Customer Service Lead

Vantage Specialty Chemicals; New Jersey; On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life and AD&D insurance

Disability insurance (short/long-term)

Parental Leave

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Vantage Specialty Chemicals in New Jersey is seeking a Customer Service Lead to deliver best-in-class support and proactive communication for key accounts. You will work with CSRs to ensure on-time deliveries, accurate orders, and adherence to SLAs, while identifying patterns to reduce order abandonment and boost retention.

The role partners with Sales, Operations and a regional team to standardize processes and improve the customer experience across the region.

Qualifications

• 2–3 years of experience in Inside Sales, Sales, or Customer Service/Customer Care.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field required; chemical engineering preferred.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and monitor management indicators for respective Account Align Team (AAT) and customer base.
• Align Customer Service Strategy with AAT Strategy and maintain strong communication with customers and internally.
• Partner with CSRs to guarantee Achievement of SLA‘s.
• Proactively engage with customers to secure advance purchase orders and provide updates on inventory or delivery timelines.
• Monitor customer behavior patterns to reduce order abandonment and improve retention.
• Identify gaps in customer care processes and propose action plans based on survey results.
• Ensure communication of AAT strategy to CSRs and manage order entry, tracking, and allocation for assigned accounts.

Skills

Inside Sales

Customer Service

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business or related field

Chemical Engineering preferred

Job description

Partnering with Sales and Operations, the Customer Service Lead will provide best‑in‑class customer support, ensuring a seamless customer experience, with a focus on proactive customer communication and ‘white glove’ service to delight our customers. Managing key customer accounts, they will work closely with a team of Customer Service Representatives (CSRs). Additionally, they are responsible for ensuring such processes as entry of purchase orders, securing advance purchase commitments, monitoring of deliveries and inventories, and providing updates on any changes in timelines. They will proactively identify and act on customer behavior patterns (e.g., delayed orders, inactivity) to reduce order abandonment and improve retention. The role also includes attention and responses to customers within service level agreements (SLAs). Support the Customer Service Manager with standardizing processes throughout the region/Business Unit and build the necessary cross‑functional bridges.

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Prepare and monitor management indicators for respective Account Align Team (AAT) and customer base.
• Align Customer Service Strategy with AAT Strategy. Proactively communicate with customers and maintain strong communication channels internally and externally.
• Partner with Customer Care Representatives (CSRs) to guarantee Achievement of SLA‘s.
• Proactively engage with customers to secure advance purchase orders, ensuring timely product availability and providing updates on any changes in inventory or delivery timelines.
• Monitor and identify customer behavior patterns (e.g. delayed orders, inactivity), and communicate actionable insights to reduce order abandonment and improve customer retention.
• Identify gaps in customer care processes and partner with customer experience team to resolve. Propose action plans based on customer satisfaction survey results and partner with leadership and the team in plan execution. Establish self as the customer care subject matter expert for the assigned AAT, being a resource to the business and customer. Team members.
• Proactively partner with AAT leadership to ensure best in class customer satisfaction.
• Ensure communication of AAT strategy is conveyed to CSRs.
• Manage order entry, order tracking and order allocation, for assigned accounts, ensuring no delays, partial orders or errors.

Note: The duties listed above are not all inclusive and may be subject to periodic updating or revision.

The Ideal Candidate

Desired Background

• 2–3 years of experience in Inside Sales, Sales, or Customer Service/Customer Care.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field required; a degree in Chemical Engineering is strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Talents

More specifically, we would seek the following attributes and competencies for the position:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong critical thinking skills, understanding when escalation is necessary.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical reasoning skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and successfully handle multiple priorities.
• Leader in promoting an engaging work environment.
• Experience with international team.

The estimated base pay range for this position is: $52,000 to 75,000 annually. Actual pay will be determined based on education, certifications, experience, qualifications, skills and geographic location. This position is eligible to participate in a short‑term incentive program.

Vantage offers a comprehensive benefit package to eligible employees, including:

• Life and AD&D insurance
• Accident, hospital indemnity and critical illness insurance
• Short‑ and long‑term disability
• EAP, identity theft protection
• Paid time off, Parental Leave
• 401(k) with company match

Vantage is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected category.

About Vantage

Vantage provides natural solutions to our customers’ technical performance and marketing needs through a unique combination of chemistry, application expertise and service. Underpinned by our broad portfolio of formulations, ingredients and actives that are built on a backbone of sustainable oils, fats and their derivatives, Vantage targets selected markets and applications including personal care, food, surface treatment, agriculture, pharma, and consumer and industrial performance. Vantage is headquartered in Deerfield, IL., operates in 11 countries worldwide and employs more than 1,000 talented professionals focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences with every interaction.

We are a dynamic people‑centered organization where you’ll be part of a collaborative global team. Embracing our cultural diversity, we learn from each other to constantly improve, adapt and iterate. We value the voices and talents of our colleagues, empowering them to drive their unique ideas to completion. We’re convinced that exceptionally motivated employees produce outstanding results and we celebrate them by fostering a culture of recognition, development, learning, excellence and shared achievement. Most importantly, we know you’re going to like it here. For more information visit: vantagegrp.com or LinkedIn/vantage.