We are looking for an Operations Specialist to join our team in Northbrook, Illinois in a contract capacity with the potential to become permanent. This position supports the full order-to-delivery cycle and plays an important role in keeping inventory, shipping activity, and customer commitments on track. The ideal candidate brings a practical, detail-oriented approach to coordinating orders, transportation, warehouse activity, and related administrative processes in a fast-paced environment.
Responsibilities:
- Manage customer orders from receipt through final delivery and invoicing, ensuring accurate entry, timely release to warehouse partners, and consistent follow-up on open items.
- Coordinate shipment activity for both inbound and outbound freight by working with carriers, brokers, suppliers, and warehouse providers to secure efficient and cost-effective transportation.
- Oversee daily fulfillment for e-commerce and distributor channels, confirm shipping schedules, and address issues such as backorders, quantity variances, substitutions, and pricing exceptions.
- Maintain inventory accuracy across multiple storage locations by reconciling system records, monitoring stock movement, and supporting count activities and inventory adjustments.
- Prepare and review operational documents such as bills of lading, packing details, labels, and shipment notifications to support smooth delivery execution.
- Partner with suppliers, co-manufacturers, customs-related contacts, and logistics providers to track inbound materials and imported shipments and help prevent delays.
- Respond to customer and partner inquiries related to order status, delivery timing, product details, returns, credits, and deductions while helping maintain current account documentation.
- Support purchasing and administrative workflows by preparing purchase orders for review, assisting with item setup and discontinuations, and generating routine operational reports.
- Provide accounting-related support through entry and verification of receivables, payables, freight charges, and warehouse invoices, ensuring shipment records align with billing documents.
- At least 3 years of experience in operations, order management, logistics, inventory coordination, or customer support within a distribution, manufacturing, or consumer products environment.
- Hands-on experience using QuickBooks in a business setting.
- Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including the ability to work with sorting, filtering, lookups, and basic formulas, along with proficiency in Outlook and Word.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities with a high level of accuracy and follow-through in a deadline-driven setting.
- Working knowledge of shipping, inventory, and fulfillment processes across warehouse and transportation operations.
- Strong communication and problem-solving skills with the ability to work effectively with customers, vendors, carriers, and internal teams.
- Experience supporting distributor, wholesale, direct-to-consumer, or e-commerce order flows is preferred.
- Background in foodservice, grocery, or consumer packaged goods environments is a plus.