Business Support Specialist

Business Support Specialist

Schaumburg, IL

At C.A. Carlin, we take brands to new heights. We are one of the leading privately held sales agencies in the industry. Thanks to nimble growth and associations with our operating partners, C.A. Fortune and C.A. Ferolie, we have built brand value that is unlike any other in the CPG industry.

Since our start in 1962, we have built industry relationships on the foundation of trust and action. We turn information into insight. We convert insight into programs. We drive programs that consistently deliver results to our clients, on their timeline.

We have more than 300 associates and multiple offices throughout the country. We represent top brands in many categories such as confection, snack, grocery, beverage, frozen, dairy etc.

The Business Support Specialist plays a critical role in enabling revenue growth by supporting client execution, sales operations, and internal coordination. This role focuses on operational excellence, accuracy, and proactive support to ensure the Business Development Manager and broader sales team can perform at a high level to serve our customers and clients.

Primary Responsibilities

Sales & Client Support

• Support assigned accounts by executing day-to-day sales and operational activities.
• Assist with preparation of account materials, presentations, and follow-ups for client and buyer meetings.
• Serve as a secondary point of contact for routine client inquiries, ensuring timely responses and issue resolution.

Order Management & Execution

• Process orders, promotions, and new item setups accurately and on time.
• Coordinate promotional execution, pricing updates, and item changes across internal systems.
• Track and resolve order discrepancies, deductions, and fulfillment issues in partnership with internal teams.

Data Management & Reporting

• Maintain accurate sales, pricing, and promotional data across systems and reporting tools.
• Compile recurring reports on sales performance, distribution, and promotional activity.
• Identify data gaps or inconsistencies and proactively communicate issues to the sales team.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner with internal teams (sales, analytics, retail support, and finance) to ensure seamless execution of client initiatives.
• Ensure alignment between internal teams and external clients on execution details and deadlines.

Process Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Follow established workflows and best practices to support consistency and efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, reporting, and tools that enhance sales effectiveness.
• Contribute to documentation and standard operating procedures to support team scalability.

Skills

Sales Operations & Support: Experience supporting sales teams through order management, reporting, and execution in a retail or broker environment. Attention to Detail: Exceptional accuracy and follow-through with data, orders, and client deliverables. Organization & Time Management: Strong ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and requests simultaneously. Communication & Collaboration: Clear, professional communicator who works effectively across functions and with key stakeholders. Data & Systems Proficiency: Comfortable working with sales data, spreadsheets, reporting tools, and retail systems. Problem Solving: Proactive approach to identifying issues, troubleshooting execution challenges, and escalating when needed. Retail & Industry Knowledge: Understanding of retail environments, promotions, item setup, and sales cycles. Team Orientation: Collaborative mindset with a strong service orientation toward internal and external stakeholders. Adaptability & Reliability: Thrives in a fast-paced environment, adjusts to shifting priorities, and consistently delivers dependable support.

What You Should Bring to the Table

• Bachelor's Degree or higher required
• 0-3 years of professional consumer-packaged goods experience
• Understanding of the food and beverage distribution network and retail landscape
• Extremely organized and detail-oriented; enjoys working tasks to completion
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong, effective relationships with clients, customers, & colleagues
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point), and Adobe Acrobat

Perks

• PTO and Sick Days
• 11 paid company holidays per year
• 1 Floating Holiday
• 2 paid volunteer days per year
• 3 months fully paid parental leave (regardless of gender)
• Medical, dental, and vision
• Paid company life insurance
• 401k with company match
• Summer hours (half day Fridays from Memorial Day thru Labor Day)
• Work from home flexibility

Come As You Are

C.A. is committed to making our company more inclusive. Diversity fuels our innovation and better connects us to our clients, our colleagues, and our communities. Based on research, we know that women and other marginalized groups tend to apply to roles only when their experience perfectly matches the job description. That said, we encourage you to apply if you meet the majority of qualifications, especially if this role aligns with your career trajectory.