Associate Manager Customer Service Manager Jobs

Main Responsibility Overview

Lead the Sales Support team (4–5 members) in delivering accurate, responsive, and scalable support to customers, sales representatives, and distributors. Own day-to-day operations including order entry, quote entry, RMA coordination, consignment and rep inventory oversight, commission review, and the Purchase Incentive (PI) program. Operate with high autonomy: handle routine cross-functional issues independently, surface recommendations on higher-stakes or irreversible decisions, and free Director-level bandwidth for strategic work.

Main Tasks:

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and manage a Sales Support team of 4–5, including onboarding, coaching, performance management, and succession planning. Build bench so the team can focus on higher-value work rather than pure day-to-day transaction processing.

• Operationalize the Sales Support career framework (Level 1 Associate / Level 2 Specialist), using readiness checklists and regular 1:1s to support team growth.

• Establish and maintain standardized onboarding procedures, work instructions, and process documentation.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and manage a Sales Support team of 4–5, including onboarding, coaching, performance management, and succession planning. Build a bench so the team can focus on higher-value work rather than pure day-to-day transaction processing.

• Operationalize the Sales Support career framework (Level 1 Associate / Level 2 Specialist), using readiness checklists and regular 1:1s to support team growth.

• Establish and maintain standardized onboarding procedures, work instructions, and process documentation.

Customer & Rep Experience

• Oversee handling of all customer service inquiries: order entry, quote entry, consignment stock orders, RMAs, and general order status updates.

• Maintain strong working relationships with customers, reps, and distributors, ensuring proactive and reactive communication across the order lifecycle.

• Own the Purchase Incentive (PI) program: calculate customer-specific incentives, communicate them accurately, and ensure timely application.

• Establish feedback loops with Sales Reps to surface training needs and reinforce process standards.

Order Lifecycle & Operations

• Monitor orders from entry through delivery, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and issue resolution across lead times, product availability, and delivery performance.

• Review and approve sales commissions for accuracy; coordinate with Accounting on resolution and timely payment.

• Oversee consignment and rep inventory programs; flag and resolve stock issues before they become customer escalations.

• Manage complex RMA scenarios and customer credit situations, working cross-functionally with Shipping, Accounting, and Production as needed.

Analysis & Process Improvement

• Use ERP and CRM systems to build reports, analyze trends, and identify recurring issues in pricing, product data, lead times, and order accuracy.

• Perform hands-on Excel analysis (pivots, lookups, data modeling) to surface insights and drive decisions — not simply pull canned reports.

• Design and implement process improvements, tools, and workflow changes that reduce errors and improve efficiency.

• Partner with Marketing and Sales leadership to ensure the team has accurate, current collateral and resources.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Autonomy

• Collaborate independently with Marketing, Production, Purchasing, Shipping, and Finance to resolve routine issues without requiring escalation.

• Operate with a clear delegation framework: own reversible, day-to-day decisions; escalate irreversible or high-impact decisions with recommended paths forward — not open-ended questions.

Education:

Bachelor's degree preferred (business administration, operations, or related). In lieu of a degree, 5+ years in sales support, customer service, or sales operations, including at least 2 years in a leadership role within a manufacturing or industrial setting.

• Demonstrated experience leading and managing a team — setting expectations, driving performance, and holding people accountable.

• Proven background in end-to-end order management: quotes, order entry, RMAs, credits, and lifecycle monitoring from entry through delivery.

• Experience with sales commission review and approval, ensuring accuracy and timely coordination with accounting.

• Familiarity with consignment and inventory oversight, including flagging and resolving stock issues for reps and customers.

• Hands-on experience with CRM and ERP systems; able to build reports, analyze data, and coordinate cross-functionally (HubSpot and M2M a plus).

• Strong Excel skills required: pivots, lookups, and data analysis. Must be able to build and interpret reports independently.

• Track record of using metrics and KPIs to identify recurring issues (pricing, product data, lead times) and implement cross-functional improvements.

• Experience in a B2B distribution or manufacturing environment, with exposure to supply chain, lead time, and fulfillment dynamics.

Understanding of the market in which Greaves operates; knowledge of electrical connectors or related products is a plus.

Personal Skills & Attributes:

• Strong leadership presence — sets clear expectations, coaches team members, and enforces accountability in alignment with company values.

• High autonomy: operates independently on routine decisions and brings recommendations, not problems, when escalating.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; builds trust with customers, reps, and internal teams.

• Customer-focused mindset: anticipates needs proactively while responding quickly to inquiries and escalations.

• Analytical and data-driven; comfortable working in Excel and CRM/ERP systems to drive decisions and continuous improvement.

• Skilled in problem-solving and conflict resolution, balancing customer satisfaction with company policies and objectives.

• High attention to detail and accuracy, with strong organizational skills in a fast-paced environment.

• Adaptable to new technologies, processes, and market changes; quick to learn new products and solutions.

Growth mindset — open to feedback and committed to professional and process development.