Director, Customer Service

Silgan Containers•Chesterfield, MO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Job Description: Key Responsibilities: Team Leadership & Development: Oversee multiple customer service teams and their leaders, providing mentorship, direction, and support. Build a high-performance culture focused on responsiveness and customer satisfaction. This includes recruiting and training Customer Service Managers/Team Leaders, setting clear performance targets (e.g. service level agreements, response times, First Contact Resolution), and fostering professional growth among staff. Customer Service Strategy & Excellence: Develop and implement customer service policies, standards, and processes that align with industry best practices and support Silgan’s business objectives. Continuously identify opportunities for process improvement and efficiency in handling customer inquiries and orders. Enhance customer satisfaction metrics (NPS, OTIF, etc.) by analyzing feedback and driving initiatives to improve them. Champion a customer-centric approach across all service channels (phone, email, online). Performance Metrics & Quality Control: Establish systems to capture and report service metrics – e.g. turnaround times, order accuracy, complaint resolution rate. Monitor these metrics closely and use data to pinpoint areas for improvement. Provide regular performance dashboards and reports to senior management. Ensure quality of service is consistent across all teams and shifts, addressing any service failures with corrective action plans. Customer Escalation Management: Act as the top escalation point for complex or high-priority customer issues. Work directly with key customers or account managers to resolve significant service problems or complaints. Maintain relationships with major clients from a service perspective, ensuring their needs are met and that we retain their business through excellent support. This may involve occasional travel to client sites or strategic meetings, as needed. Cross-Functional Collaboration (Voice of Customer): Serve as the Voice of the Customer within the organization. Collaborate with peer departments – Operations, Supply Chain, Sales, Quality, and Finance – to convey customer feedback, recurring issues, and service pain points. For example, regularly brief the Operations team on any fulfillment or delivery issues customers report, working together on solutions. Partner with Sales and Account Management to understand upcoming customer initiatives or promotions so the service team can prepare accordingly. While the Customer Service Director provides customer insights and advocates for customer needs, the execution of solutions will often lie with other departments (e.g. Operations to fix a production delay), reinforcing a collaborative rather than ownership role in those areas. Demand Planning Input (Collaborative Role): Contribute customer demand insights to the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, without directly owning the forecasting process. The Director will participate in forecast review meetings to offer perspective on customer order patterns, upcoming big orders or potential demand changes (e.g. if a major customer indicates a spike in needs). The primary ownership of demand forecasting lies with the Demand Planning team (e.g. Silgan’s Supply Chain analysts). Operational Insight & Support (Advisory Role): Work closely with Operations and Production Planning to share customer-centric operational insights. For instance, alert Operations if multiple customers report late deliveries or specific product issues, so they can investigate internally. If Operations needs to prioritize certain orders or needs customer communication (e.g. about a delay or allocation), the CS Director coordinates that communication. However, tasks like creating detailed operational performance analyses or internal operational planning are handled by the Operations team or analysts. The CS Director reviews operational reports (on delivery performance, etc.) prepared by others and takes appropriate action on the customer service side (such as coaching the team on proactive customer communication for delays). Policy & Process Ownership: Own the customer service-related SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and ensure compliance with company policies and any relevant regulations. Update and refine procedures for order entry, customer communication, returns handling, etc., in collaboration with Quality and Compliance teams if needed. Ensure the customer service organization is prepared for audits or customer-required compliance (e.g. documentation for Global Food Safety Initiative or specific customer contractual service requirements). Budgeting and Resource Planning: Plan and manage the budget for the Customer Service department (staffing, training, systems, etc.). Determine staffing levels required to meet service goals and participate in workforce planning (e.g. hiring or shifting resources seasonally if needed). Evaluate tools and technologies that could improve service (such as CRM systems, EDI, customer portals) and make recommendations for investments, building the business case for enhancements. Cross-Department Projects: Represent the Customer Service function in company projects and initiatives. For example, if there is a project to implement a new order management system or a continuous improvement initiative related to order fulfillment, the Director of Customer Service should be an active stakeholder, ensuring that the project outcomes align with serving customers effectively. Lead customer-service specific projects (like implementing a new customer feedback mechanism or a training program for service reps on a new product line).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, or related field (or equivalent experience).
5+ years of managerial experience in customer service or account management, including leading supervisors or managers.
Proven track record of driving customer satisfaction improvements and handling cross-functional responsibilities.
Experience in a manufacturing or B2B environment is a plus, given Silgan’s industry.
Exceptional leadership skills – able to motivate large teams and develop talent.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively act as a liaison between customers, the customer service team, and other departments.
Able to influence peer managers and contribute to senior leadership discussions on behalf of the customer.
Demonstrated ability to set strategy for a service operation (e.g. developing a roadmap to improve NPS or reduce cost-to-serve).
Strong analytical mindset to interpret service metrics and customer feedback, identify trends, and drive decision-making.
Strong cross-functional collaboration skills.
Comfortable working with Operations, Supply Chain, Sales, etc., to achieve outcomes.
Experience participating in S&OP or similar cross-department planning processes is beneficial, with the understanding of one’s role in such a team (e.g. providing input rather than owning the whole process).
Deep empathy for the customer and a passion for improving customer experience.
Able to handle escalations calmly and maintain positive relationships with key clients.
Proficiency with CRM systems, order management software, and common office tools.
Familiarity with data analysis and reporting (e.g. adept with Excel or dashboards) to monitor performance.
While not a core requirement, comfort with demand planning or ERP systems is a plus, to interface intelligently with planning teams and understand the supply/demand context.

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree in a related field.
Experience with ERP and pricing software tools.
Strategic thinking with a commercial mindset
Familiarity with resin pricing and industry-specific pricing mechanisms

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development: Oversee multiple customer service teams and their leaders, providing mentorship, direction, and support.
Build a high-performance culture focused on responsiveness and customer satisfaction.
Recruit and train Customer Service Managers/Team Leaders, setting clear performance targets (e.g. service level agreements, response times, First Contact Resolution), and fostering professional growth among staff.
Customer Service Strategy & Excellence: Develop and implement customer service policies, standards, and processes that align with industry best practices and support Silgan’s business objectives.
Continuously identify opportunities for process improvement and efficiency in handling customer inquiries and orders.
Enhance customer satisfaction metrics (NPS, OTIF, etc.) by analyzing feedback and driving initiatives to improve them.
Champion a customer-centric approach across all service channels (phone, email, online).
Performance Metrics & Quality Control: Establish systems to capture and report service metrics – e.g. turnaround times, order accuracy, complaint resolution rate.
Monitor these metrics closely and use data to pinpoint areas for improvement.
Provide regular performance dashboards and reports to senior management.
Ensure quality of service is consistent across all teams and shifts, addressing any service failures with corrective action plans.
Customer Escalation Management: Act as the top escalation point for complex or high-priority customer issues.
Work directly with key customers or account managers to resolve significant service problems or complaints.
Maintain relationships with major clients from a service perspective, ensuring their needs are met and that we retain their business through excellent support.
Cross-Functional Collaboration (Voice of Customer): Serve as the Voice of the Customer within the organization.
Collaborate with peer departments – Operations, Supply Chain, Sales, Quality, and Finance – to convey customer feedback, recurring issues, and service pain points.
Demand Planning Input (Collaborative Role): Contribute customer demand insights to the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, without directly owning the forecasting process.
Participate in forecast review meetings to offer perspective on customer order patterns, upcoming big orders or potential demand changes (e.g. if a major customer indicates a spike in needs).
Operational Insight & Support (Advisory Role): Work closely with Operations and Production Planning to share customer-centric operational insights.
Policy & Process Ownership: Own the customer service-related SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and ensure compliance with company policies and any relevant regulations.
Update and refine procedures for order entry, customer communication, returns handling, etc., in collaboration with Quality and Compliance teams if needed.
Ensure the customer service organization is prepared for audits or customer-required compliance (e.g. documentation for Global Food Safety Initiative or specific customer contractual service requirements).
Budgeting and Resource Planning: Plan and manage the budget for the Customer Service department (staffing, training, systems, etc.).
Determine staffing levels required to meet service goals and participate in workforce planning (e.g. hiring or shifting resources seasonally if needed).
Evaluate tools and technologies that could improve service (such as CRM systems, EDI, customer portals) and make recommendations for investments, building the business case for enhancements.
Cross-Department Projects: Represent the Customer Service function in company projects and initiatives.
Lead customer-service specific projects (like implementing a new customer feedback mechanism or a training program for service reps on a new product line).