Manager, Customer Sales Support

IPG•Chicago, IL

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Customer Sales Support Manager leads the Customer Sales Support function and ensures accurate, responsive, and proactive service throughout the customer order lifecycle. The role establishes team priorities and service standards, develops employees, monitors quality, productivity, and customer experience, resolves escalated issues, and partners across functions to improve service, efficiency, and business results. The manager oversees support related to orders, pricing, product availability, delivery status, invoicing questions, claims, returns, and customer follow-up. The role works closely with plant locations and teams across Sales, Supply Chain, Logistics, Pricing, Finance, and Accounting to resolve customer issues, provide accurate information, and deliver a consistent customer experience. The position monitors operational measures, ensures adherence to policies and controls, leads continuous improvement, and represents Customer Sales Support in business reviews and cross-functional initiatives. It is primarily office-based in a remote, hybrid, or plant-office environment depending on business needs, with travel to company, customer, or other business locations as needed.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
At least 5 years of progressive customer service, customer sales support, order management, or related experience, including at least 2 years in a supervisory, team lead, or people-management role.
Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, develop, and hold employees accountable while building a positive team culture.
Strong customer orientation, judgment, negotiation, de-escalation, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to analyze operational data, identify trends and root causes, and translate findings into practical actions.
Knowledge of order-to-cash processes, including order entry, pricing, fulfillment, logistics, invoicing, claims, returns, and customer master data.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint.
Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Ability to organize and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment without sacrificing accuracy, responsiveness, or follow-through.
Ability to handle confidential information and exercise sound business judgment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, management, or a related field.
Experience in manufacturing, packaging, industrial products, distribution, or another complex business-to-business order environment.
Experience with ERP, CRM, EDI, reporting, or workflow systems.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop the Customer Sales Support team; establish priorities, service expectations, workload coverage, performance goals, and accountability.
Recruit, onboard, train, and retain team members; provide ongoing feedback, performance management, cross-training, and development support.
Ensure accurate, timely, and proactive customer support across the order lifecycle, including orders, pricing, product availability, delivery status, invoicing questions, claims, returns, and customer follow-up.
Serve as the escalation point for complex customer concerns; coordinate cross-functional resources, communicate status, and drive timely resolution.
Partner with plant locations to obtain timely, accurate information about production, inventory, order status, quality, and delivery commitments.
Collaborate with plant leadership and operational teams to investigate customer issues, identify root causes, develop practical solutions, and prevent recurrence.
Build partnerships with Sales, Supply Chain, Logistics, Pricing, Finance, Accounting, and other functions to resolve constraints and deliver a consistent customer experience.
Monitor service levels, order accuracy, backlog, claims, response time, customer feedback, and other relevant measures; use data and trends to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
Ensure adherence to policies, procedures, approval limits, internal controls, customer-specific requirements, and data-quality standards.
Lead continuous-improvement efforts to simplify workflows, standardize practices, strengthen systems and reporting, and improve service, quality, productivity, and cost.
Support customer implementations, account transitions, and product, pricing, process, or system changes affecting order management and service delivery.
Represent Customer Sales Support in business reviews and cross-functional initiatives; communicate operational performance, risks, recommendations, and action plans to stakeholders and leadership.
Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.