Senior Manager - Warranty, Spare Parts, Service Process Efficiency

Daikin Middle East & Africa FZE is a subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd. and the leading provider of heating, cooling, ventilation, air purification, and refrigeration technology. The company designs, manufactures and brings to market a broad portfolio of equipment, as well as tailor-made solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). To date, Daikin EMEA has over 12 000 employees across more than 59 consolidated subsidiaries. It has 12 major manufacturing facilities based in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Austria, and the UK. Our aim is to drive sustainable and effective solutions, sparking a good climate for the generations to come. And all this can only be achieved because of our People. 

About the Role

The Senior Manager – Warranty, Spare Parts & Service Process Efficiency is responsible for the regional governance, performance and continuous improvement of Daikin’s Warranty and Spare Parts operations across MEA.

The role oversees warranty cost and recovery, spare parts planning and inventory optimization, service process governance and operational efficiency. It ensures that Aftersales operations are compliant, financially controlled and aligned with Daikin Group standards while supporting customer satisfaction, profitability and service quality.

The role works closely with MEA affiliates, factories, HQ, Supply Chain, Finance and Service teams to drive consistent processes, improve operational performance and deliver regional business objectives.

How You Will Contribute

Warranty Management

• Own regional warranty governance, cost management and performance across MEA affiliates.
• Establish standardized warranty policies, processes and controls in line with Daikin Group requirements and applicable regulations.
• Manage warranty costs across parts and labour, including monthly actuals, budget, forecast and financial impact reporting.
• Lead warranty recovery with factories, suppliers and third-party partners to maximize recoveries and minimize net warranty exposure.
• Ensure accurate and timely claim submission, approval, settlement and accounting across affiliates.
• Analyse warranty trends and major cost drivers, leading root-cause analysis and corrective actions with Product, Technical, Factory and affiliate teams.
• Develop warranty processes for Daikin and third-party products and identify opportunities to improve turnaround time and customer experience.
• Drive digitalization and automation of warranty processes, reporting and recovery activities.

Spare Parts Management

• Own the regional spare parts planning strategy, balancing parts availability, customer requirements and inventory investment.
• Lead demand forecasting, inventory planning, replenishment and stock allocation across MEA affiliates.
• Work with factories and Supply Chain teams to improve parts availability, lead times, order fulfilment and delivery performance.
• Drive inventory optimization, including stock health, ageing, obsolescence and depreciation management.
• Establish regional spare parts pricing governance in line with profitability and market requirements.
• Improve parts hit ratio, order fulfilment and customer turnaround time through effective planning and process improvements.
• Coordinate with factories, Procurement, Logistics and affiliate Service teams to resolve supply constraints and critical parts requirements.
• Monitor spare parts sales, margins, inventory performance and forecast accuracy, identifying actions to improve profitability and service levels.
• Ensure data accuracy and effective use of ERP and reporting systems for regional parts management.

Performance & Financial Management

• Establish and monitor regional Warranty and Spare Parts KPIs and provide regular performance reporting to management.
• Analyse operational and financial performance to identify risks, opportunities and corrective actions.
• Lead annual business planning, budgeting and forecasting for Warranty and Spare Parts in collaboration with affiliates and relevant functions.
• Monitor budget performance and financial variances and ensure appropriate follow-up.
• Provide management with clear analysis, recommendations and business insights to support decision-making.

Service Process Efficiency & Governance

• Establish regional governance frameworks and standardized operating processes for Warranty and Spare Parts.
• Ensure compliance with Daikin Group policies, internal controls and applicable regulations.
• Conduct process reviews and operational audits across affiliates and drive resolution of identified gaps.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to increase productivity, efficiency, service quality and cost effectiveness.
• Drive service transformation through digitalization, automation, data quality and process optimization.
• Identify operational risks and implement appropriate controls and mitigation measures.
• Act as the regional subject matter expert for Warranty, Spare Parts and related Aftersales processes.

Stakeholder Management

• Act as a regional business partner to MEA affiliates, providing guidance on operational, financial and process-related matters.
• Build effective relationships with factories, HQ, suppliers and global stakeholders to resolve operational and commercial issues.
• Support affiliates in adopting regional standards, processes and best practices.
• Represent the regional Aftersales function in business reviews, transformation projects and strategic initiatives.
• Ensure service processes support a consistent and effective customer experience.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, develop and motivate the regional Warranty and Spare Parts team.
• Set clear objectives, KPIs and performance expectations and ensure effective resource planning.
• Develop team capabilities across technical, analytical, financial and operational areas.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and customer focus.
• Promote Daikin’s values, ethics and compliance standards.

Strategic Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and execution of the regional Aftersales strategy.
• Work with the General Manager and senior management to define priorities and implementation plans for Warranty, Spare Parts and Service Process Efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to improve the regional Aftersales operating model, profitability, service quality and customer satisfaction.
• Develop long-term initiatives to optimize warranty recovery, parts availability, inventory investment and operational efficiency.
• Provide regional operational and market insights to support business planning and investment decisions.

What You Need to Succeed

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Finance, Supply Chain or a related discipline.
• Master’s degree or MBA is an advantage.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in Aftersales, Service Operations, Warranty Management, Spare Parts Planning or related functions.
• Proven experience in warranty cost management, financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting and recovery management.
• Strong experience in spare parts planning, inventory management and supply chain operations.
• Experience working with manufacturing plants, factories, regional organizations and global stakeholders.
• Experience in HVAC, air-conditioning, industrial equipment or a related technical industry is strongly preferred.
• Proven experience leading process improvement, operational transformation or digitalization initiatives.
• Previous experience managing teams and leading regional or cross-functional initiatives.
• Regional or international experience within a multicultural organization is preferred.

Functional & Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of warranty management, financial recovery and operational controls.
• Strong understanding of spare parts planning, demand forecasting, inventory optimization and supply chain processes.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into actionable business decisions.
• Experience with ERP, reporting and business intelligence systems.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and strong proficiency in PowerPoint and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Project management and process improvement capabilities.

Language & Communication

• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Strong communication, presentation, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to influence and communicate effectively with senior management, affiliates, factories and global stakeholders.

Good climate starts with people 
Our employees are the beating heart of our company. At Daikin, you get to work in a positive environment backed by trust, creativity and continuous improvement. Together, we create our top-quality solutions by empowering talented teams. You will get plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. We are deeply committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace culture that reflects the communities we serve. Good climate starts with people.