Customer Service Representative - Defense

Summary

Provides exceptional support for clients and stakeholders in defense programs. This role ensures all customer interactions and processes comply with the specific requirements and regulations governing defense contracts, including federal standards and security protocols. Responsibilities include: ensuring customer orders received are correct and contain required information, communicating with customers by phone and email, entering orders into the ERP system, confirming account and product setup, and updating customers on order status or delays. This position serves as a bridge between Hyperion sales representatives, and operations teams responsible for planning, fulfilling orders, shipping, and logistics. The CSR serves as a key point of contact for inquiries, issue resolution, and process guidance, upholding the integrity and confidentiality required in the defense sector.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Receives customer orders from the customer directly, or from a Defense sales team member. 
• Confirms that customer purchase orders conform to Hyperion and defense requirements. Verifies their accuracy against the customer pricing and/or quotation.
• Enters orders in ERP in an accurate and timely manner to ensure the customer order is executed.
• Maintains comprehensive knowledge of contract terms, conditions, and compliance requirements, ensuring accurate and compliant communication with customers.
• Verifies customers who place orders are properly set up in M3 as a customer. Coordinates with stakeholders to ensure new customer setup is completed.
• Verifies product setup for new and existing product purchases.  If products are not set up, coordinates with the plant to ensure that products are properly set up for execution.
• Verifies customer pricing is set up for the products that are on the purchase order, and coordinates set up with the business. 
• Assesses which is the appropriate order flow and manages the order entry process to ensure accurate transactions across business entities.
• Delivers order confirmation to the customers.
• Coordinates with internal teams (e.g., compliance, legal, operations) to resolve customer issues and ensure adherence to defense contract protocols.  Engages with logistics, planning, and other operations functions to understand the status of customer order related issues to accelerate issue resolution.
• Responds promptly and professionally to customer inquiries related to defense contracts via phone, email, and other communication channels. Researches, strives to resolve, and elevates as appropriate. Communicates issue updates back to defense sales team or directly to the customer to ensure effective customer updates.
• Documents all customer interactions and maintain detailed records in accordance with federal and company data retention policies.
• Participates in order reviews with operations with the goal of ensuring that upcoming orders are on-track. 
• Monitors upcoming “orders due” to confirm with operations that they are on-track.
• Executes ERP updates related to customer delivery dates, following input from operations. 
• Resolves customer claims regarding credit and billing.
• Establishes, maintains, and updates physical customer files which may be audited for compliance with defense regulations. 
• Monitors contract performance and proactively identify potential compliance risks, escalating concerns as needed.
• Assists customers in navigating contract requirements, security clearances, and regulatory obligations specific to defense contracts.
• Supports audit and review processes by providing timely and accurate documentation as requested.
• Participates in ongoing compliance training and stay updated on changes to defense contract regulations and standards.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Work Experience

• High School Diploma, BS Degree in Communications, Operations, Business, Sales or Engineering preferred.
• Minimum 3 to 5 years of customer service experience, preferably in a government or defense contracting environment.

Technical Skills/Physical Requirements

• Strong understanding of defense contract compliance requirements 
• Knowledge of defense industry terminology and best practices.
• Experience entering data in ERPs 
• Proven ability to manage sensitive information and adhere to strict security protocols.
• Ability to interpret and explain complex contract requirements to customers.
• Self-starter, highly motivated with excellent business-wide communication skills.
• Ability to work self-directed and prioritize a wide range of projects or requests on an ogoing basis.
• Experience with audit preparation and compliance reporting.
• For positions located in Europe, must be fluent in German, French and English.
• For positions located in the US, must be fluent in English.
• Proficient computer skills.  Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to quickly acquire knowledge of technical products.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office: Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel
• High attention to detail required
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment