Client Services Representative/Lab Associate, Transport (Hybrid role)

The Job Title:  Client Services Representative/Lab Associate, Transport

The Company: GIA is the world’s foremost authority in gemology. GIA is a global organization with headquarters located in Carlsbad, CA. GIA in Carlsbad boasts a 17-acre ocean view campus that accommodates approximately 600 of its 3,000 total employees worldwide. It offers many competitive health and commuter benefits that promote the well-being of its employees as well as that of the environment. Click here to learn more about GIA! 

The Location: This position is located in the heart of the diamond district in mid-town Manhattan, New York. This is on onsite role, 5 days a week, Monday - Friday, from 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. EST.

The Culture: We foster an environment of autonomy, performance, and passion. Our team members collaborate extensively across various departments, providing high-quality service to internal staff, stakeholders, and the organization as a whole. We value initiative, cross-functional cooperation, and a commitment to excellence in all our endeavors. 

What to expect: 

• We offer competitive medical, dental, vision and matching 401-K plans (no vesting required) 

• Paid vacation, sick and holidays, tuition assistance, commuter benefits 

Job Summary:  

Manage client accounts; be responsible for overall workflow to complete services for assigned clients. Provide consultations, as needed, to address clients' gemological inquiries that are routine but less technical in nature.

Key Responsibilities:

In addition to the responsibilities of L2 Client Services Representative Assistant:

• Influence production and shipping schedules when there are delays/issues

• Resolve routine problems (e.g. delays, mistakes) by troubleshooting, determining root cause and identifying the most appropriate response (coordinates with others to expedite solutions as needed)

• Coordinate with other departments to resolve issues to ensure client satisfaction

• Handle intake window as needed

• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor or as per business needs

Complexity:

• Follow defined procedures/guidelines to perform job (Searchlight); complete tasks through application of detailed procedural knowledge of many different varied processes and methods

• Use judgement to select appropriate action from defined procedures using common sense and prior experience of handling similar situations; seek help from GSRs for troubleshooting complex technical questions

• Ability to suggest solutions for specific situations with guidance from management (e.g. account credits)
  GIA reputation is impacted if clients receive inaccurate information/services

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

• Sound knowledge and application of MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

• Sound knowledge and application of GIA proprietary systems (Spectrum, Searchlight, etc.)

• Sound knowledge of key GIA people and their roles in production functions

• Proficiency in functional department Standard Operating Procedures

• Proficiency in Lab production workflows

• Thorough understanding of GIA policies and procedures

• Ability to apply specialized knowledge of the diamond grading and/or gemology function

• Solid problem-solving abilities: identify problems and fix or escalate as required; fact finding to determine the best approach to solve the problems; learn to apply basic analytical thinking to clarify issues

• Communication skills: Strong communication skills to answer clients clearly; ability to write routine reports and correspondence

• Client-service skills: Solid skills to retain clients by handling client queries and complaints in a helpful and professional manner

• Interpersonal skills: Create positive interactions with clients; client orientation and ability to adapt/respond to different types of situations and characters

• Patience: Always maintain a professional image; be polite and have good amount of stress tolerance, especially when interacting with difficult or irate clients

• Motivated/take initiative: Identify opportunities for improvements in processes or efficiencies and new approaches for existing processes and communicate these observations to management; cross-trained in other functions/areas

• Actively communicate with others in a timely & professional manner; maintain positive and collaborative working relationship with others and peers and reconcile difference of opinions with others and peers

Supervision / Autonomy / Authority:

Work under general supervision with few direct instructions on day-to-day tasks.

Education / Training / Experience Requirements:

• Typically require High School Diploma

• 2+ years of related experience within GIA or minimum 6 months experience as a level 1 or equivalent.

• AJP preferred

Lab Associate, Transport

Key Responsibilities:

• Receive incoming stone shipments from clients

• Prepare stones for shipment/delivery after service completion

• Perform item intake process (courier shipments)

• Receive, sort and organize stones in accordance with the procedures

• Receive shipments from clients and prepare stones for shipment/ delivery after service completion

• Perform item intake and item return procedures

• Sort and/or expedite services as needed

• Generate customs paperwork for shipping

• Perform releasing duties for transport process

• Perform outweigh and box/pack stones in preparation for delivery to clients

• Perform client account registration, renewal and update processes if applicable

• Communicate effectively with clients regarding service timelines, updates, and issue resolution

• Maintain accurate records of client interactions and service requests

• Resolve routine problems (e.g. delays, mistakes) by troubleshooting, determining root cause and identifying the most appropriate response (coordinates with others to expedite solutions as needed)

• Influence production and shipping schedules when there are delays/issues

• Coordinate with other departments to resolve issues to ensure client satisfaction

• Store stones for next process step in the system and physical location appropriately; facilitate easy retrieval through efficient storage in accordance with required processes

• Coordinate with relevant departments to ensure seamless inventory flow

• File/pull from the Wall, distribute stones and organize workflow

• Perform Vault/IC opening and closing processes

• Follow defined procedures/guidelines to perform the job; complete tasks through application of detailed procedural knowledge of many different varied processes and methods

Job Competencies:

• Language skills: ability to read, comprehend and follow standard procedures or instruction in local language (proficiency in reading, writing and speaking in English required)

• Communication skills: communicate professionally (communicate respectfully, listen, articulate/explain issues, use professional tone, know when to email vs call, etc.)

• Interpersonal skills: creates positive interactions with colleagues; actively communicates with others in a timely & professional manner; maintains good working relationship with others and peers with a team-oriented mind set. Ability to share knowledge with others to enhance collaboration

• Problem Solving: identifies basic problems and fixes or escalates as required; uses fact finding to determine the best approach to solve problems; applies basic analytical thinking to clarify issues and propose solutions with sound judgement and decision-making abilities

• Computer skills: Basic knowledge of MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

• Detail-oriented/Ability to focus and complete tasks assigned in a timely manner

• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and manage time effectively

• Ability to learn, understand and follow Standard Operating Procedures

• Ability to learn and use basic office equipment.

• Maintains & fosters sensitivity and respect for cultural diversity

• Sound knowledge of MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

• Sound knowledge and application of GIA proprietary systems (Spectrum, Searchlight, etc.)

• Sound knowledge of key GIA people and their roles in production functions

• Proficiency in Lab production workflows

• Thorough understanding of GIA policies and procedures

• Solid problem-solving abilities: identify problems and fix or escalate as required; fact finding to determine the best approach to solve the problems; Apply basic analytical thinking to clarify issues and propose solutions with sound judgement and decision-making abilities

• Proficiency in using production and office equipment to perform the job assigned (tweezers, scales, stone-holder, microscope, etc.)

• Ability to share technical / functional knowledge with others to enhance productivity and collaboration

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED); minimum six months experience as a L2 or 1+ years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience required.

Additional Requirements:

• Diamond Essentials class preferred.

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

• The employee is occasionally required to talk and converse on a one-to-one basis; the employee is occasionally required to listen and hear verbal conversations and commands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be constantly seated, performing repetitive tasks throughout the day

• The employee is required to use pinch grip and, repetitive, fine finger and hand motions throughout the day. 

• The employee is required to reach forward constantly, and occasionally upward and downward with hands and arms. Occasional walking, lifting and/or moving objects that weigh less than 10 lbs, and infrequently may have to move objects up to 25 lbs. 

• The employee is required to stand and walk short distances infrequently

• The employee is required to be able to work in a team environment and adhere to a schedule with structured breaks

Hourly Pay: $22.00 per hour

An Equal Opportunity Employer
All employment decisions are made without regard to unlawful considerations of race, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request.

Disclaimer: This job description indicates in general terms, the type and level of work performed as well as the typical responsibilities of employees in this classification and it may be changed by management at any time. Other duties may also apply. Nothing in this job description changes the at-will employment relationship existing between the Company and its employees.