Business Operations Associate/Coordinator

Melling Tool Co•Battle Creek, MI

40d•Onsite

About The Position

This role provides day-to-day administrative and transactional support across accounting, order management, shipping, and purchasing functions. It's a hands-on, detail-oriented position suited to a self-starter who is comfortable switching between tasks, learning multiple systems, and interacting directly with customers, vendors, and internal teams with minimal oversight. Candidates will be trained thoroughly on our systems and processes, but from there are expected to own their workload independently this expectation is the same regardless of level.

Requirements

General computer proficiency (Excel, Office)
Strong attention to detail and comfort with repetitive, transactional work
Self-motivated with the ability to work independently after training, without close oversight
Comfort managing multiple priorities and shifting between tasks throughout the day
Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills
Working knowledge of basic accounting concepts (debits/credits, invoicing, reconciliation) a plus

Nice To Haves

Plex ERP exposure a plus
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
Relevant work experience, including total time in the workforce and the nature of that experience
Plex or other ERP system experience
Overall demonstrated readiness to take on independent judgment and process-improvement work from day one

Responsibilities

Process incoming vendor invoices, match to purchase orders and receiving documents, and route for approval
Prepare and issue customer invoices; track payment status and follow up on past-due accounts
Enter and reconcile basic AP/AR transactions in the ERP system
Assist with month-end reconciliation of AR/AP subledgers
Enter customer orders into the ERP system accurately and in a timely manner
Verify order details (pricing, quantities, ship dates) against customer POs
Communicate order status updates to customers and internal stakeholders
Assist with generating shipping documentation (packing slips, bills of lading, certificates of conformance as needed)
Coordinate with the shipping team to confirm order readiness and shipment timing
Track outbound shipments and resolve basic discrepancies (short ships, damaged goods, etc.)
Enter purchase orders based on requisitions from production and other departments
Follow up with vendors on order confirmations, lead times, and delivery status
Maintain purchasing records and assist with vendor documentation
Serve as a point of contact for routine customer inquiries (order status, invoice questions, basic product/availability questions)
Route more complex issues to the appropriate team member
Maintain a professional, responsive tone in all customer communications
Maintain organized, accurate records (physical and digital filing)
Support data entry and document preparation across departments as needed
Assist with special projects as assigned
Identifying and documenting process improvements across AR/AP, order entry, shipping, and purchasing workflows
Supporting month-end close activities beyond basic reconciliation (e.g., variance review, subledger tie-outs)
Troubleshooting transactional errors in Plex and recommending corrections
Taking a more active role in vendor and customer issue resolution before escalation
Assisting with basic reporting or data pulls to support finance/operations decision-making