INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY - Order Department Manager (Hybrid)

Company Description

At Lakeshore, we create innovative learning materials and world-class guest experiences for teachers, parents and children. Since 1954, we’ve grown into a global community—with a thriving e-commerce business, multiple catalogs, over 50 stores, a peerless national sales force, plus international offices that support our preeminent supply chain division. But today we’re working better, smarter and faster than ever—and setting our sights even higher. We’re building an infrastructure designed for scalability, embracing data-driven decision-making and using technology to improve efficiency and ensure the best tools for the best work. Most importantly, we continue to invest in a diverse team of inquisitive top talent who fuel each other’s passions and curiosity, take risks, try new things and believe that every new day brings opportunities for growth.

Job Description

Please note that this position is open to internal candidates only. External candidates who apply will not be considered for this role.

Orders are the heartbeat of what we do — and you'll be the one keeping that heartbeat steady. As Order Department Manager, you'll lead the team that makes sure every educator, school, and family gets what they ordered, accurately and on time. You'll set the pace, remove the obstacles, and build the kind of team that performs at its best when it matters most — including our busiest seasons.

A day on the job looks like this:

• Lead, develop, and retain a team of order processing professionals — setting clear expectations, delivering timely coaching and performance feedback, and building bench strength through cross-training and succession planning.
• Own daily order operations: balance workload across queues, prioritize state contract and portal orders, align staffing to volume, and keep processing and ship-date targets firmly in view.
• Dig into order errors and billing disputes to find root causes — not just fix symptoms. Partner with Accounting, FICO, and Tax to resolve complex issues and put corrective actions in place that stick.
• Serve as the go-to escalation point for Sales, Customer Service, Quotes, Distribution, and IT when orders get complicated or at risk — cutting through ambiguity and driving resolution.
• Track team productivity, quality, and queue KPIs; translate the data into clear reports and actionable insights for senior leadership.
• Keep SOPs current, eliminate SAP workarounds, and partner with IT on system improvements and testing to make operations cleaner and more reliable.
• Plan and execute seasonal capacity — recruiting, onboarding, and managing temporary staff during Back to School and Holiday peaks to protect service levels when volume spikes.

Qualifications

Got the skills and experience? Here’s what we’re looking for:

Required:

• Associate's degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience
• 4+ years of experience leading and developing teams in an order management, operations, or customer service environment
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in order processing or customer service operations
• Demonstrated ability to manage staffing, scheduling, and workload planning in a high-volume, deadline-driven setting
• Experience resolving complex billing, pricing, or compliance issues across multiple departments
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and working knowledge of SAP or a comparable ERP system
• Ability to work a hybrid schedule based out of our Carson, CA office

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations, or a related field
• Experience supporting seasonal volume spikes and managing temporary or contract staff
• Familiarity with PCI compliance standards or contract order management (e.g., state or government contracts)

What sets you apart:

• You see patterns in the noise — when errors cluster or disputes repeat, you're already asking why and building a fix before anyone asks you to.
• You keep teams grounded under pressure. When peak season hits and volume spikes, your calm and your plan are what the team leans on.
• You communicate across levels without friction — whether you're presenting KPIs to leadership or working through a tricky escalation with Sales, people leave the conversation clear on what happens next.

Additional Information

And here’s our end of the bargain!

At Lakeshore, we pay local market wages for employees that reside within Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

For this position, new employees joining Lakeshore who live within Los Angeles and Orange Counties are typically brought into the organization at a salary rate between $82,000-$86,000 depending on relevant experience & skillset.

This range is indicative of projected hiring range. The annual base compensation will take into account each candidate's relevant experience, location, and skillset.

• Bonus eligible
• Paid leave for new parents to support work/life balance and family bonding
• Excellent medical/dental and vision coverage—EPO, PPO and HSA
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution (because you will retire someday)
• Flexible benefits—choose what you like, ignore the rest
• On-site preschool for our employees’ children
• On-site employee gym for all levels/fitness needs
• Generous employee discount
• Casual dress…and we really mean it

At Lakeshore, we know our diversity makes us stronger, and when everyone feels included and valued, we all win. We strive to embrace our differences and create an intentionally diverse and inclusive community that is representative of the teachers, families and children we serve.

We know we couldn’t do the extraordinary things we’re doing without the people on our team. Thanks to the passion and enthusiasm of this spectacular group, Lakeshore is more than a great place to work—it’s a great experience to be part of. Day in and day out, we give everything we’ve got to create products that instill a sense of wonder and foster a true love of learning. To help maintain this high bar for success, we’re constantly on the lookout for people to join us. So if you’re a down-to-earth professional who shares our desire for making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.


To learn more about Lakeshore, visit



Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
People are selected to become members of the Lakeshore family based on skill, merit and mind-boggling talent—not based on race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, marital status, domestic partnership status, military status, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, alienage, AIDS or AIDS-related complex status, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, status as a victim of domestic violence, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If things aren’t equal, we all lose.

To learn about how we collect and use Applicant information, please visit our Employee/Applicant Privacy Policy.

Lakeshore is an E-Verify employer. We use E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

Please see the E-Verify Participation Poster and Know Your Rights Poster in English and Spanish for more information.