Category Support Specialist

Office Depot•Austin, TX

4d•$19 - $25

About The Position

The Category Sales Support Specialist serves as the go-to subject-matter resource — a "phone a friend" — for the inside sales and field sales teams within an assigned product category (Jan/San or Technology), fielding category-related questions that arise while reps are servicing customer needs. When a rep or customer has a question about product specifications, compatibility, configuration, or the right solution for a customer's business need, the Specialist provides that expertise directly — either answering it in real time or engaging the right internal or vendor resource to reach an answer. Beyond day-to-day product questions, the Specialist also supports the company's category-related expo and demo events, coordinating logistics such as event setup, vendor relations, and on-site product staging. This role reports to the Sales Support Manager for coaching, tools, and standards, and partners closely with the applicable Category/Product team and sales leadership across channels.

Requirements

High School diploma or equivalent, Bachelors preferred
Merchandising, Marketing
3 years of experience in Sales or Sales Support
Basic computer skills and the ability to use computers and technology for information, and to access information necessary to complete the job.
Proficient in Microsoft Tools.
Proficiency with CRM (Salesforce or equivalent).
Familiarity with vendor product catalogs and technical specification sheets
Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively interact with internal and external stakeholders.
Strong understanding of the dynamics of cross-functional teams, with the ability to creatively problem solve
Successful history of building and maintaining internal and external partner relationships at all levels.
Demonstrated time management skills with the ability to meet deadlines.
Event-coordination skills, including vendor management and on-site logistics for expos or product demonstrations
Ability to manage multiple concurrent tech questions and event-planning tasks with sound prioritization

Nice To Haves

Self-starter who is comfortable researching and troubleshooting without a rigid script
Team-oriented and adaptable to shifting sales-team and vendor priorities
Comfortable engaging directly with vendors and representing the company at events
Prior experience with technology product demos, trade shows, or expo events is a plus

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact ("phone a friend") for inside sales and field sales reps who need help answering customer questions about products within the assigned category (Jan/San or Technology).
Provide solutioning support — assess a customer's requirements and recommend appropriate product configurations, bundles, or category-specific solutions.
Research and interpret product specifications, compatibility requirements, and vendor/technical documentation to answer rep and customer inquiries accurately.
Plan and support category-related expo and demo events: coordinate event setup and logistics, manage vendor relationships, and help stage product displays.
Escalate complex questions to Product, Vendor, or other internal category/technical teams when they exceed the Specialist's scope and see them through to resolution.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the category's product catalog, new releases, and vendor partner offerings, and log/track support interactions per team standards.