What are the responsibilities and job description for the Kitchen Designer position at Home Surplus?
Company
Castle Wholesalers is a retail warehouse superstore for cabinets, doors, and more, featuring in-stock products, expert design, and reliable service at value prices. Castle aspires to be the first choice of contractors and consumers in cabinets, countertops, doors, and windows. After starting as a single location 60 years ago, Castle was acquired by Home Surplus in 2022, and is now part of a 5 store network in NJ and MD that is rapidly growing into a national footprint. After 40 years in its current location, the Baltimore store will be moving into larger, more modern space in Q1 2025.
Position
The Kitchen Designer is a customer-facing team member who will deliver outstanding customer experiences while increasing sales. The position reports to the Showroom Manager.
Primary Responsibility
Manage the design process from first in-store interaction through ordering, while ensuring:
- Accurate layouts, measurements, and quotes
- Design options that meet customer requirements regarding budget, quality, and aesthetics
- Proactive follow-up communication with the customer in order to close sales
- Complete and accurate sales orders
- Straightforward communication and realistic fulfillment timelines in order to manage customer expectations.
Additional Responsibilities
- Meet or exceed customer expectations via an encouraging, well-informed, consultative approach in order to drive repeat and referral business.
- Master the Castle product screen, while also learning how our products and service capabilities compare to major competitors.
- Use company systems to communicate with precision and drive process efficiency.
- Gather competitive intelligence and customer feedback, and communicate that information to managers to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
- Work collaboratively with team members across functions in order to deliver outstanding customer service and make Home Surplus a great place to work.
Requirements
- Must have design experience with 2020 or similar space planning, design, and visualization software.
- Outstanding listening skills.
- Warm. Enjoys interacting with people.
- Willing to ask relevant questions in order to deliver designs that sell.
- Detail-oriented, with outstanding follow-through.
- Enthusiastic team player.
- Consistent, reliable, punctual. Organized.
- Professional presentation. Strong verbal communication and above average written communication skills.
- Balance of courage and humility. Owns mistakes, asks for help, and addresses problems before they escalate.
- Balance of moderate creativity and a willingness to follow basic sales funnel processes.
- Brings familiarity with kitchen fixtures and the basics of residential construction.
- High school diploma or equivalent (GED).
- Ability to work a flexible schedule based on department and store needs.
- Moderate flexibility, including the ability to work some Saturdays, in keeping with a traditional retail environment.
- Speaks and understands English clearly. Preference for bi-lingual Spanish fluency.
Physical/Environmental Requirements:
Work is performed in a showroom/warehouse retail environment during traditional retail business hours. Physical requirements include:
- Extended periods of time working at a desktop computer.
- Extended periods of time standing.
- Speaking in person, on the phone, and by video.
- Limited travel to properties to measure, etc.
Compensation
- Competitive base wage based on experience and skill level.
- Monthly and annual bonus program
- Benefits: Health, Vision, Dental, EAP, Disability, Life. PTO. 401k.
- Advancement opportunities related to the continued rapid growth of the company.
