Customer Services Supervisor - Rosebank at Sappi

We are hiring!

We are on the lookout for an experienced Customer Services Supervisor to supervise processes within the Order Flow department, ensuring excellent customer service is achieved and to be the contact person with business and technical knowledge for all businesses: SPPP, Trading Africa, Lignin, Lomati & Trade SA.

The role reports to the Orderflow Manager

As a Customer Services Supervisor, you will be responsible for:

• The Supervisors will be responsible for Local, Exports and Imports, Trade SA, Lomati and Lignin, to supervise and coordinate responsibilities for the Team and report back to Management.
• Manage Order Intake based on set requirements for each business. Report on orders received weekly & monthly. Provide expert knowledge pertaining to business process from order intake to delivery & invoicing process
• Supervise the accuracy of orders captured in SAP as per the various business processes and to manage the confirmation of orders within given times lines provided to endure orders are produced as per customer priority and urgencies. Mitigate errors to avoid financial impacts. 
• Manage the free stock list provided and review all options to match stock to orders
• Manage the stock movements of orders from mill to Sappi plants for accuracy with correct procedure communicated to eliminate duplication of production and customer orders
• Attend all S&OP meetings as the representative on behalf of the team:
• Communicate customer priorities to the planning team
• Raise making delays on behalf of the customers and sales
• Manage activities of each Customer Services Coordinator and continuously balance the workload between the people reporting to him/ her
• Regularly analyse data for reporting purposes and assess new situations with business insight
• Complete customer reconciliations: Customers order book vs Sappi orders book and resolve the differences
• As documentation and financial knowledge is a key requirement for this position, always stay on top off with in dept knowledge of commercial documentation as and when required for each sales transaction.
• In-depth knowledge of the different country requirements, before shipping for legal compliance. This is different country by country, customer by customer
• Understand and know the impact of payments requirements that is agreed with other Sappi Regions (e.g. Sappi Europe) vs Sappi South Africa on all open accounts vs creation of Letter of Credits. As each payment agreement is timeline driven and could have huge impact of the orders is not shipped within the set guidelines and rules.
• Deal with all levels of management within Sappi or Customer and all dealing must be communicated professionally and therefore must have:
• Excellent knowledge of SAP Order creation, planning and logistical functions (understanding transport and warehousing functions) in order to support the team by identifying solutions for order fulfilment 
• Keep abreast of new development of relevant technologies, attend and provide training on new business processes. This will include new business introduced or new products that will be sold. A supervisor will be the Key user in SAP & TM developments

Managerial responsibilities:

• Manage the hiring, training and contract termination of subordinates and complete performance evaluations
• Guide subordinates with their development plans 
• Makes recommendations to management concerning staff
• Makes recommendation and improvement of procedures and at times manage the implementation of new processes, and plans & develops new improved procedures
• Make quick business decisions and fully understand the impact of the business on day to day operations for great customer service experience and strict compliance of the Sappi business process adherence.

Sales Support:

• Provide support when matters are escalated from internal & external stakeholders
• Authority to review pricing requests to Central Business 
• Customer Interaction
• Manage customer requirements/ expectations and resolve issues in high conflict situations, coming from the reporting team
• Attend to unexpected urgencies. Maintain holistic view of business, understanding impact of business and to resolve those issues with various department
• Escalate all customers services related issues to relevant departments for service improvement like:
• Sappi delayed production could have an adverse impact on customer production
• Delivery related issues must be escalated, and truck delays must be communicated and tracked
• Communicate with customers via telephone, email and letter (as requested) and negotiate delivery timeslots.
• Review early warning of credit account issues to sales department and customer as this impacts all future deliveries and follow-up on customer payments.
• Understanding product knowledge and product offering to customers
• Assist with Customer urgencies for order fulfilment from stock or making prioritisation and follow up and communicate information

What are we looking for?

• 3 year Diploma in Customer relationship
• 5 years’ relevant Order flow experience of which min 3 years in Supervisory Role within a manufacturing/technical environment (specifically on the outbound Supply chain)
• Minimum 3 years experience using SAP/APO, SAP DPE, SAP CSR, TM, SCM and BW