10104 - Business Development Associate

Description

The Business Development Associate plays a critical role in supporting the execution of the company's global business strategy by serving as the primary operational liaison between customers, internal supply chain teams, demand planning, production planning, and market leadership.

This position is responsible for managing customer orders, coordinating demand forecasts, identifying business risks, and ensuring proactive communication of supply constraints and operational challenges. The role requires strong analytical skills, customer relationship management capabilities, and the ability to influence customers by challenging forecast assumptions and aligning demand plans with market trends and business realities.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, proactive, bilingual in English and Spanish, and capable of working in a fast-paced international environment.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Order Management

• Process and monitor customer purchase orders from receipt through fulfillment.
• Ensure orders are accurately entered, validated, and aligned with company procedures and service commitments.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain, Production Planning, Logistics, and Customer Service teams to secure timely order fulfillment.
• Monitor open orders and communicate delivery updates to customers.
• Resolve order discrepancies, allocation issues, and delivery concerns promptly.

Forecasting and Demand Planning

• Collaborate with customers to collect, review, and maintain rolling sales forecasts.
• Work closely with Demand Planning and Supply Chain teams to align customer demand with production capabilities.
• Analyze historical sales trends, market performance, seasonality, and promotional activities to evaluate forecast accuracy.
• Challenge customer forecasts when inconsistencies, unusual spikes, or unrealistic demand assumptions are identified.
• Support forecast reviews and recommend adjustments to improve planning accuracy.

Customer Communication & Issue Resolution

• Serve as the primary operational point of contact for assigned customers.
• Communicate supply constraints, production limitations, raw material shortages, and capacity restrictions in a timely and professional manner.
• Coordinate mitigation plans with internal stakeholders to minimize customer impact.
• Provide regular updates regarding order status, inventory availability, and service performance.

Risk Management & Escalation

• Identify risks that could impact business performance, customer service levels, or forecast execution.

• Escalate critical issues and market risks to Market Leaders.

• Monitor key business indicators and proactively communicate red flags, including:

• Material shortages

• Production capacity constraints

• Demand surges

• Inventory risks

• Service level concerns

• Forecast deviations

• Customer operational challenges

• Support action plan development to mitigate identified risks.

Business Analysis & Reporting

• Generate and maintain reports related to forecast accuracy, customer demand, inventory positions, and order performance.
• Track customer KPIs and support monthly business reviews.
• Provide insights and recommendations to management regarding demand planning and customer support strategies.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with:

• Market Leaders

• Demand Planning

• Supply Chain

• Production Planning

• Logistics

• Participate in S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) and forecast review meetings as required.

• Support new product launches, customer transitions, and strategic business initiatives.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, International Business, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Marketing, or a related field.

Experience

• 2-5 years of experience in:
• Customer Service
• Demand Planning
• Supply Chain Coordination
• International Business
• Sales Operations
• Commercial Operations

Language Requirements

• Fluent English (written and verbal)
• Fluent Spanish (written and verbal)

Technical Skills

• Advanced Microsoft Excel
• Experience with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, JDE, or similar)
• Demand planning and forecasting tools preferred
• CRM experience preferred
• Power BI experience preferred
• Microsoft Office Suite proficiency

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical thinking
• Excellent communication skills
• Customer-focused mindset
• Problem-solving ability
• Attention to detail
• Organization and prioritization skills
• Ability to influence without authority
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Sense of urgency
• Risk identification and escalation
• Adaptability in a global business environment

Success Measures (KPIs)

• Customer forecast accuracy
• Order fulfillment performance
• On-time delivery rate
• Customer satisfaction
• Inventory risk management
• Service level attainment
• Reduced forecast bias and variance
• Timely communication of business risks
• Effective resolution of order and supply issues

Work Environment

• Full-time position.
• Based in Dallas, Texas.
• On-site attendance requires five (5) days per week.
• Interaction with global customers and cross-functional teams across multiple regions and time zones.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Ideal Candidate Profile

This role is ideal for a professional who enjoys working at the intersection of customers, supply chain, and commercial operations. The successful candidate will be able to balance customer expectations with business realities, proactively identify risks, provide actionable insights, and support the continued growth of the company's global business portfolio.

Barcel USA LLC is an equal opportunity employer with a policy that provides equal employment opportunity for applicants and employees regardless of race, color, religion, disability, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other classification protected by law. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, reassignment, layoff, discharge, education, training and all other working conditions.

We believe diversity drives innovation and success. We proudly welcome applications from individuals with disabilities, veterans, and women, and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.