Job Summary
The Sr. Customer Care Specialist is responsible for delivering consistent day-to-day customer care while providing account-level coordination for assigned customers. This role serves as a primary operational point of contact from order receipt through shipment, ensuring accurate execution, proactive communication, and timely issue resolution. In addition to core customer care responsibilities, the position supports account management, customer retention, new program implementation, and organic growth within existing customer relationships. The position is intended for an experienced customer care professional who can independently lead complex customer matters, strengthen assigned customer relationships, and contribute to customer retention and account growth.
Essential Job Duties / Responsibilities
- Manage customer purchase orders from receipt through shipment, ensuring accuracy, completeness, timely entry, and required documentation.
- Validate pricing, part numbers, revisions, lead times, specifications, and special requirements before order release.
- Maintain orders, customer records, communications, and case activity in ERP systems with a high degree of accuracy and timeliness.
- Own order changes, expedites, delivery updates, and administrative follow-through, coordinating with internal teams to align commitments.
- Monitor order status, backlog, open cases, and past-due risk; take proactive action to prevent service failures and keep customers informed.
- Respond professionally to inquiries involving delivery timing, pricing discrepancies, quality concerns, documentation, billing, credits, and other service needs.
- Coordinate issue resolution across Operations, Scheduling, Quality, Engineering, Shipping and Receiving, Finance, Estimating, and other partners; maintain ownership through closure.
- Escalate significant risks and customer concerns with clear facts, business impact, recommended actions, and appropriate urgency.
- Serve as the relationship owner for assigned customers, building trust through responsiveness, consistency, and reliable follow-through.
- Develop a working understanding of assigned customers, programs, forecast signals, service expectations, and priorities.
- Prepare for and participate in customer reviews and internal account health discussions; communicate trends, risks, commitments, and recovery actions.
- Coordinate onboarding and implementation activities for new programs within existing customer relationships, including requirements, documentation, timing, and internal ownership.
- Identify opportunities for new parts, programs, services, or volume within existing accounts and engage the appropriate Sales resource.
- Partner with Sales on quotations, renewals, pricing discussions, and growth opportunities while operating within established authority and approval processes.
- Provide informal guidance, cross-training, and backup support to team members and model disciplined customer care practices.
- Identify recurring service, communication, and order-flow breakdowns and help implement sustainable process improvements.
- Perform other duties as assigned based on business needs.
Work Environment
- Work is performed primarily in an office setting within an active manufacturing facility.
- Regular onsite interaction with production, quality, shipping, and other operational areas is required.
- May occasionally be exposed to noise, odors, temperature variation, moving equipment, chemicals, or other conditions associated with a metal-finishing environment.
- Wear personal protective equipment deemed necessary for the job and comply with all facility safety requirements.
Experience and Education
- High school diploma or equivalent required; associate's or Bachelor's Degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field preferred. Equivalent experience will be considered.
- Five or more years of progressive experience in customer service, customer care, order management, account coordination, or a related role; manufacturing or industrial experience strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated success managing customer orders, complex issues, competing priorities, and cross-functional follow-through with limited direction.
- Experience using ERP and/or CRM systems for order management, customer documentation, issue tracking, and reporting.
- Working knowledge of manufacturing processes, technical documentation, prints, specifications, or quality requirements preferred.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with consistent attention to detail.
- Ability to recognize customer needs and organic growth opportunities and engage Sales at the appropriate time.
- Ability to effectively utilize language through speaking, reading, and writing.
- Must possess effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills and maintain professionalism under pressure.
- Ability and willingness to work onsite in a fast-paced, production-driven environment.