Head of Customer Operations (54041)

The Head of Customer Operations is a pivotal leadership role responsible for overseeing the Customer Solutions teams, driving operational excellence, and ensuring exceptional customer experiences. This individual will lead efforts to improve processes, enhance communication practices, and build team agility to meet evolving customer and business needs. The role requires a strong focus on leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and operational improvement to address challenges and deliver results.

Essential Job Duties/Responsibilities

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of building and developing high-performing teams, implementing process improvements, and working in organizations undergoing operational transformation or start-up. Experience in the nutraceutical, OTC consumer products, pharmaceutical, or related industries is strongly preferred.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Essential job functions and duties include, but are not limited, to:

Customer Operations Leadership

• Oversee the Customer Operations Department, ensuring efficient operations, timely communication, and exceptional customer support.
• Act as the primary escalation point for customer issues, ensuring prompt and effective resolution.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to track team performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Foster collaboration between Sales, R&D, Supply Chain, and Logistics to align operations with customer and business needs.
  
  

Project Management Leadership

• Lead the Project Management team in coordinating complex customer projects, including new product development (NPD), line extensions, and market expansions.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment between R&D, Sales, and Operations to deliver projects on time, within budget, and meeting customer expectations.
• Provide guidance to Project Managers in prioritizing tasks, managing deadlines, and delivering results for high-revenue and strategic accounts.
  
  

Process Improvement and Standardization

• Identify and implement strategies to streamline customer service and project management processes, improving efficiency and responsiveness.
• Develop and promote the use of standardized tools and best practices to ensure consistency in customer communication and issue resolution.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to address operational challenges and enhance service delivery.
  
  

Customer Engagement and Communication

• Strengthen customer relationships by improving communication channels and ensuring proactive updates on orders, timelines, and potential risks.
• Establish clear guidelines for customer touchpoints and ensure communication is professional, timely, and aligned with customer preferences.
• Build trust with customers and internal teams by addressing issues transparently and collaboratively.
  
  

Team Leadership and Development

• Build and develop high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee onboarding and training programs to ensure team members are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed.
• Provide coaching, mentorship, and development opportunities to support team growth and performance.
  
  

Operational Excellence

• Coordinate with Supply Chain to enhance service delivery, and improve responsiveness to customer needs.
• Establish service levels for customer response times and ensure adherence to these standards, particularly for high-priority accounts.
• Monitor and analyze performance metrics to inform strategic decisions, mitigate risks, and process improvements.
  
  

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, education, and/or abilities required for the job

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in customer service, project management, or operations; with at least 5 years in a leadership or staff management position
• Proven experience in building and managing cross functional teams and developing high-performing teams
• Demonstrated success in addressing operational improvement and implementing process optimizations
• Experience with Project Management and Customer Service in nutraceutical, consumer healthcare, pharmaceutical, or related industries is strongly preferred
• Experience with a work-to-order operational model
  
  

Skills

• Strong leadership and team management capabilities, with the ability to inspire and motivate others, lead problem-solving approaches, training, and coaching
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships across all levels of the organization
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on operational efficiency and customer satisfaction
• Change management expertise, with the ability to lead team through periods of transformation
• Proficiency in ERP systems (e.g., Process Pro, SAP), and other relevant tools (Microsoft Office suite, Microsoft Dynamics)
• Ability to adapt to a dynamic workplace environment, including flexibility to work occasional extended hours as business needs require.
• Ability to maintain a positive, professional, cooperative demeanor, conduct, and working relationship with peers, management, employees, and other individuals that interact with this position.
• Ability to comply with Company policies, procedures, work rules, and protocols.
  
  

Education

The appropriate knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position are achievable through the following combination of education, work experience and training:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Sales Management, Pharmaceutical Science, Industrial Engineering or a related field is strongly preferred
• Advanced degree (MBA or equivalent) is a plus
• Any combination of experience, education, and training that provides the level of knowledge, skills, and experience needed to successfully perform the job.