Customer Service & Training Representative

Great Books Foundation; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off for vacation and sick leave

Job summary

A nonprofit educational organization based in Chicago seeks a Customer Service and Training Representative to support customers, including schools and parents. The role involves coordinating professional learning programs, responding to inquiries, and managing e-commerce orders. Ideal candidates have a Bachelor's degree, 2–3 years of customer service experience, and strong communication skills. The position is primarily remote with occasional in-office meetings in Chicago, offering a supportive work environment and competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is strongly preferred.
• 2 – 3 years of customer service experience.
• Experience managing events remotely is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the scheduling and delivery of Professional Learning programs.
• Communicate with customers to schedule and confirm courses.
• Maintain timelines for pre-training activities and documentation.

Skills

Communication skills

Strong organizational skills

Attention to detail

Customer relationship management (CRM)

Event management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

HubSpot CRM

Sage Intacct

Google Workspace

Job description

The Customer Service and Training Representative supports all of the Great Books Foundation customers including schools, school districts, adult books groups, and parents. This position will work cross-functionally to provide seamless support to customers. This position also provides support to both the Sales and Training branches of the Foundation by coordinating professional learning courses and events.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities

• Coordinate the scheduling and delivery of the Foundation’s Professional Learning programs, including scheduling, organizing and shipping materials for online, in person, and asynchronous events
• Communication with customers via email and out‑bound calls to schedule professional learning courses, confirm location, and online and onsite requirements.
• Maintain a timeline for pre‑training activities including documentation and materials.
• Supports in follow up and finalizing receipt of purchase orders as related to professional learning courses.
• Collaborate with various internal stakeholders, including the Sales, Training, and Marketing teams
• Maintains course schedules utilizing HubSpot CRM and ecommerce site, ensuring course details and accuracy.
• Finalize courses upon completion. On‑board customers and course participants into the Foundation’s Shared Inquiry Learning Center.
• Maintain, explain and enforce GBF scheduling and cancellation policy among staff and customers.
• Liaise with third‑party vendors as needed.
• Provide input on customer support tools and share customer feedback.
• Communicate regularly with customers through multiple intake channels (phone, email, fax, webchat, etc.), responding to inquiries and concerns with promptness and attention to detail, and ensuring that customers are satisfied with the resolution of their issues
• Process e-commerce orders, purchase orders and phone/credit card orders using our accounting software (Sage Intacct)
• Liaise with fulfillment warehouse for customer service issues
• Input accurate and timely notes from communications in CRM (HubSpot)
• Accurately process customer returns and credit memos
• Respond to vendor inquiries regarding the Foundation, including updating vendor information and providing documents when requested (W‑9, Vendor Forms, etc.)

Preferred Experience

• Bachelor's degree is strongly preferred
• 2 –3 years of customer service experience
• Experience managing events remotely is a plus
• Timely follow up and high attention to detail
• Ability to build strong relationships, internally and externally
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong organizational and follow‑up skills
• Ability to collaborate, communicate, and work in an online team environment
• Experience working with CSM/CRM, e‑commerce, finance software and Google Workspace strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements/Working Environment

• This is largely a sedentary role that frequently requires long periods of sitting to perform desk‑based computer tasks
• The person will occasionally perform tasks that require standing, walking, twisting, using fine manipulation, grasping, using a telephone, writing by hand, and sorting and filing paperwork, as well as lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling objects that weigh up to 25 pounds
• The person may work in a remote setting with occasional in‑office meetings in Chicago required

About the Great Books Team

The Great Books Foundation (the Foundation) empowers readers of all ages to become more reflective and responsible thinkers. To accomplish this, we teach the art of civil discourse through the Shared Inquiry™ method and publish enduring works across disciplines. Our dynamic team is always ready for a challenge and excited to collaborate to meet the needs of our customers and educational partners. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit best known for having originated the Shared Inquiry method of teaching and learning that has been a favorite of teachers and students for more than 77 years. We believe that literacy and critical thinking help form reflective, knowledgeable citizens equipped to participate constructively in a democratic society.

Working at the Great Books Foundation

The Great Books Foundation has been headquartered in Chicago since 1947! We are proud of our person‑centered culture, longevity, and ability to adapt while offering a competitive salary and benefits package.

The Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical condition, including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS‑related conditions.

Reasonable accommodation will be made so that all qualified applicants may participate in the application process. Please notify us in writing of special needs at the time of application.

Benefit‑eligible positions offer paid time off including vacation, sick, holiday, and volunteer time, as well as excellent benefits including health, dental, vision, basic AD&D, short‑term disability, long‑term disability, flexible spending account, dependent care account, and 403(b) retirement plan.