Customer Account Leader

Job Title    Customer Account Leader
Reference #:    P06C02, P07C02, P08C02
Pay Grade:    6, 7, 8
Overtime:
Non-exempt/Eligible or Exempt/Ineligible    Exempt/Ineligible

Function:    Customer Service
Job Family:    Support
Direct Reports: (Y/N)    N

Reports to:

• Manager, Customer Service
• Manager, Programs
• Director, Customer Programs
• Director, Customer Service
• Manager, Production

Summary

Acts as a liaison between operations, engineering, materials, sales and the customer for product transactions in support of all types of customers (transactional, contractual, PBTH, field service, etc).  Understands and implements solutions to maximize the customer experience and the financial requirements of the business unit.

Specific Accountabilities

• Leadership
• Acts as an advocate for external and internal clients, demonstrating accountability and a commitment to excellence to both the external customer and the company.
• Provides innovative solutions to complex issues, influencing others to ensure customer satisfaction is maintained and company standards and profit margins are maximized.
• Provides team leadership and mentors, coaches, and empowers others to ensure transaction timelines are met or exceeded.
• Provides informal leadership within the business unit, demonstrating integrated thinking when solving problems and implementing continuous improvement practices.
• Adapts to change, demonstrating proactive thinking, assertiveness and initiative to identify potential issues/problems before they arise.
• Builds relationships with both external and internal clients.
• Updates and completes Measures of Performance (MOPS).

Product Related

• Reads and interprets legal documents to determine requirements for the creation and distribution of production documents using language in clear and concise manner.
• Manages accounts through the practice of sound business judgment, recalling relevant information when analyzing situations and defending decisions.
• Receives, processes, and verifies engine/propeller/component/module/accessory induction information and/or customer orders for purchases using company systems and customer purchase orders to verify the accuracy of information/orders.  
• Ensures customer requirements and expectations are confirmed, documented, and communicated to the appropriate team members for the BU/site.
• Prepares, generates and distributes reports, order acknowledgments, estimates and invoices as required. Compare engineering reports with estimates and invoices, identifies and addresses potential cost overruns as they occur; Determines estimate to invoice variance (EIVA).
• Applies basic project management principles, identifying available resources, defining scope, developing timelines and budgets, analyzing cost-benefit and evaluating risk. Designs strategies to mitigate risk and influences buy-in from all stakeholders while applying the seven steps of continuous improvement.
• Initiates the required action for response to customer service requests for workscope/order changes, including the maintenance of order information files, and communicates changes to the appropriate personnel.  Provides a close liaison and informal leadership role with service engineers, operations, logistics and materials.
• Provides customers with product information including pricing, scheduling, delivery and/or backorder availability and functionally equivalent part alternatives.  Manages customer visits and acts as the primary contact between the customer and production operations regarding expected completion dates, tracing and expediting shipments as needed.
• Validates inventory costs, explaining pricing, price increases, estimate and invoice changes to customers. Manages customer expectations with respect to estimate changes, summarizing cost-benefit and qualifying repair development costs to customers.
• Monitors and analyzes cost projections on an ongoing basis, proposing solutions for corrective action as required.
• Manages customer concerns, identifying costs associated with and impacts on resolution of Customer Concerns on other areas. Justifies resolution (internally or to customer) and proposes a rationale for adjusting policy.
• Coordinates OEM warranty and resolves or assists in resolving warranty claims; issues core credits and debits for claims and invoice errors, if applicable.
• Reviews and coordinates all contract/transaction work for the business unit/site, ensuring both parties adhere to the terms of the contract/agreement.
• Maintains data in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) or SalesForce.com (SFDC) database.
• Manages documents as per company, customer, and regulatory standards and process. Assures required information is entered into the appropriate computer system (internal and external). Performs assigned system maintenance to various electronic files.

 
Service Related

• Projects a positive image in representing the corporation to clients and the community; hosts and coordinates customer visits as needed.
• Cultivates customer loyalty through a commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Supports preparation of proposals, quotes and presentations and proposes sales strategies.
• Manages personal workload and time, setting and manage priorities and time on task, asking for assistance when required, while adapting to change and adjusting to changing demands of the workplace
• Receives, evaluates and answers customer, internal organization or sales force inquiries regarding a variety of order-related or service issues.  Facilitates or recommends solutions for the settlement of customer complaints.
• Evaluates logistics, coordinating field service work and rental requirements.
• Plans to meet forecast demands while communicating anticipated future demands internally; Compares SA inventory to meet customer needs and evaluates, organizes, reports and optimizes customer consignment inventory.

General

• Responsible for observing and reporting any issues or concerns in support of the company-wide quality, environmental and Safety Management System [SMS] policies.
• Carries out additional projects as assigned.

Minimum Educational/Academic Requirements

• The typical minimum level of education to perform this job competently is a minimum Diploma in Business Administration, Marketing, or related discipline with two years or a Baccalaureate Degree in Business Administration, Commerce, or a related discipline.

Required Skills/Experience

• Communicates effectively with customers (both internal and external), demonstrating effective use of written, verbal, non-verbal, and active listening skills, employing relevant knowledge, skills, and judgment to achieve organizational goals. Adapts language appropriate to the audience.
• Strong planning, organizational, analytical, decision making and problem solving skills while demonstrating situational awareness
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills that include demonstrated expertise with negotiation, conflict resolution and customer service. Demonstrates patience, tact and empathy when working with others. Values positive feedback, inviting participation and feedback from other members of the team, providing constructive feedback as required.
• Competent working in a culturally diverse environment with a demonstrated sensitivity to other cultural norms and practices.
• A proven commitment to professional practice, continuous professional improvement, and life-long learning.
• A thorough knowledge of company instructions and export compliance.
• Expertise in production management, inventory purchasing and sales/marketing computer information systems.
• Working knowledge of PC’s in the current company operating system environment including the use of Microsoft Office productivity software with the ability to adapt to changes in technology (both hardware and software).
• Knowledge of products/engines/propellers/accessories in respective business unit/site and technical skills appropriate to role.