Senior Supply Chain Specialist

About the role

The Senior Supply Chain Specialist is responsible for providing superior service to our Export customers & Sales Agents. This includes responding to customer inquiries regarding product availability, pricing, freight rates, allocations, and delivery dates, quality and transportation complaints, receiving new orders, and monitoring status of current orders. The Senior Supply Chain Specialist plays a key role in developing production and scheduling strategies that align with customer deadlines, including seasonal demand, vessel cut‑off dates, and port constraints.

Responsibilities

• Inco terms – understanding the shipping terms and reviewing them to make sure correct.
• Export Documentation (Commercial Invoice/Ocean Tally)
• Number aptitude – specifically, Metric conversions
• Understanding Exception pricing including reviewing that PO and system pricing match
• Work with scheduling and customer to trim special Export grades.
• Work closely with Ports, Sales, and Forwarding Agents
• Visit Ports and meet Export Agents
• Sensitivity to all cultures and customs necessary
• Work with Sales Manager on monthly requirements for Export customers taking into consideration production obstacles, seasonality, and current market.
• Execute and assist with special projects.
• Set up new accounts in the AS400 with all profile information, new account numbers and any system informational comments required to alert either the scheduler, mill or shipping areas. Export set ups are very dependent on gathering correct information such as wharfage & handling allowances, commission allowances.
• Receive, process, and track assigned orders through scheduling.
• Consult with various internal departments to ensure order completeness, on-time delivery, and accurate invoicing.
• Communicate significant information regarding customer accounts/orders to appropriate internal departments including ensuring Sales Representatives are informed of pertinent activity regarding individual accounts.
• Coordinate customer requests for product specifications, availability, shipping, quotations and estimates, samples.
• Serve as a link between the customer, sales, and production teams to meet customer requirements including scheduling production, securing delivery dates, addressing order changes, and resolving complaints.
• Investigate and resolve customer complaints, including quality, transportation, and billing issues, and appropriately escalate matters to management or relevant internal departments when necessary.
• Know and follow policies and procedures of the company, share information that would benefit other members of the team and find ways to improve the delivery of service to our customers.
• Strive to continually strengthen PCA's business philosophy of meeting needs and exceeding expectation for customers specifically supporting PCA's Commitment to Service which involves doing what's right for our customers, focusing on strategies that add value and support growth, and keeping the promises that we make.

Decision Making

The individual is expected to use his/her knowledge and experience to gather relevant information; identify key issues and relationships; compare data from different sources; identify cause-effect relationships; and recommend solutions. As a company representative the employee must exercise discretion realizing that his/her interactions with customers must be in accordance with PCA policies and ethics.

Interactions

Internally, the Senior Supply Chain Specialist proactively develops and maintains effective working relationships with internal contacts across the company including scheduling, shipping, sales, production, accounting, management, etc. Externally, the employee interacts with customers to provide excellent service.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or 8+ yrs. experience in a customer service role.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Strong verbal communication skills with the ability to network and build relationships with individuals of various experience and corporate levels both within and outside of the company.
• Eight (8) years' previous work experience in customer service or logistics/supply chain role with experience handling customer orders on an order entry system and maintaining / building strong positive customer business relationships.
• Previous experience using an automated order entry system preferred.
• The ability to network and build relationships with individuals of various experience and corporate positions.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to handle detail-oriented tasks and review multiple documents and reports.
• Able to work in a fast paced, deadline-oriented environment, prioritize assignments, and handle multiple tasks.
• Written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate to multiple audiences and purposes, and to effectively communicate with customers over the phone.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to handle numerous details, deadlines, and requests.
• Previous experience working in a team environment preferred, or a strong understanding of the importance of open communication and information sharing among co-workers.

Compensation and Benefits

• Starting salary range for position: $78,400-$98,000
• Bonus: Annual – Based upon individual contribution and overall, Company performance.
• Paid Vacation: Three (3) weeks per calendar year. Pro-rata Vacation during the initial year of hire based upon start date within the calendar year.
• Paid Holidays.
• Within the first 30 days of employment, an employee (and their dependents) is eligible to enroll in certain benefit coverages -- medical, dental, and vision – and are automatically enrolled in life, AD&D, and disability coverages.
• Upon hire, an employee is automatically enrolled in the 401k plan. The plan offers both pre-tax and Roth contribution options along with employer provided matching contributions.