The RoleLeads the enterprise Critical Sparing Program, ensuring network and CPE restoration capabilities remain ready, responsive, and reliable through disciplined execution, urgency, and accountability. Owns end-to-end operational performance across equipment availability, expedited fulfillment, logistics, recovery, repair, replenishment, asset lifecycle governance, escalations, financial management, and continuous improvement. Ensures accelerated replacement of out-of-box and service-impacting equipment failures to protect the customer experience, minimize downtime, and enable timely restoration and installation activities. Maintains 24x7 operational readiness for critical customer events, network incidents, emergency response, and business continuity requirements. Partners cross-functionally to drive operational excellence, network resilience, and customer experience.
Work Location This is a remote opportunity open to candidates located anywhere in the U.S.
The Main Responsibilities• Own urgent, disciplined execution across the full spares lifecycle, including fulfillment, transportation, proof of delivery, depot replenishment, reverse logistics, repair/RMA, reclamation, asset recovery, billing, reconciliation, and closure.
• Establish program governance, operating controls, priorities, and improvement plans that directly support restoration speed, customer experience, service-level commitments, and financial objectives.
• Maintain 24x7 operational readiness for network and CPE outages, critical installations, severe weather, disasters, and business continuity events as a core member of the Emergency Response Team.
• Serve as the senior escalation leader for urgent program issues, order failures, DOA replacements, transportation delays, repair constraints, and other customer- or service-impacting events requiring immediate action.
• Represent the Sparing Program in senior leadership forums, customer reviews, Service Assurance activities, network reliability initiatives, and enterprise operational events where readiness, response, and risk mitigation are critical.
• Lead managers, analysts, and operational teams with clear accountability, timely decision-making, performance expectations, workforce planning, and succession development.
• Own performance management and business reviews covering availability, delivery SLA, restoration milestones, repair turnaround, return compliance, freight performance, asset recovery, and capital avoidance.
• Use analytics, root-cause analysis, and decisive corrective action to resolve process gaps, duplicate orders, high-failure parts, DOA/damage trends, logistics issues, and recurring service risks.
• Partner with Inventory Planning, Service Assurance and Technology Planning and Engineering on deployed-base analysis, sparing requirements, min/max levels, forecasting, depot strategy, gap mitigation, and capital recommendations; partner with Vendor Quality and Strategic Sourcing on hardware quality, supplier performance, repair effectiveness, and corrective action.
• Drive automation, predictive capabilities, system integration, and process improvements that improve traceability, reduce manual effort, accelerate restoration, and strengthen operational control.
What We Look For in a Candidate• Progressive leadership experience in supply chain, logistics, field services, service assurance, asset lifecycle management, telecommunications, network operations, or a comparable mission-critical environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, complex programs, urgent escalations, service-level performance, and cross-functional execution in high-pressure operations.
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to convert operational data into timely decisions, decisive corrective action, and concise senior-level communication.
• Preferred experience with critical spares, field operations, service assurance, telecommunications infrastructure, SAP S/4HANA, ERP systems, transportation, inventory planning, OpsConsole, and analytics platforms.
Success Measures • Inventory readiness and delivery SLA performance
• Restoration speed, escalation response, and event readiness
• Repair turnaround, return compliance, and lifecycle closure
• Asset recovery, capital avoidance, cost control, and financial accuracy
• Emergency readiness, operational effectiveness, and continuous improvement
CompensationThis information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.
Location Based Pay Ranges
$132,232 - $176,310 in these states: AL AR AZ FL GA IA ID IN KS KY LA ME MO MS MT ND NE NM OH OK PA SC SD TN UT VT WI WV WY
$138,844 - $185,124 in these states: CO HI MI MN NC NH NV OR RI
$145,456 - $193,940 in these states: AK CA CT DC DE IL MA MD NJ NY TX VA WA
Lumen offers a comprehensive package featuring a broad range of Health, Life, Voluntary Lifestyle benefits and other perks that enhance your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing. We're able to answer any additional questions you may have about our bonus structure (short-term incentives, long-term incentives and/or sales compensation) as you move through the selection process.
Learn more about Lumen's:
#LI-Remote
Requisition #: 343570
