RMA Manager

Job Title: RMA Manager

Location(s): Tustin, CA - Onsite

Compensation: $100,000 - $115,000

About this position:

The RMA Manager is responsible for leading and overseeing all Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) operations, including product evaluation, repair, refurbishment, and reverse logistics activities. This role ensures efficient service execution, strong quality control, and timely turnaround of returned products while maintaining high standards of customer satisfaction.

The RMA Manager provides technical and operational leadership to the service team, driving performance against service metrics, managing warranty and cost controls, and collaborating cross-functionally with Sales, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain. This position plays a critical role in supporting Advantech’s product lifecycle, service excellence, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee daily RMA operations, including product intake, evaluation, repair, replacement, and shipment to ensure timely and accurate service execution.
• Drive performance against turnaround time (TAT), productivity, and service quality KPIs.
• Manage warranty validation, repair-versus-replacement decisions, and service workflow optimization.
• Provide technical leadership for system-level troubleshooting, hardware diagnostics, functional testing, and firmware or BIOS updates.
• Support new product introductions (NPI), service readiness, and transfer activities to ensure repair capability alignment.
• Monitor failure trends, conduct root cause analysis, and escalate quality issues including support for Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCAR).
• Implement process improvements to reduce repeat failures, aging RMAs, and operational inefficiencies.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, Application Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and global service teams to resolve escalations and support customer satisfaction.
• Act as an escalation point for key customers and urgent service cases, providing clear technical communication and status updates.
• Oversee service parts planning, reverse logistics flow, and inventory accuracy within SAP or ERP systems.
• Review monthly RMA performance metrics, manage warranty expenses, and maintain cost control to support service profitability.
• Approve repair quotations, credits, and cost allocations in accordance with company policies.
• Lead, develop, and mentor RMA technicians, coordinators, and planners, establishing performance expectations and productivity goals.
• Support workforce planning, hiring, and technical training initiatives to build team capability.
• Ensure compliance with ISO standards, EHS policies, and 5S workplace practices to maintain a safe and quality-driven service environment.
• Support field repairs, customer site visits, and special projects as required.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related technical field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in RMA, repair service, or electronics service operations within a manufacturing or technical environment.
• Prior leadership or management experience overseeing technical or service teams preferred.
• Strong technical knowledge of computer hardware, single board computers (SBC), and component-level troubleshooting processes.
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP, as well as CRM and service management platforms.
• Working knowledge of warranty processes, reverse logistics, and service supply chain operations.
• Demonstrated leadership and cross-functional coordination skills within a matrix organization.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret operational data and drive process improvements.
• Customer-focused mindset with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and perform effectively in a fast-paced service environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Experience working with operational metrics and reporting dashboards preferred.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the role, including standing, walking, and lifting light materials as needed.
• Commitment to supporting Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) policies and quality management system requirements.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary dependent on experience (DOE)
• Winning culture with a friendly, team-oriented environment!
• Generous benefits package including medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401(k) with company match
• Education & personal development reimbursement program
• Generous vacation and paid holidays package
• Company events, and lunches
• Work from home program – once eligible
• Referral Bonus

About Advantech

Founded in 1983, Advantech is a leader in providing trusted innovative embedded and automation products and solutions. Advantech offers comprehensive system integration, hardware, software, customer-centric design services, and global logistics support; all backed by industry-leading front and back-office e-business solutions. Advantech has always been an innovator in the development and manufacture of high-quality, high-performance computing platforms.

We cooperate closely with our partners to help provide complete solutions for a wide array of applications across a diverse range of industries. To realize our corporate vision of Enabling an Intelligent Planet, Advantech will continue collaborating and partnering for Smart city & IoT Solutions.

World-class Recognition

Advantech is an authorized alliance partner of both Intel® and Microsoft®. Our customers will find the technologies we use inside our products to be widely compatible with other products in the global marketplace. In 2018 and 2019, Interbrand, the world-renowned brand consulting firm, once again recognized Advantech efforts to build a trusted, global brand; it also symbolizes a promise we gave to our business partners, which was to do our best to keep building a trustworthy brand that is recognized everywhere in the world. Advantech was selected as Interbrand’s #5 best Taiwan Global Brand in 2018.

Work Authorization:

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations (ITAR), applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8. U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. More information can be found at https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/regulations_laws/itar.html

Advantech is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We accept applications directly from candidates only and will not be responsible for any recruiting agency fees absent a formal agreement.