Customer Service Associate

Barnes Aerospace; Olde West Chester (OH); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

BARNES AEROSPACE offers a challenging Customer Service Associate role at the West Chester facility. You will support the sales team with exceptional customer service and daily contract administration, ensuring contract compliance and managing sales orders.

You will act as the primary contact for customers, communicate order status, coordinate with Production, Quality, and Engineering, and maintain accurate ERP data.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in Account Management or related position in a manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with FAR/DFARS and export compliance (EAR/ITAR).
• Experience with purchase orders and quoting processes preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary contact for assigned customer inquiries and advocate for customer needs.
• Provide proactive communication on order status throughout the production cycle.
• Coordinate logistics and schedules to ensure timely delivery and maintain metrics.
• Collaborate with Production, Quality, and Engineering on recovery plans for disruptions.
• Maintain customer demand and backlog in the ERP system with accurate data.
• Manage quotes, purchase orders, schedule changes, and shipments via customer portals.
• Respond to RFQs and review contracts and government solicitations (FAR/DFARS).
• Support proposal development and data entry in tracking systems.

Skills

Account management

Customer service

Communication

Negotiation

Analytical

ERP experience

Cross-functional

Data entry

Problem solving

MS Office

Education

BS Degree in Supply Chain

Business degree acceptable

Tools

Syteline ERP

MS Office

Job description

Barnes Aerospace West Chester Division has a challenging and rewarding career opportunity exists for a Customer Service Associate. As the Customer Service Associate, you will support the sales team by providing exceptional levels of customer support and daily contract administration. In this role you will be responsible for ensuring overall contract compliance and management of sales order activity.

Core Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary contact for assigned customer inquiries, advocating for customer needs and ensuring their voice is represented across the facility.
• Provide proactive, ongoing communication to keep customers informed of order status throughout the production cycle, anticipating needs and addressing concerns.
• Ensure timely delivery by coordinating logistics and schedules, maintaining accurate delivery and quality metrics in customer portals, and supporting customer scorecard accuracy, contesting OTD/TAT and maintaining liquidated damages at the beginning of each month.
• Monitor critical customer parts and schedule disruptions, collaborating with Production, Quality, and Engineering to develop recovery plans and communicate solutions aligned with customer priorities.
• Maintain and update customer demand within the ERP system to ensure accuracy and safeguard backlog integrity, including quantities, schedules, and financial values.
• Utilize customer portals to manage quotes, purchase orders, schedule changes, shipments, and specifications.
• Review and respond to government solicitations (FAR/DFARS), customer RFQs, order entries, and contract reviews.
• Support proposal development by identifying requirements, evaluating terms and conditions, and coordinating with Sales and cross-functional teams. Ensure accurate data entry in the proposal tracking system.
• Maintain pricing structures on existing contracts per agreement parameters, incorporating customer feedback under the direction of the Customer Service Manager.
• Resolve customer issues promptly, fostering strong relationships and open communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Legal, Sales, Business Development, Product Management, Production, Engineering, Quality, Shipping, and Accounts Receivable to meet business goals.
• Support Accounts Receivable efforts by resolving discrepancies, facilitating collections, and managing customer payment terms.
• Coordinate customer returns in support of Quality Control under Product Management guidance.
• Partner with the Order Entry team to resolve issues and ensure accurate, efficient order processing.
• Position is hybrid between OEM and CRO.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in a Account Management or related position, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of legal language, contract constructs and terms and conditions commonly used in business contracts and in bid documents including Government FAR and DFARS and export compliance regulations (EAR and ITAR).
• Familiarity with purchase orders, and quoting process preferred.
• Able to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders, resolve customer complaints and escalat, as appropriate.
• Excellent communication skills, (written and oral) with attention to detail.
• Willing and able to develop long-term relationships internally and externally.
• Good mathematical/quantitative and analytical orientation.
• Position requires tact and high degree of diplomacy; proven negotiation skills.
• Strong computer skills. PC aptitude in a Windows environment (MS Office: Excel, Access, Word, PowerPoint) and ability to learn other software packages. ERP System experience (Syteline a plus).

Education Requirements

• BS Degree Supply Chain, Logistics, or Business preferred; relevant experience acceptable in lieu.

At Barnes, career development is a shared responsibility in which all employees are encouraged to develop, improve, and enhance their skills and professional growth to support our business objectives.