Customer Account Specialist

Company:

INEOS Oligomers

Organizational Context and Job Purpose

Organizational Context:

INEOS is a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and oil products. It comprises 36 businesses each with a major chemical company heritage. Its production network spans 194 sites in 29 countries throughout the world.

INEOS products make a significant contribution to saving life, improving health and enhancing standards of living for people around the world. Our businesses produce the raw materials that are essential in the manufacture of a wide variety of goods: from paints to plastics, textiles to technology, medicines to mobile phones - chemicals manufactured by INEOS enhance almost every aspect of modern life.

The INEOS Oligomers division includes a wide range of products ranging from LAO, PAO and PIB to Specialty Oligomers, iso-paraffines, cyclopentane and isoamylene which are made in Europe and in the Americas and sold worldwide. 

Purpose of the job:

The Customer Account Specialist (CAS) is responsible for executing the Order-to-Cash process from order acceptance to customer invoicing.  Although this involves tactical execution by the North America (NA) Commercial Team (Account Managers), NA Logistics and NA plant personnel, the Customer Account Specialist is the customer’s advocate within INEOS to assure both the customer’s contractual and special requirements are met on every order.  The CAS acts as the focal point for dispensing all inventory held in NA for the LAO, PAO, PIB and Specialties product lines and is viewed as the SAP S/D module Poweruser.

Environment/Context:

• New product development (both internal and external).
• Order-to-cash process.
• Importation/Exportation regulations of materials to/from the United States.
• Domestic and International sales (invoicing, Customs and freight settlement).

Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

Manage all Sales Orders for our domestic and export customers to all destinations - satisfying activities which begin with the order process, end with the delivery of products to customers and continues on with post transactional support including, but not limited to:

• Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI).
• Vetting Customer ordering vs. forecast.
• Order-to-Cash (OTC).
• Dispute resolution.
• Customer relationship management.
• Offering appropriate Technical Services.
• Product & customer set-up/management within SAP.
• Goods issue and invoicing.
• Ensuring regional and global customer needs/requests are met in a timely manner.
• Coordinating customer product quality issues with Sales and Operations personnel.
• Executing Order-To-Cash process for all products sold globally from NA.
• Import/export Customs compliance.

Maximize company profits through:

• Appropriate use of service level agreements.
• Providing the customer with positive experience.
• Customer advocacy.
• Providing internal clients customer feedback.
• Improved/reduced logistics services.
• Efficient supply chain management.
• Planning for contingency in dispute resolution and post-sales services.
• Assessing customers appropriate accessorial charges.

Manage various applications such as SAP, MS Office and Visual Compliance to ensure accurate customer interface with sales and Supply Chain Mgmt.

Maintain and grow customer patronage & sales.

• Assisting Account Managers in managing core accounts.
• Managing secondary accounts under the mentorship of an Account Manager.

The CAS is given the authority to effectively manage inventory including:

• Replenish materials at terminals and customer direct locations.
• Identify issues and implement solutions during inventory shortages.
• Manage customer forecast.
• Collaborate with Sales Team to identify customer requirements.
• Manage and adjust consignment accounts against forecast.

Order to Cash:

• Assures accurate order entry via multiple communication channels including phone, fax, and email.
• The CAS is responsible for ensuring that the orders are input into the system accurately and in a timely manner.
• Promote and maintain alternative methods of order entry through eBusiness (if offered).
• Manage customer pricing within SAP.
• Manage Customer Master database within SAP.
• Ensures timely delivery of products through collaboration with logistic providers.
• Utilize tools and applications to ensure timely delivery of products to customers.
• Collaborate with individuals managing customer credit/collections.

Skills & Knowledge Required

Level of education & experience in general:

• High school diploma or equivalent, and
• Minimum 2 years of chemical industry customer service experience
• Experience with liquid chemicals is a plus
• Proficient in SAP 4.6 or later
• Strong service orientation towards internal and external clients
• Strong oral and written communications skills

Technical skills:

• Strong computer skills. Use of MS Office programs (Word, XL, Powerpoint, Outlook)
• Basic knowledge of accounting
• Understanding of business basics

Behavioral skills:

• Display initiative by proactively taking action to solve or prevent problems.
• Ability to build and maintain friendly, warm relationships or networks with customers and internal colleagues/clients.
• Ability to keep emotions under control and restrain negative actions when faced with opposition, hostility or stress.
• Works cooperatively with others as part of a team
• Well organized, innovative and creative
• Strong ability to multi-task
• Displays strong work ethic and accountability.

ADA Physical requirements, visual acuity requirements and environmental conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and perform tasks requiring repetitive use of hands.  The employee must occasionally walk, stand and travel by car, airplane or other means.   Exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.  Employee must have the ability to see written documents, computer screens and to adjust focus.  Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make discriminations in sound. 

Work Environment:  This job is performed mainly in a temperature-controlled office environment.

Our culture is one of honesty and integrity with an emphasis on safety, health and environmental performance.On our team, people are acknowledged for embracing new practices that help create real value for customers.