Vendor Operations Manager – Installation

With over 40 years of success, 3 Day Blinds has become the leading national retailer and manufacturer of quality custom made blinds, shades, draperies and shutters. We help transform our client's homes and workplaces by offering a wide variety of products that add beauty and comfort to every space. It takes a talented group of individuals to do what we do, and we do it together as One Team. We strive to create a culture of learning and opportunity, and most importantly, an environment where you can feel passionate and connected to your work every day.

The Installation Service Manager is responsible for the installation customer experience by leading contractor installation partners, ensuring jobs are managed effectively throughout the installation lifecycle. This role is a key member of the Installation Services team and is a management position that requires a unique skillset that combines experienced vendor management with service operations and customer service. The Installation Service Manager is the key liaison between the district sales teams and contractor installation partners, and brings these teams together to achieve operational goals and customer experience objectives.

The Installation Service Manager is fully responsible for contractors within the assigned territory and manages through effective communications, performance management, reporting/data analysis and regular partnership reviews. Ensures contractors are providing excellent service as measured by key performance indicators, surveys, and other feedback as governed and outlined in the Service Level Agreement (SLA). The Installation Service Manager is well-versed in service operations and partners with contractors to identify improvements needed, conducts quality control checks and audits to ensure high quality work is being performed, and facilitates regular reviews between the sales and installation teams to improve customer satisfaction through shared learning and process improvements. The Installation Service Manager is highly responsive to sales and customer communications, finds solutions, acts as an escalation point as needed, and addresses contractor and customer issues in a timely manner.

This position reports to the Vice President, Installation Services.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU

Join our growing team with confidence!

• You'll receive competitive pay and benefits including medical, dental, vision, paid time off and a 401(k) plan with a degree of employer matching.
• We work hard, but we also celebrate success and find ways to have fun.

We are looking for ambitious and driven people to join the team. We operate in a high-performance, and collaborative culture. If this sounds like it could be you, read on!

HOW YOU'LL CONTRIBUTE

50% Vendor Management

• Manages contractor relationships through effective communications, performance management, reporting/data analysis and regular partnership reviews.
• Full responsibility for installation services in assigned territory including ensuring continuous coverage and support, metrics management, contract negotiation, communications, pricing negotiation, performance management, onboarding and decommissioning partners, billing approvals and disputes, etc.
• Ensure installation contractors are delivering an excellent customer experience.
• Responsible for meeting or exceeding performance targets such as First Time Right, on time measure and installation, customer satisfaction, installation revenue and profit margin.
• Ability to manage and influence behaviors and performance of teams that do not report to you (contractor teams) is of paramount importance.
• Utilize data, reports and related systems to analyze contractor metrics and identify trends and area of opportunity that require feedback, coaching, or corrective action. Hold contractors accountable for service level agreements (SLAs), contract terms, and 3 Day Blinds standards for customer experience are met or exceeded.
• Daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly reporting for visibility internally and to share with contractors for performance management. Regular meetings with contactors to review performance and develop action plans. Prepare and conduct monthly and quarterly business reviews with each contractor, reviewing big picture strategic items as well as detailed performance reporting.
• Partner with Sourcing Team to ensure a healthy pipeline of contractors is sourced, on boarded, and performing to 3 Day Blinds standards that meet or exceed 3 Day Blinds customer experience goals.

30% Service Operations

• Serve as a partner to each contractor in the assigned territory and act in a consultative role with them to identify resource needs, process gaps and improvements, operational opportunities, and anything to build the strength and depth of the contract installation partners.
• Establish a mutually beneficial relationship with each contract partner, and develop a deep familiarity with their daily operations.
• Provide demonstrations of systems, products, installation procedures to give advice and recommendations to contractors on how to overcome challenges and ensure jobs are installed right the first time.
• Conduct quality control checks and audit process to ensure high quality work is performed in customer homes. This will include, but is not limited to, measure audits, job site visits, completion data analysis, survey insights, and more. Provide regular feedback and coaching to contractors.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the sales and installation teams - ensure contractor partners are engaged and interacting with the sales team to improve the overall customer experience and maintain positive working relationships. In partnership with the Regional Sales Managers and/or District Sales Managers, ensure the install team is regularly reviewing opportunities to improve accuracy and product knowledge thus improving customer satisfaction through shared learning and process improvement.
• Ensure all jobs are flowing efficiently and meeting service level agreements, follow through on all issues and escalations, approve billing invoices and add-labor charges from contractors, and other tasks to ensure the daily operations run smooth.

20% Customer Experience

• Responsible for the installation customer experience and meeting or exceeding customer expectations.
• Drive a positive customer experience through rigorous adherence to installation process standards, while maintaining a pool of highly qualified contract installation partners.
• Make timely decisions and highly responsive to job movement through the install lifecycle, sales team and customer communications, addressing and closing issues in a timely manner, and supporting Customer Service as needed with issue resolution.

Other duties as assigned as the business evolves and priorities shift.

ATTRIBUTES FOR SUCCESS

• Customer-centric, empathetic and ability to advocate for the customer
• Positive attitude and growth mindset
• Strong negotiating skills
• Strong business acumen
• Problem solving and multi-tasking skills
• Collaborative leadership skills where strong value is placed on partnerships
• Technical aptitude with curiosity to learn more
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with good clarity and follow-up
• Ability to learn new procedures, and comfortable with new technology
• Strong time management and organizational skills - ability to prioritize work, multi-task and thrive in fast-paced environment
• Excellent computer skills - strong Excel and PowerPoint skills

REQUIRED

• Education Required: The knowledge, skills and abilities typically acquired through the completion of a bachelor's degree program or equivalent degree in a field of study related to the job
• Construction/home improvement industry experience - Prior experience managing residential home improvement install projects
• Contractor/vendor management experience - demonstrated ability to influence change through indirect reporting relationships
• Requires intermittent periods during which continuous physical exertion is required, such as walking, standing, stooping, climbing, using power tools, lifting material or equipment, some of which may be heavy or awkward
• Overnight travel required 30-50% of the time.
• Long periods sitting at a computer