Description:

General Purpose of Position

The Customer Service & Operations Manager leads the Customer Service, Operations and Outgrower Teams. He/She provides leadership and development for the personnel within the (Customer Service and Operations) and as such will form a virtual part of the CD team as well as his/her line report into the Managing Director. He/She is accountable for the delivery of Customer Service Excellence, Quality and Outgrowers. He/She is responsible for providing appropriate leadership and development to the team, as the business moves through a period of rapid process and organisational change. He/She has full accountability for the order cycle and the implementation of customer service offerings as agreed in the Customer Business Plan. He/She is responsible for supporting the Managing Director in developing strong working relationships within the company, outgrowers and key customers.

Responsibilities

• Lead S & OP (Sales and Operations Planning) across the company and with key customers
• Understand Customer requirements and culture (strategy, structure, targets, operational standards, routines, processes, systems etc) so as to develop opportunities for reduced cost to serve, or improved service, forecast bias or on-shelf availability
• Management and development of the team of Customer Service Specialists, Customer Replenishment Specialists and Supply Chain Innovation
• Providing operational guidance and support to ensure an efficient order cycle is maintained - including capturing, processing and fulfilling all orders and deliveries within our trade terms guidelines. Resolve escalated operational issues internally and with Customer; anticipate and prevent future problems.
• Work closely with external customer contacts to ensure that a solid relationship is achieved and maintained through both periods of good and poor customer service.  At all times seek to proactively improve delivery and make both parties supply chains more efficient. At times of poor service take the lead to ensure issues are well explained to the customer with a clear communication of resolution timings and next steps
• Be the main contact point for the Managing Director for customer service, outgrower and operations issues
• Ensure timely delivery of account metrics and issues summary to the Managing Director for the LT meeting cycle
• Develop and deliver a specific supply chain element of the Joint Business Plans with the Customers, Units and Outgrowers
• Work with the General Managers to develop and deliver the total Supply Chain SIA and maintain a coherent department by taking responsibility outside of the account team for areas such as; System Development, Category Service Lead, Returns, Contingency Management, Lead User Community etc.

Accountabilities

• Delivery of all business reporting, with a specific focus on Sales, Outgrower delivery and recovery, Customer Service, Unit Profitability, Forecast Accuracy, Output reliability, Agricultural conditions (temperature, weather, etc), Performance of Units (yields, outturn, etc.)
• Relationship Management of key customers
• Leadership, development and performance management of their Team
• Delivery of Supply Chain elements of Joint Scorecards with key customers, units and outgrowers
• Deliver customer satisfaction measured by Customer survey
• Ensure alignment of account group Logistic Efficiency and Payment terms to reality, driving for mutual benefit wherever possible
• Resolution of any Customer Service issues
• Performance and development of their team
• Maintain up-to-date Customer, Unit and outgrower fact-book
• Ensure that their team is maintaining up-to-date and accurate master data for customers and outgrowers
• Joint CS Scorecard with Customers, Units and Outgrowers (including plan for corrective actions internally and externally)
• Clearly defined service standards
• Consolidation and management of all Supply Chain Reporting (internal and external)

Key Skills

• Market and Customer orientation
• Business orientation
• Think opportunity, simplification and harmonization
• Think integrated Supply Chain process
• Proven people development skills including managing managers
• Analytical thinking
• Creativity

Experience & Qualifications

• Customer facing supply chain experience
• Outgrower Management
• Other Supply Chain experience in Factories, Category Logistics or Distribution

---