**Implementation Specialist** **City:** Chicago **State/Province:** IL **Country:** United States **Division:** Sales **Job ID:** 13504 Since 1952, Lawson Products has worked hard to make our customers' jobs easier by improving their operational efficiency, productivity and overall performance. As a leader in the MRO industry, we partner with customers to make sure they have the right maintenance and repair parts on hand when needed. We’re looking for an Implementation Specialist to lead and execute start-up implementations for Lawson's most critical Strategic Accounts integrator partnerships. This role ensures on-time, professional, and seamless implementations, fostering field-level relationships between key Lawson and customer personnel. This individual will also identify opportunities to gain new customers while expanding existing business, in order to maximize sales and exceed the sales volume target. This position requires 90% travel. This role will work from a home office and will travel to customers. We offer a competitive benefits package that includes 401k plus vision, dental and medical coverage. Employees also receive a paid holiday and PTO package. **Responsibilities** : + Leads customer start-up projects for strategic accounts to ensure satisfactory completion and an excellent customer experience. + Serves as the implementation and shop-level expert to key integrator and end customer decision makers, in tandem with the Strategic Account Manager who serve as the corporate-level expert. + Generates customer start-up project plans, ensuring plans are complete, properly resource- loaded, consistent, realistic, and communicated to the appropriate internal and external parties. + Ensures appropriate handling of site and logistics issues, sourcing, staffing, training, equipment and other high level business functions. Ensures tasks are completed on-time and according to plan. + Leads project team meetings to resolve known issues and proactively identify potential issues and solutions. Resolves task and budget problems, maintaining accurate and timely progress reporting and documentation of problem resolution and communication. + Answers customers' questions, making appropriate referrals where required. Resolves customer complaints by investigating problems, developing solutions, and making recommendations. + Helps implement specialized customer solutions (e.g. Vending, CMI and 3PL). Reviews results against account sales plan. Monitors growth and expansion of potential locations. Maintains open and consistent communication with internal teams. + Guides and mentors Lawson's strategic accounts team members to grow strong customer relationships with the key integrator customer influencers in their respective markets, including setting up branch meetings for Sales Management, assisting the sales team in understanding and networking the integrator partners' org charts, and leading initial Strategic Account branch meetings. + Supports the strategic accounts team to identify and develop additional product areas for growth within integrator customers' operations, and providing support through product seminars, exploratory surveys, etc. + Reviews, develops and maintains procedural documentation with a proactive approach to process improvement. + Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational training, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional societies. **Qualifications & Requirements:** + Bachelor's Degree with at least three years of Strategic Account related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. + Strong ability to lead in a matrix management environment, which will include internal personnel, customers, and suppliers. + Excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop working relationships with internal teams. + Excellent customer service skills. + Strong cross functional communication skills are required. + Strong project management and team management skills. + Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to multi-task and remain detail-oriented and accurate. + Able to perform with minimal oversight. + Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. + Strong decision-making skills and the ability to troubleshoot potential workflow issues. + Proficiency with personal computers. Appropriate computer skills to meet administrative needs: PowerPoint and other Microsoft Office products. + Demonstrated ability to create and apply new technologies or processes. + Able to be flexible as needs change. + Ability to lift 50 pounds. + Must possess a valid driver's license, a clean driving record, and the ability to obtain and maintain vehicular insurance as required by policy. + Requires a broad knowledge of MRO industry policies and products, and familiar with the standard concepts, practices, and procedures within the MRO industry. Our salary range for this role is $65,000 - $70,000 including a full benefits package. Lawson Products is an Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.