Senior Manager, Customer Operations (Retail and Alternative Channels)

Kinder's Premium Quality Seasonings & Sauces; Walnut Creek (CA); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k plan

Bonus potential

Job summary

Kinder’s Premium Quality Seasonings & Sauces is hiring a Sr. Manager, Customer Operations to lead order management and service for our retail customers.

You will develop the Customer Operations team, drive issue resolution, and partner across Sales, Planning, Manufacturing, Inventory, Warehousing, Logistics and Finance to deliver excellence. You will own processes for accurate order execution, proactive communication, and cross-functional problem solving while focusing on cost reduction and

Qualifications

• 7+ years in Customer Operations or related fields, ideally in CPG or food.
• 3+ years in people leadership with team development.
• Strong knowledge of order-to-delivery, inventory, transportation, warehousing, and retailer requirements.
• Experience with ERP/order management systems; SAP a plus.
• Excellent communication, organization and cross-functional leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own customer service processes for retail orders from receipt to delivery.
• Lead Customer Operations team to ensure accurate, timely order execution and proactive communication.
• Manage complex orders and service escalations with clear ownership and resolution.
• Monitor inventory, shortages and shipment risks; coordinate with Planning, Inventory, Warehousing and Logistics.
• Build strong relationships with customers and act as escalation point for service issues.
• Support Sales and Marketing with new item launches, programs and promotions from Operations perspective.
• Communicate risks/opportunities with Sales and Operations and drive cross-functional problem solving.
• Provide customer insights to Operations on inventory, capacity, production or distribution.
• Partner with Sales and Planning to understand upcoming needs and demand.

Skills

Customer Operations

People leadership

Order-to-delivery

ERP/EDI/SAP

Communication

Prioritization

Bachelor's degree

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SAP

EDI

Job description

BUILT ON FLAVOR. FUELED BY PEOPLE.

What’s it like to work at Kinder’s? Well, there’s a lot of snacking and geeking out over what we all cooked over the weekend. Beyond that, there’s also plenty of hard work. Because we don’t just like flavor, we’re obsessed with it.

How You'll Have An Impact At Kinder's

As the Sr. Manager, Customer Operations, you will lead retail customer order execution and customer service processes from order receipt through delivery. You will develop the Customer Operations team, proactively manage service risks, and partner across Sales, Planning, Manufacturing, Inventory, Warehousing, Logistics and Finance to resolve issues, improve execution and support growth.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Operations & Order Management

• Own Customer Service processes for retail customers, including order receipt, entry, confirmation, changes and coordination through delivery.
• Lead the Customer Operations team to ensure accurate, timely order execution and proactive customer communication.
• Manage complex order and service escalations, ensuring clear ownership and follow-through through resolution.
• Monitor inventory availability, shortages and shipment risks; coordinate priorities with Planning, Inventory, Warehousing and Logistics.

Customer & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Build strong operational relationships with customers and serve as a key escalation point for service issues.
• Support Sales and Marketing with new item launches, customer programs, promotions and special projects on behalf of Operations.
• Proactively communicate risks and opportunities with Sales and Operations and lead cross-functional problem solving.
• Provide Operations and Supply Chain teams with customer insights that may impact inventory, capacity, production or distribution.
• Partner with Sales and Planning to understand upcoming customer needs, programs and future demand.

Performance, Improvement & Cost

• Monitor customer service performance, including order accuracy, fill rate, OTIF, deductions, fines/fees and other applicable measures.
• Review customer orders and recurring service issues to identify root causes, process improvements and optimization opportunities.
• Drive standard processes, SOPs, systems adoption and continuous improvement across Customer Operations.
• Identify opportunities to reduce freight, warehousing, deductions, fines/fees and other service-related costs.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach and develop Customer Operations Managers, Analysts and/or other team members.
• Establish clear priorities, accountability and service standards while building team capability and bench strength.
• Create a culture of ownership, urgency, collaboration and proactive problem solving.

What You Bring to the Table

• 7+ years of experience in Customer Operations, Customer Service, Order Management, Supply Chain or related functions; CPG or food experience preferred.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience preferred, with demonstrated ability to coach and develop teams.
• Strong understanding of order-to-delivery processes, inventory availability, transportation, warehousing and retailer requirements.
• Experience with ERP/order management systems, EDI and customer portals; SAP experience a plus.
• Strong communication, organization, problem solving and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and make sound decisions in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Bachelor's degree preferred but not required.

Location and Travel

The position will be based onsite in Walnut Creek, CA. We strongly believe in the power of culture and community and have a hybrid work structure with 4 days in the office on a weekly basis to encourage collaboration and personal connections that will allow us to better serve our customers and consumer and to have more fun. Fridays are flex days with employees having the opportunity to choose to be either in the office or to work from home based on what makes most sense for them.

Pay Transparency

The expected starting salary range for this role is $160,000-$180,000 per year. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range based on the location of the role. The amount a particular employee will earn within the salary range will be based on factors such as relevant education, qualifications, performance and business needs.

Seasoned For Success

• No two days here are the same.
• We try to be good team members and good communicators, but we don’t live by hierarchy and structure – everyone is a difference maker here.
• We make a lot of decisions in the face of incomplete information – our team embraces ambiguity and tries to make good decisions fast rather than great decisions slow.
• We believe our job is to take smart risk, not to eliminate risk.
• We believe in growing our skills and becoming a better company with more managerial expertise, but we are an entrepreneurial company at heart.
• We aren’t trying to be average – we want to do exceptional things, and we are willing to work hard to achieve them.

Benefits That Bring More To The Table

We offer a range of total rewards that may include paid time off, 401k, bonus / incentive eligibility, equity grants, competitive health benefits, and other family-friendly benefits, including parental leave. Kinder’s benefits vary based on eligibility and can be reviewed in more detail during the interview process.

Our Recipe For Balance

We believe great culture starts with people. We’re a people-first company built on connection, collaboration, and balance. Most of our work happens in the office to spark creativity and community, but we also offer flexibility so team members have the autonomy to work outside the office when needed to support their work-life balance and personal commitments.

Where Every Ingredient Matters

Kinder's is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, citizenship, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, veteran status, as well as any other legally-protected characteristic. If you have a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law, and you need any accommodation during the application process or to perform these job requirements, please reach out to us at [e-mail]