Supervisor, Branch Operations - Bilingual

Job Description

Position Summary

The Supervisor, Branch Operations is accountable for the disciplined execution of customer service, branch administration, and operational processes at the branch level. This role serves as the operational control point for branch activities, ensuring consistent application of national standards, effective coordination between Customer Service, Sales, and Warehouse teams, and delivery of a high-quality customer experience.

The Supervisor, Branch Operations is responsible for operational planning, customer communication standards, inventory administration oversight, purchase order approvals, invoicing controls, cash handling oversight, CRM documentation, and issue resolution. The role provides leadership to Customer Service Representatives while ensuring customer commitments align with operational capacity and approved business processes.

This position does not own sales revenue or pricing strategy but plays a critical role in protecting service levels, operational efficiency, margin, compliance, and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Service Leadership & Communication

• Lead, coach, develop, and support Customer Service Representatives.
• Establish and maintain customer communication standards to ensure consistent messaging and service delivery.
• Ensure appropriate service coverage and adherence to company policies, procedures, and documentation standards.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for customer service concerns and operational issues.
• Support resolution of customer concerns while balancing customer expectations with operational realities.

Operational Planning & Control

• Own weekly shipping and fulfillment planning activities.
• Validate customer wanted-on dates against established lead times and warehouse capacity.
• Prioritize orders based on approved planning criteria and operational requirements.
• Approve or deny requests that impact order sequencing, capacity, or fulfillment plans within established authority levels.
• Coordinate with Warehouse leadership to ensure alignment between customer commitments and operational execution.
• Escalate sustained capacity constraints, service risks, or operational conflicts to Regional Sales Operations leadership as required.
• Support freight optimization initiatives, including zone-based shipping strategies where appropriate.

Decision Ownership & Escalation Management

• Approve or deny operational exceptions within defined authority limits.
• Ensure all exceptions are properly documented, time-bound, and escalated when required.
• Serve as the escalation point for customer urgency requests, service disruptions, and operational conflicts.
• Maintain compliance with established authority and escalation frameworks.
• Escalate high-risk, precedent-setting, or non-standard requests to appropriate leadership.

Purchase Order Approval & Purchasing Oversight

• Approve purchase orders exceeding Customer Service Representative authority levels.
• Ensure customer approvals, signed confirmations, and deposits are obtained before purchase order issuance where required.
• Ensure local purchasing activities comply with approved supplier lists, pricing structures, authorization limits, and company policies.
• Maintain documentation and audit compliance for all purchasing activities.
• Prevent unauthorized purchase commitments or issuance of purchase orders without proper approvals.

Inventory Administration & Operational Controls

• Oversee branch inventory administration in partnership with Warehouse leadership.
• Support inventory accuracy and compliance with company procedures.
• Monitor inventory-related exceptions and coordinate corrective actions when required.
• Ensure inventory transactions are accurately documented and reconciled.

Shipment Confirmation, Invoicing & Documentation

• Own shipment confirmation and invoicing processes within the ERP system.
• Ensure shipment confirmations, invoicing, and Advance Shipping Notice (ASN) creation are completed promptly following physical shipment.
• Validate shipment quantities, dates, and documented exceptions before invoice release.
• Maintain accurate records supporting customer orders and fulfillment activities.

Cash Handling & Financial Administration

• Maintain oversight of daily cash handling activities and bank deposits.
• Ensure deposits are completed accurately, documented appropriately, and submitted in accordance with company policy.
• Verify deposits related to customer orders prior to order release or purchase order issuance where applicable.
• Support branch compliance with financial control procedures.

CRM Documentation & Compliance

• Ensure CRM remains the system of record for customer communication, approvals, exceptions, and operational decisions.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of customer interactions and branch decisions.
• Ensure all customer-facing decisions, approvals, and exceptions are recorded within the same business day.
• Document exception rationale, customer acknowledgments, actions taken, and outcomes.
• Monitor recurring exceptions and support reporting efforts to identify trends and improvement opportunities.

Service Recovery & Issue Resolution

• Approve service recovery actions related to internal service failures.
• Coordinate corrective actions with Customer Service and Warehouse teams as required.
• Ensure service recovery activities are properly documented.
• Lead resolution and closure of customer service issues.
• Participate in root cause analysis and corrective action planning for recurring operational issues.

Safety, Training & Continuous Improvement

• Complete required safety training and maintain First Aid/CPR certification where required.
• Participate in monthly safety meetings and support branch safety initiatives.
• Reinforce compliance with company safety standards and procedures.
• Identify recurring operational challenges and participate in continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support implementation of process improvements that enhance service, efficiency, and compliance.
• Ensure branch operations remain aligned with national standards and approved operating procedures.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Customer service responsiveness and satisfaction
• Escalation quality and timeliness
• Operational planning effectiveness
• Policy, procedure, and authority compliance
• Inventory administration accuracy
• Invoice and shipment documentation accuracy
• CRM documentation compliance
• Cash handling and financial control compliance
• Issue resolution effectiveness
• Safety compliance and training completion

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in branch operations, customer service leadership, distribution, or related operational management roles.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing employees in a customer-focused environment.
• Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to make sound operational decisions within defined authority levels.
• Experience working with ERP and CRM systems.
• Strong communication and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Working knowledge of inventory, purchasing, invoicing, and branch administrative processes.
• Full proficiency in both French and English

Core Competencies

• Leadership and Team Development
• Operational Planning and Execution
• Customer Service Excellence
• Decision Making and Accountability
• Process Discipline and Compliance
• Communication and Collaboration
• Continuous Improvement
• Financial and Administrative Controls
• Problem Solving and Issue Resolution

This is a fully on-site position based out of our Ottawa Branch location:

Mitten Building Products, 1000 Last Mile Dr, Unit 4, Ottawa, ON K1G 6Y1, Canada

Additional Information

Salary: Base: $70,000 - 80,0000 plus SIP. Placement within the range will be determined based on the candidate's experience, skills, and qualifications relative to the requirements of the role. Candidates who meet the core requirements can generally expect to be placed closer to the midpoint of the range, while those with significant relevant experience may be considered toward the higher end of the range.

This is a newly created position.

Mitten is committed to an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace. We will accommodate applicants’ needs, upon request, throughout all stages of the recruitment process. Please inform us of the accommodation(s) that you may require. Information received relating to accommodation will be addressed confidentially.