How To Become A Parts Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a parts manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

A parts manager is someone responsible for overseeing the inventory and ordering of parts for a company's products. They work closely with suppliers to ensure timely delivery of parts, manage the inventory to avoid overstocking or understocking, and oversee the storage and organization of parts in a warehouse or storage facility. Successful parts managers have strong organizational and communication skills, as well as an understanding of their company's products and the parts required to maintain them.

ScoreParts ManagerUS Average

Salary

4.7

Avg. Salary $60,136

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.4

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.66%

Asian 6.45%

Black or African American 9.92%

Hispanic or Latino 16.27%

Unknown 4.74%

White 61.96%

Gender

female 16.85%

male 83.15%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress level

9.4

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.2

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a parts manager?

Pros

Opportunity to work with a variety of people (customers, manufacturers, technicians)
Good pay and benefits
Potential for career advancement
Opportunity to learn about different types of parts and equipment
Opportunity to use problem-solving and analytical skills

Cons

High stress and pressure to meet deadlines and customer demands
Long hours (including evenings and weekends)
Can be physically demanding
High level of responsibility for ensuring accurate inventory management
Potential for conflict resolution with upset customers or employees

Key steps to become a parts manager

Explore parts manager education requirements

Most common parts manager degrees

High School Diploma

32.3 %

Associate

26.5 %

Bachelor's

26.4 %

Start to develop specific parts manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	19.64%
Parts Inventory	11.99%
Dealership	11.62%
Inventory Control	7.39%
Purchase Orders	4.91%

Complete relevant parts manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New parts managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a parts manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real parts manager resumes.

Gain additional parts manager certifications

Parts manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific parts manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for parts managers include Parts Specialist - Automobile Parts Specialist P2 and Certified Sales Professional (CSP).

More About Certifications

Research parts manager duties and responsibilities

Manage Daihatsu and Hyundai parts line.
Assist the parts manager managing the Mazda portion of the parts department
Manage four car lines Toyota, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW.
Manage Nissan parts department with focus on wholesale growth and reduction of departmental overhead costs.

Prepare your parts manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your parts manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a parts manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable parts manager resume templates

Build a professional parts manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your parts manager resume.