Customer Operations Specialist

Customer Operations Specialist, Minneapolis MN

GENERAL SUMMARY:

This is a core role within the commercial organization, enabling disciplined execution, customer readiness, and data driven decision making. The role supports Sales by ensuring customer facing systems, data, and processes are accurate, timely, and aligned across cross functional teams.

The position has evolved into a commercial enablement role with ownership of POS reporting, promotion analysis, competitive insights, and execution analytics. These insights help Sales proactively manage the business, identify risks, and unlock growth opportunities.

The role is also critical to Direct Import execution, ensuring items are set up, compliant, tracked, and ready to flow without disruption. In addition, it supports ecommerce execution by maintaining accurate product content that drives discoverability and conversion.

Success requires strong attention to detail, analytical rigor, and the ability to operate effectively in a fast paced environment while continuously improving processes and scalability.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support sales programs, customer meetings, line reviews, planograms, and special initiatives.
• Manage customer facing item setup, cost validation, and product maintenance across domestic, Direct Import, and ecommerce.
• Own weekly POS reporting, trend analysis, and insight distribution to Sales.
• Analyze promotional performance, lift, execution quality, and markdown exposure.
• Conduct competitive pricing, assortment reviews, and market checks.
• Prepare and distribute reporting on POS, revenue, trade, and customer metrics.
• Serve as liaison with brokers and Customer Care to resolve data, order, and execution issues
• Support Direct Import operations including item setup, tracking, compliance, and shipment visibility.
• Maintain ecommerce content accuracy, product data, and sample inventory.
• Lead execution readiness checks for new items, promotions, and seasonal programs.
• Prioritizes cross functional requests to ensure customer commitments are met
• Determines when issues can be resolved independently versus when escalation is required, particularly related to Direct Import, compliance, and customer deadlines.
• Makes data informed decisions across POS reporting, promotions, and competitive insights.
• Ensures accuracy and integrity across item data, costing, ecommerce content, and import documentation.
• Communicates clearly and decisively to drive alignment and timely action. Identifies and implements process improvements that increase efficiency and scalability.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Supply Chain, Analytics, Operations, or a related field preferred.
• One to three years of experience in Customer Operations, Sales Operations, Supply Chain, Ecommerce Operations, or a related role within consumer goods or retail.
• Experience working with POS data, customer systems, item setup, or ecommerce product content preferred.
• Exposure to Direct Import operations, compliance processes, or global supply chain workflows is a plus.
• Proficiency in Excel and standard business tools required. Experience with customer portals or reporting platforms preferred.
• Strong interest in building a career in Sales, Commercial Operations, or Customer Management within a consumer products organization.
• Demonstrates strong working knowledge of POS data, sales reporting, and customer performance metrics, with the ability to analyze promotions, pricing, and competitive dynamics to generate actionable insights.
• Experienced in customer portals, item setup systems, ecommerce platforms, and

PHYSICAL CONDITIONS:

This role is primarily performed in a professional office or remote work environment. The position requires extended periods of sitting, regular use of a computer, and frequent verbal and written communication.

The employee must be able to use standard office equipment, including a computer, keyboard, mouse, telephone, and video conferencing tools. Occasional standing, walking, reaching, and use of hands and fingers to operate equipment are required.

The role requires close vision and the ability to focus on detailed information for analysis and reporting.

Limited travel may be required, estimated at approximately 5%, based on business needs. The position is based in a regional or corporate office.

DISCLAIMER:  The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

WHY CRAYOLA?

• Kid Inspired Culture
• Free Admission to Crayola Experience for Employees
• Community Volunteerism Opportunities
• Annual Bonus Potential for all Full-Time Employees
• Company Matched 401k & Employee Value Sharing Plan
• Comprehensive Healthcare Benefits for Eligible Employees
• Education Assistance Program
• Wellness Programs
• Employee Resource Groups
• Generous Product Discounts Onsite & Online
• Company Sponsored Employee Events
• Discounts on a wide variety of products and services – automotive, electronics, fitness, travel and entertainment

Green is our favorite color!
Crayola cares about the environment and responsibly makes the products you love. Learn more about Crayola’s creative solutions for greener tomorrows: https://www.crayola.com/about-us/sustainability

Crayola is committed to providing competitive market compensation.  Our pay ranges are established using reliable market data and consider factors such as job responsibilities, industry benchmarks, and geographic location.

Individual starting pay is determined by a candidate’s skills, experience and qualifications.  This role is eligible to participate in an annual incentive plan as per plan guidelines.  For a full list of Crayola benefits, please visit https://www.crayola.com/company/employee-benefits.

No phone calls please.

Search Firm Representatives - Please Read Carefully:
Crayola LLC is not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this employment opportunity. Regardless of past practice, all resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Crayola LLC via e-mail, the Internet, or directly to hiring managers at Crayola LLC in any form without valid written search agreement in place for that position will be deemed the sole property of Crayola LLC, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Crayola LLC as a result of the referral or through other means.

Search firms are essential to the recruitment and staffing efforts at Crayola LLC, and we value the partnerships we have built with our vendors. For this reason, Crayola LLC has established and regularly maintains a preferred vendor list. Please note that even preferred vendors need to have a written search agreement signed by Human Resources at Crayola LLC in place for the specific position in order for a fee to be paid for any candidate referrals.