Director, Customer Support/Success

ABOUT THE COMPANY At RS, we are redefining how the world builds reliable energy infrastructure. We design and manufacture advanced composite utility poles that are lighter, stronger, and longer-lasting than traditional materials such as wood, steel, and concrete. Our poles are engineered for superior performance in the most demanding environments, providing utilities with a durable, low-maintenance, and sustainable solution for a more resilient grid. With operations in North America and customers across 30+ countries, RS is a leader in grid resilience, driven by our values of Safety, Respect, Resilience, and Teamwork.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking a Director, Customer Support/Success, to lead the people, processes, and systems that support our customers from quotation through order fulfillment and delivery. Internally, this role will be titled Director of Customer Experience & Commercial Operations, reflecting the broad leadership of responsibility across customer experience, commercial operations, and cross-functional execution.

In this role, you will ensure accurate, responsive, and consistent execution across quotations, sales orders, customer requirements, commercial documentation, and customer communications, while maintaining an unwavering focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience.

As a key member of the Commercial leadership team, you will partner closely with Sales, Operations, Finance, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, and Logistics to strengthen the connection between customer commitments and internal execution. Success will require a highly collaborative approach, strong business acumen, and the ability to influence functions while building scalable processes that support both growth and operational excellence.

This position offers a unique opportunity to help shape the future of the organization. As a company in growth mode, we continuously evaluate how we operate, organize, and scale. You will have the opportunity to influence organizational design, drive meaningful change, expand team capabilities, and help define the future structure and strategy of Customer Experience & Commercial Operations as the business continues to evolve.

Most importantly, we are seeking a humble, servant-minded leader who leads through influence, empowers others, and fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning. This is not simply a process of leadership role. You will be expected to actively coach, mentor, and develop talent, elevating both individual performance and team capability. Through strong leadership, sound judgment, and a customer-first mindset, you will help build a world-class customer experience organization that drives customer loyalty, operational excellence, and sustainable growth.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Lead the Customer Support Function

• Establish clear priorities, service standards, and performance expectations to support business growth.
• Lead, develop, and mentor Customer Support Managers and Representatives while fostering a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and customer focus.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex customer, order, quotation, and service-related issues.

Lead, Train, and Develop the Team

• Establish regular 1:1 coaching, skills assessments, and individual development plans; identify and close capability gaps across a team that has not had formal training investment.
• Own performance management and accountability standards, including addressing entrenched habits or informal workarounds that predate current process expectations.
• Build a succession and cross-training plan so no single CSR is a single point of failure for key accounts.

Lead the Quotation Process

• Oversee pricing validation, approvals, commercial terms, and customer-specific requirements.
• Own the quotation process, ensuring RFQs, bids, quotations, and supporting documentation are accurate, complete, and compliant.
• Partner with Sales and cross-functional teams to ensure timely quote delivery and effective opportunity management.

Lead Sales Order Execution

• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance, Quality, and Logistics to ensure seamless order fulfillment and execution of customer commitments.
• Oversee sales order management from entry through delivery, ensuring customer requirements, pricing, specifications, and delivery expectations are accurately captured, proactively monitored, and successfully executed.
• Govern on-hold, aging, and undefined-scope orders through structured review and escalation processes, driving timely resolution, accountability, and alignment across commercial and operational teams.

Strengthen Customer Experience

• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, distributors, suppliers, and other external partners while establishing high standards for responsiveness, communication, accuracy, issue resolution, and overall customer satisfaction.
• Lead customer escalations, drive root-cause resolution, and implement continuous improvements that enhance customer experience and operational effectiveness.
• Institutionalize the RS Enablement Playbook as the team's operating standard, ensuring adherence to defined-scope gating, RACI ownership, and standardized customer communications, while continuously refining CSR templates and scripts to promote consistency and professionalism.

Drive Commercial Process Excellence

• Establish KPIs, dashboards, and reporting to measure performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, scalability, accuracy, and customer responsiveness.
• Standardize processes, eliminate bottlenecks, and ensure adherence to commercial controls and delegation authorities.

Own Systems, Data and Reporting

• Deliver meaningful reports, metrics, and insights to support decision-making and executive visibility.
• Ensure commercial data, pricing, quotations, and customer information are accurate, current, and effectively maintained.
• Oversee customer support activities across ERP, CRM, customer portals, and related systems.

Coordinate Logistics and Customer Requirements

• Maintain key customer registrations, profiles, and commercial information across applicable systems.
• Partner with internal teams and external stakeholders to support delivery requirements and resolve logistics-related challenges.
• Support shipping, documentation, customs, and customer portal requirements to ensure smooth order execution.

Maintain Governance, Quality and Documentation

• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, commercial controls, and documentation requirements.
• Partner with Quality and cross-functional teams to address customer-impacting issues and implement corrective actions.
• Support audits, record retention, continuous improvement efforts, and other responsibilities assigned by leadership.

WHAT YOU BRING

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in customer support, customer service, sales operations, commercial operations, order management, or related functions within a manufacturing environment.
• 7+ years of experience leading, developing, and scaling Customer Service, Customer Support, Customer Experience, CSR, or Commercial Operations teams.
• Bachelor's or master's degree in business, supply chain, operations management, engineering, or a related field required, MBA preferred.
• History of leading organizational change, modernizing legacy processes, and transforming established teams while successfully navigating resistance to change.
• Track record of fostering employee engagement, strengthening team performance, and developing future leaders, particularly within organizations with long-tenured teams and established processes.
• Commercial acumen and sound business judgment, including experience with pricing strategies, quotations, customer requirements, contract compliance, and approval workflows.
• Experience leading process improvement initiatives utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or other continuous improvement methodologies. Lean Six Sigma certification preferred.
• Deep understanding of how Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, Quality, and Logistics collaborate to deliver exceptional customer outcomes.
• Experience leading Customer Service Representative (CSR) organizations within a manufacturing company, including oversight of quotations, order management, fulfillment coordination, commercial documentation, and customer communications.
• Expertise developing and managing KPIs, dashboards, service-level metrics, and operational reporting to drive accountability and continuous improvement.
• Experience building high-performing teams through structured onboarding, training, coaching, succession planning, and talent development programs.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization.
• ERP and CRM systems; manufacturing ERP experience strongly preferred.
• Ability to assess organizational effectiveness, redesign workflows, improve scalability, and support business growth in a dynamic environment.
• Outstanding organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Experience leading customer support, customer experience, quotation management, order management, or commercial operations functions within a manufacturing environment.

Leadership Competencies

• Continuous improvement mindset with a bias for action and results.
• Customer-focused leader with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Data-driven decisionmaker who uses insights to improve processes, performance, and customer outcomes.
• Proven ability to lead teams, influence cross-functional partners, and drive alignment across the organization.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to communicate effectively at all organizational levels.
• Change leaders who can modernize legacy practices while bringing a team along, balancing respect for institutional knowledge with the discipline to raise the bar.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Ability to manage competing priorities, customer escalations, and time-sensitive business requirements.
• Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced Commercial and manufacturing environment.
• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods throughout the workday.
• Frequent use of computers and other standard office equipment for extended periods.
• Occasional travel may be required based on business and customer needs.
• This position is full-time and on-site at RS's Humble, Texas location.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
• Employer paid life and short-term disability insurance
• Generous paid time off and Employee Assistance Program
• Optional additional coverage including life and long-term disability
• Opportunities for growth and leadership impact within a global, forward-thinking company
• Retirement savings plans with company contributions, 5%-401(k) matching program

WHY JOIN US? As Director, Customer Support/Success (internally titled Director of Customer Experience & Commercial Operations), you will have the opportunity to shape a function that sits at the heart of the customer experience and plays a critical role in the company's continued growth.

You will lead the evolution of our Customer Experience & Commercial Operations organization, strengthening the connection between customer commitments and operational execution while building the people, processes, and capabilities needed to scale the business. As a key member of the Commercial leadership team, you will influence cross-functional strategies, drive meaningful change, and help define how the organization grows and evolves in the years ahead.

If you are a humble, servant-minded leader who is energized by developing people, improving processes, and creating exceptional customer experiences, this role offers a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on both our customers and our organization.

EEO/AA Employer M/F/D/V