Key Account Coordinator Supervisor

Job Description

Job Description

About Primitives by Kathy

Primitives by Kathy is a leading wholesaler of creatively designed home décor, gift, and lifestyle products. We serve independent retailers, national key accounts, and retail partners across the country with a focus on creative design, ahead-of-the-market product innovation, strong customer relationships, and global sourcing.

Position Summary

The Key Account Coordinator Supervisor plays a critical role in supporting PBK's key account customers while providing day-to-day leadership to the Key Account Coordinator team. This position oversees customer and order management activities, helps ensure customer-specific requirements are consistently met, supports onboarding and training, and serves as a key liaison between the Key Accounts team and internal departments.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, customer-focused, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. This individual combines strong operational knowledge with effective leadership and communication skills to help the team deliver an exceptional customer experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development

• Represent PBK professionally, responsibly, and enthusiastically in interactions with customers, employees, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and first-level support to Key Account Coordinators.
• Serve as a liaison between the Key Account Coordinator team and internal departments, including Accounting, Compliance, Creative, EDI, Purchasing, Sales, Supply Chain, and Warehouse Operations.
• Develop and maintain training plans for new Key Account Coordinator employees.
• Provide hands-on training when appropriate and delegate training responsibilities to qualified team members as needed.
• Provide regular coaching, performance feedback, and support to the Key Account Coordinator team.
• Identify process gaps, training opportunities, and potential solutions that improve team effectiveness and customer service.
• Promote collaboration, accountability, and consistent execution across the team.

Customer & Account Management

• Develop a thorough understanding of assigned key accounts, including customer-specific processes, requirements, and expectations.
• Review, maintain, and ensure access to current vendor guides and customer requirements.
• Maintain clear account coverage instructions, including:
  • Key customer contacts
  • Order preparation requirements
  • Routing and shipping instructions
  • Invoicing requirements
• Provide product attributes, images, and other information requested by customers in accordance with customer guidelines.
• Coordinate sample shipments as requested by customers, Sales, or purchase order requirements.
• Review customer chargebacks and determine appropriate next steps.
• Process return authorizations for valid chargebacks and partner with the Compliance Coordinator on items requiring additional investigation or dispute.
• Monitor open orders, projects, and work in progress to ensure customer deadlines and commitments are met.
• Proactively communicate issues, risks, delays, and required actions to appropriate internal and external stakeholders.

Order Management

• Review incoming purchase orders for accuracy and completeness and confirm PBK's ability to fulfill customer requirements.
• Validate key purchase order details, including:
  • Ship windows and required dates
  • Items and quantities
  • Wholesale and retail pricing
  • Credit terms
  • Freight and shipping terms
• Acknowledge purchase orders through email, EDI, or other required customer processes.
• Enter or import purchase order requirements into CounterPoint.
• Enter factory sales confirmations into CounterPoint when applicable.
• Partner with Purchasing to place custom or customer-specific orders with factories as needed.
• Work closely with Purchasing and Supply Chain teams to provide factories with complete and accurate order requirements.
• Maintain proactive communication regarding production timing, customer requirements, and potential order risks.

New Customer Onboarding

• Support the Customer Order Fulfillment Manager in reviewing vendor guides and operational requirements for prospective new key accounts.
• Identify requirements that may require customer waivers, process changes, technology support, or internal review.
• Document significant customer requirements and considerations on the appropriate onboarding documentation.
• Partner with internal teams to support a smooth transition from account setup through initial order fulfillment.
• Help ensure Key Account Coordinators understand and are prepared to execute new customer requirements.

Key Account Order Fulfillment Oversight

Maintain a thorough understanding of all Key Account Coordinator responsibilities and provide guidance, backup support, and troubleshooting as needed throughout the order lifecycle.

Responsibilities include:

• Creating, ordering, and coordinating price tickets, carton labels, and other customer-required materials.
• Ensuring required materials are delivered to the appropriate factory or warehouse location based on customer requirements.
• Communicating and processing customer orders through the warehouse in a timely manner to support required ship dates.
• Completing or reviewing Key Order Cover Sheets, pick tickets, inventory locations, retail pricing information, and other required documentation.
• Submitting customer routing requests and scheduling freight pickups when required.
• Communicating transportation and shipping instructions to Warehouse Operations.
• Tracking container schedules and shipment progress for Direct Import (DI) and Point of Entry (POE) orders.
• Preparing and transmitting Advance Ship Notices (ASNs) when required.
• Communicating potential delays to Sales and customers and obtaining extensions or revised delivery expectations when necessary.
• Monitoring orders across all fulfillment methods, including FOB Lancaster, POE, and Direct Import.
• Ensuring invoices are completed accurately and according to customer requirements, including:
  • Direct Import: When merchandise is transferred to the customer's freight forwarder at the origin port.
  • Point of Entry: When merchandise is released at the destination port.
  • Lancaster: When merchandise ships from the PBK warehouse.
• Providing backup support for Key Account Coordinator responsibilities when business needs require.

Compliance

• Research and maintain knowledge of HTS codes and product classifications.
• Collaborate with the Supply Chain and Logistics Department on new and existing import regulations and required documentation.
• Maintain knowledge of product testing procedures, including the review of Testing Request Forms (TRFs) and Test Reports for accuracy and compliance.
• Assist Product Development with identifying and communicating item requirements related to product safety, labeling, and packaging compliance.
• Stay informed of applicable regulatory requirements and communicate compliance updates that may impact product development, sourcing, importing, or packaging.

Additional Responsibilities

• Participate in departmental initiatives, process improvement efforts, and cross-functional projects as assigned.
• Maintain accurate and organized customer and order documentation.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership, coaching, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated professionalism and commitment to delivering excellent customer service.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly, logically, and effectively with customers, team members, and cross-functional partners.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and prioritization skills.
• Ability to manage multiple accounts, deadlines, and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of accuracy, thoroughness, and attention to detail.
• Strong problem-solving skills and resourcefulness in identifying appropriate next steps and solutions.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining a team-first mindset.
• Ability to understand the broader sales, fulfillment, and supply chain process and recognize the impact individual decisions have on the customer and organization.
• Ability to anticipate potential issues and take appropriate action before they affect customer commitments.
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to build productive working relationships across departments.
• Interest in PBK products, merchandising, and the creative aspects of product development is preferred.

Computer & Systems Proficiency

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, and Excel, or similar business applications.
• Ability to learn and effectively use order management, ERP, EDI, customer portal, and related business systems.
• Experience with CounterPoint and/or EDI systems is preferred.

Education & Experience