Work with Operations throughout commercial agreement phases to ensure organizational buy-in.
Coordinate Repair Station, Quality, and Production activities as needed to support aftermarket demand.
Track and communicate customer requests, deliverables, deadlines, data requests, and program updates, and coordinate Operations support in gathering information.
Coordinate handoffs and alignment with the Operations Program Manager for units transitioning between new production and aftermarket support.
Lead aftermarket-focused customer reviews, including Repair/Spares Performance Reviews and Quarterly Business Reviews.
Lead internal Repair Station Readiness and Aftermarket Program Management Reviews as needed.
Coordinate new aftermarket service opportunities, such as expanded repair scope and new spares agreements, with Business Development.
Support continuous improvement in repair and spares operations, including efforts to reduce turnaround time and improve forecast accuracy.

Benefits

Quarterly incentive compensation bonus.
Health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance.
Flexible spending account (FSA) and health savings account (HSA).
Voluntary life/AD&D, voluntary critical illness, accident prevention, and hospital indemnity coverage.
401(k) plan with a 3% employer contribution to eligible wages and the possibility of an annual discretionary additional contribution.
Profit sharing.
Employee stock purchase plan.
Employee Assistance Program and wellness program.
Paid time off, volunteer time off, paid holidays, and paid parental leave.
Tuition reimbursement program.