Sr. Customer Service Representative

Sr. Customer Service Representative

The Minnesota Star Tribune is an innovative modern media organization building on an extraordinary 159-year legacy. With seven Pulitzer Prizes and numerous other accolades, we stand as a beacon of journalistic excellence in Minnesota. We are the heart and voice of the North. Our mission is to build a better Minnesota by connecting us with the people, ideas, and stories that strengthen our communities. We're seeking dynamic leaders who are passionate about journalism and democracy to help shape this future.

We are seeking a Sr. Customer Service Representative at our headquarters in Minneapolis MN. The individual in this role will be responsible for answering support team calls and handling online customer questions with care and precision. While phone support will be required, particularly on our busiest days of the week, this role will be digital-first, supporting customers with their complex digital and account questions, and resolving escalated customer questions and complaints.

Responsibilities:

• Provide direct customer support for escalated issues and ensure a high standard of service quality.
• Handle customer inquiries related to home delivery, digital products, website support, and subscription services with professionalism and efficiency
• Provide timely and effective solutions while maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction
• Escalate problems and issues appropriately and in a timely manner to other teams within the Minnesota Star Tribune.
• Meet or exceed individual and team goals for call volume, retention, and service quality
• Adhere to all communication standards, policies, and procedures during every customer interaction
• Collaborate with internal teams to improve processes, documentation, and communication for greater efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Demonstrate a commitment to delivering an exceptional customer experience in every task

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum of 2 years of previous customer service experience with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, demonstrated with empathy, active listening, and problem-solving abilities when interacting with customers.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and able to quickly learn new software applications.
• Experience with Zendesk preferred.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to multitask and maintain attention to detail.
• Friendly, collaborative, and team-oriented approach with a focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences.
• Must be available to work between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM Monday through Friday, and between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
• This position requires approximately 10% in-office attendance to attend quarterly in-person meetings.
• Must be currently legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status, 0-1, TM, CPT, OPT, etc.). We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Compensation Range:

The compensation range for this position is $23.00-26.00/hour. Compensation for the role will depend on several factors, including a candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies and experience and may fall outside of the range shown. The Minnesota Star Tribune offers a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 401(K) match, healthcare coverage – medical, dental, and vision, life, disability, paid time off, and a broad range of other benefits.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that are required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is often required to remain in a stationary position (i.e. standing, sitting, or both) approximately 90%; move short distances approximately 5%; position self to pick up objects (i.e., bending, twisting, stooping) weighing up to 5 lbs. around the officing and moving (i.e. lift, carry, push, pull) items weighing up to 5 lbs. approximately 5%.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will work in a typical office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, keyboards, mouse, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The office environment will have normal lighting and climate control tolerances. Work from home office environment may differ from the physical offices in Minneapolis, MN.

More about The Minnesota Star Tribune:

At The Minnesota Star Tribune, we recognize that our employees are our greatest asset, and we are committed to their happiness, growth, and well-being. Here's a snapshot of the exceptional benefits we offer:

• Modern Downtown Office: Enjoy a state-of-the-art workspace with a free fitness center, collaborative center, golf simulator, and a rooftop patio.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Includes commuting subsidy, medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Wellness & Work-Life Balance: Participate in our wellness program with financial incentives, generous paid time off, flexible holidays, one volunteer day, and two wellness days.
• Financial & Family Support: Benefit from a 401(k) with company match, paid parental and caregiving leave, hybrid work arrangements, and tuition reimbursement.
• Additional Perks: Access to an employee assistance program, pet insurance, flexible spending accounts, and health savings accounts.
• 2025 award winner of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in Media and News and proud recipient of Newsweek's Greatest Midsize Workplaces 2025 recognition.

Equal Opportunity Employer Even if you don't meet every single requirement for this role, we encourage you to apply. At The Minnesota Star Tribune, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.