Project Support Specialist

Project Support Specialist

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you're empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work. This position will be located in: Rapid City, SD All Border States branch locations. Pay Range: $34.29 - $47.52 per hour *Individual compensation is determined based on several factors, including job-related skills and qualifications, education, relevant experience, work location, internal equity considerations, and the overall responsibilities of the position.

Job Summary

The Project Support Specialist provides foundational technical understanding and project coordination for complex customer projects. This role bridges the gap between Project Manager and Project Account Manager by taking on higher-value tasks such as technical review, documentation management, risk identification, and partial ownership of customer-facing deliverables. This is a developmental role designed to build technical proficiency, customer interaction experience, and project execution capability for advancement.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Reviews and validates bills of material (BOMs), drawings, and specifications for accuracy prior handoff.
• Conducts basic material takeoffs for assigned scopes and helps identify material gaps, alternates, and technical solutions.
• Assists in preparing quotations, coordinating vendor pricing, and documenting competitive alternatives.
• Prepares customer-facing documentation including project status updates, delivery schedules, and technical submittal packages.
• Participates in customer and vendor meetings; may lead small portions of the discussion related to documentation, schedules, or open items.
• Proactively identifies customer concerns, schedule issues, or material risks and escalates them appropriately.
• Manages detailed project documentation including schedules, order logs, meeting notes, submittal tracking, RFIs, and change coordination.
• Monitors project workflow for delays, discrepancies, or risks and recommends corrective action to PMs or Account Managers.
• Coordinates closely with Project Coordinators, purchasing, logistics, and vendors to ensure alignment on material needs and timelines.
• Assists with vendor quoting, order accuracy review, order entry, and material expediting when appropriate.
• Supports portions of project budget tracking or margin verification as directed by Project Managers or Account Managers (without independent ownership).
• Provides technical support to internal teams regarding product selection, specification alignment, and substitution options.
• Provides temporary project coverage during staff absences ensuring continuity of communication and documentation.
• Participates in process improvement initiatives.

Non-essential Functions:

• Assists with vendor negotiations for best pricing and delivery of products to customers and/or jobsites.
• Sets up customer meetings, maintains and uploads negotiated pricing into bidding software and provides invoices.
• Documents missed opportunities.
• Participates in some or all of the following: product application and support, estimating, procurement, material management, staging, kitting, storage, job site delivery, and project close out.
• Contacts vendors for pricing and assists with trade shows as needed.
• Attends training programs, as required.
• Writes orders in SAP and delivers material.

Qualifications

Minimum of a business or trade degree preferred or the equivalent in work experience. 2+ years of prior customer service, quotation, or sales experience. Strong knowledge of electrical products and utility systems, preferred. Comprehensive knowledge of product lines and applications, alternate product substitutes, and supplier pricing policies, preferred. Proficiency in quoting software, preferred. Requires the ability to read, write and speak in English. Prefer strong working knowledge of PC for Windows, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word and PowerPoint), internet, email, and SAP software. Skills and Abilities Strong technical ability to understand electrical systems and product applications with prior electrical distribution experience, preferred. Technical ability to read specifications and drawings is highly preferred. Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication, reading, and customer service skills. Ability to effectively plan and organize and work well on a team. Demonstrated initiative, attention to detail, and willingness to escalate risk appropriately. Possesses a customer service mindset: competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged.

Physical Requirements

Lift and carry requirements (weight and frequency): Occasionally 0 – 33% Frequently 34 – 66% Continuously: 67 – 100% Lift from Floor to Waist: < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally 76 to 100 lbs. - Occasionally 101 + lbs. - Occasionally Above Waist Lift: < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally 76 to 100 lbs. - Not at all 101+ lbs. - Not at all Unilateral Carry: < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all 76 to 100 lbs. - Not at all 101+ lbs. - Not at all Bilateral Carry: < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally 76 to 100 lbs. - Not at all 101+ lbs. - Not at all Physical Activity Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day: Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Not at all Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Continuously Bending/Stooping (downward and forward) - Not at all Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Not at all Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Occasionally Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Occasionally Crouching/Squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Occasionally Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Frequently Repetitive Motion (substantial movement (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Occasionally Trunk Rotation (movement in any direction, whether standing or sitting, with at least one foot stationary and in contact with the floor) - Not at all Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally Handling (applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Frequently Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working primarily with fingers and not whole hand) - Occasionally Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Continuously Driving (the control and operation of a fork lift) - Not at all Desk Work (tasks generally performed at a desk, including use of a computer, printer, fax machine, telephone and other office equipment) - Continuously Use of tools (safely operate equipment needed for receiving, conveying, stocking, packaging, and shipping parts) - Frequently Hearing (perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels) - Continuously Exposure (to adverse weather & temperature conditions) - Frequently Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Not at all