Customer Service Associate

Barnes Group; Olde West Chester (OH); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

BARNES AEROSPACE WEST CHESTER DIVISION is seeking a Customer Service Associate to support the sales team with exceptional customer service and daily contract administration. You will ensure contract compliance, manage order activity, and collaborate across functions to meet delivery and quality goals.

Responsibilities include maintaining ERP data accuracy, coordinating with Production, Quality, and Engineering, and supporting proposals and pricing updates.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in Account Management or related position.
• Familiarity with purchase orders and quoting process.
• Knowledge of Government FAR/DFARS and export controls (EAR/ITAR).
• Able to collaborate with multiple stakeholders and resolve issues.
• Excellent written and oral communication with attention to detail.
• Willing to build long-term internal and external relationships.
• Strong mathematical/analytical orientation.
• Tact and diplomacy with proven negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary contact for assigned customer inquiries and advocacy.
• Provide proactive communication on order status through production cycle.
• Coordinate logistics to ensure timely delivery and maintain delivery/quality metrics.
• Collaborate with Production, Quality and Engineering on recovery plans.
• Maintain customer demand in ERP ensuring accuracy and backlog integrity.
• Use customer portals for quotes, orders, changes, shipments, and specs.
• Review RFQs, contracts, and government solicitations (FAR/DFARS).
• Assist proposal development and data entry in tracking systems.
• Maintain pricing structures per contract parameters and customer feedback.
• Resolve customer issues to maintain strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Legal, Sales, Product Management, and others to meet goals.
• Support Accounts Receivable by resolving discrepancies and managing terms.
• Coordinate customer returns under Quality Control guidance.
• Partner with Order Entry to resolve issues and improve order processing.
• Position is hybrid between OEM and CRO.

Skills

Account management

Purchase orders

Quoting process

FAR/DFARS

Stakeholder management

Relationship building

Analytical thinking

Negotiation

MS Office

Syteline ERP

Education

BS Degree Supply Chain, Logistics, or Business

Tools

Syteline

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 escape, 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.