Customer Service & Sales Support Associate (Manufacturing)

Job Description

Job Description

At Schaefer Plastics, we manufacture industry-leading solutions and drive responsible practices towards a sustainable future for generations to come. As a family-owned company since 1937, we are deeply committed to delivering exceptional customer care through high-quality, innovative waste and packaging solutions. Our customers and their satisfaction are paramount to our business; we strive to understand their needs and exceed their expectations at every turn. We are a global injection molding manufacturer, producing durable waste and recycling carts, and pioneering reusable packaging systems that reduce carbon footprints. Our dynamic and inclusive culture fosters personal and professional growth, making us an ideal employer for career advancement.

About Schaefer Plastics

Schaefer Plastics provides innovative packaging and waste technology solutions to businesses throughout North America. We design and manufacture bulk and handheld plastic containers, custom dunnage packaging, and durable waste and recycling carts. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, we are part of the SSI SCHAEFER Group, a global, family-owned company with operations in more than 50 countries.

The Opportunity - Own the customer experience from quote to delivery.

This is more than a traditional customer service role. You will manage a portfolio of customer accounts and serve as the central point of coordination between customers, sales, manufacturing, marketing, shipping, and finance. You will own each order from request for quote (RFQ) through production and on-time delivery, keeping details accurate, priorities moving, and customers informed.

The right person enjoys a busy manufacturing environment, builds strong customer relationships, and balances urgency with accuracy. You will support key and national accounts while also being prepared to independently manage assigned customers or territories as business needs evolve.

What You’ll Own

• Manage day-to-day relationships and activities for assigned customer accounts, serving as a responsive, dependable point of contact.
• Own the full order cycle—from RFQ and pricing coordination through order entry, production, shipment, invoicing, and delivery follow-up.
• Gather complete customer specifications and process quotes, sales orders, and manufacturing work orders quickly and accurately.
• Track open orders, production timelines, inventory needs, and customer deadlines; identify risks early and drive cross-department follow-up.
• Partner closely with Sales, Manufacturing, Marketing, Shipping, and Finance to resolve issues and keep customer commitments on track.
• Coordinate customized artwork, product requirements, approvals, and other order details before release to production.
• Provide proactive updates on order status, changes, delays, and delivery expectations to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Resolve customer concerns with urgency and professionalism, including warranty claims, credits, returns, invoice questions, and past-due receivables.
• Maintain accurate account records, order documentation, customer portals, spreadsheets, and system data in accordance with established processes.
• Serve as backup support for key and national accounts and assist with additional territories or accounts during periods of high volume.

What Will Help You Succeed

• Three or more years of customer service, account management, order management, or inside sales support experience; manufacturing experience is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing multiple customer accounts, orders, deadlines, and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to work directly with customers and cross-functional teams.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a consistent commitment to accuracy and follow-through.
• Sound judgment and a proactive approach to identifying problems, communicating risks, and driving resolution.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel; experience with Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, or a comparable ERP/CRM system is preferred.
• Experience with customer portals, invoicing, RFQs, order entry, warranty claims, credits, or returns is helpful.
• A collaborative, flexible mindset and willingness to support occasional overtime when customer or production needs require it.

What This Role Is—and Is Not

This position is ideal for someone who wants meaningful ownership of customer accounts and enjoys being at the center of a complex operation. It is not a call-center position or a role focused only on answering inquiries. Success requires active account management, detailed order execution, frequent cross-functional coordination, and consistent customer communication.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, on-site position in Charlotte, Monday through Friday. The work is primarily performed in a professional office setting within a busy manufacturing operation. Occasional visits to production or shipping areas and occasional overtime may be required based on business needs.

Join Our Team

If you are energized by customer relationships, detailed order management, and the challenge of keeping multiple priorities moving, we would like to hear from you.

Applicant Data & Privacy Notice: Schaefer Plastics North America, LLC collects and uses the personal information you provide during the application and recruiting process to evaluate your qualifications, communicate with you, schedule interviews, make hiring decisions, and, if selected, complete offer and onboarding activities. Applicant information may include your resume, contact information, work history, education, skills, interview notes, references, and other information you choose to provide or that is needed for the position. Please do not submit sensitive personal information irrelevant to the role, such as Social Security numbers, banking information, medical information, copies of identification, or other unnecessary personal documents, unless specifically requested at the appropriate stage of the hiring process. Your information will only be shared with individuals who have a legitimate need to know for recruiting and hiring purposes, such as Human Resources, recruiters, hiring managers, interview participants, and approved service providers or systems used in the recruiting process. Applicant information will not be forwarded to other departments, locations, or legal entities, or considered for unrelated future openings unless permitted by law or you have provided the required consent. Applicant records will be retained only as long as necessary for recruiting, legal, compliance, and recordkeeping purposes, and then deleted or destroyed in accordance with applicable retention requirements. If we would like to keep your information on file for future opportunities, we will request your consent where required.

Questions about how applicant data is handled may be directed to Human Resources or to the appropriate SSI SCHAEFER data protection contact.