Office Manager (Des Moines Metropolitan Area)

Our client is a small construction-supply company specializing in geotextiles, erosion-control products, geogrids, stormwater products, and related construction materials.

We are looking for a dependable, experienced individual to become a key member of the front-office team. This is not simply a receptionist position. The person hired for this role will be expected to learn construction products, customers, pricing, and the Sage 100 system. Over time, become one of the primary people in the company capable of assisting customers from their initial question through pricing and order entry.

Primary Responsibilities

You will be the first point of contact for many of our customers, whether they call, email, or walk into our office.

Responsibilities include:

• Answering incoming telephone calls and assisting or directing customers appropriately.
• Greeting customers, contractors, truck drivers, vendors, and other visitors.
• Learning our geotextile, erosion-control, geogrid, and construction-supply product lines.
• Learning product applications, sizes, packaging, availability, and pricing.
• Providing customers with product information and pricing.
• Preparing quotes and entering customer orders.
• Accurately entering and maintaining information in Sage 100.
• Working with sales, purchasing, warehouse, accounting, and management to make sure orders are handled correctly.
• Assisting with purchasing, inventory, sales orders, invoicing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and other Sage 100 functions as needed.
• Researching customer questions and following through until issues are resolved.
• Maintaining accurate customer, product, pricing, and order information.
• Handling general office and administrative responsibilities as required.

Qualifications

We would especially like to talk with applicants who have experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Construction
• Construction materials or supply
• Contractor sales
• Office Administration
• Building materials
• Distribution or wholesale
• Inside sales
• Purchasing
• Inventory management
• Accounting or bookkeeping
• Sage 100 or similar ERP/accounting software

Previous experience with geotextiles or erosion-control products is not required, although construction-industry or construction-supply experience would be a significant advantage.

We do expect the person hired to make a serious effort to learn the business.

Over time, the goal is for this person to become one of approximately three people in the company who can independently:

Understand what the customer needs → identify the appropriate product → answer basic product questions → determine pricing → quote the customer → enter the order into Sage 100.

The Work Environment

We work with contractors, construction crews, suppliers, truck drivers, engineers, and municipalities. Construction is deadline-driven, and problems occasionally need to be solved quickly. The environment is professional but informal. Communication in the construction industry can be direct and occasionally blunt. The successful candidate should be comfortable dealing with different personalities, remain level-headed when someone is frustrated, and not become rattled when schedules change or problems arise. At the same time, we expect our employees to treat customers and coworkers professionally and respectfully