What are the responsibilities and job description for the Technical Claims Specialist position at The Morning Star Company?
Technical Claims Specialist
Los Banos, CA
The Company:
The Morning Star Company and its affiliates operate three tomato processing facilities in Central California, processing over 1/3 of the California processing tomato crop, in addition to tomato transplanting, farming, harvesting and trucking operations. The company employs over 500 year-round and approximately 4,000 seasonal Colleagues.
The Morning Star Company is the largest independent producer of bulk tomato ingredient products (tomato paste and diced tomatoes) in the world. We also produce canned tomatoes, tomato products and specialty sauces in pouches for customers in the retail and food service markets. The company is known worldwide for its innovation and integrity.
We are organizationally structured through a system we term Mission Focused Self-Management™. Our company is operated by Colleagues without titles or an appointed hierarchy of authority. Authority relative to other Colleagues’ activities is lateral, with our Mission as our guiding principle of action, and respect, influence and success built based on each Colleague’s integrity, competency, effort, persistence and straightforward persuasiveness. Although we have grown significantly, we intend to maintain a culture of individual responsibility and Mission Focused Self-Management™.
The Mission and Position:
The Mission of this role is, “to provide perfect customer service throughout the claims process by managing, tracking, evaluating and coordinating the handling of claims in accordance with company policies. Communicate effectively with various stakeholders, including, but not limited to, QA colleagues, production colleagues, and sales colleagues, as well as direct engagement with customers.” The Technical Specialist is responsible for promptly responding to our customers’ concerns, complaints, and issues. This individual will collect information, develop a strategy to address the issue, identify & document the root cause by working cross functionally with key stakeholders in multiple Business Units (e.g. QA/QC, Packaging, Logistics), track the implementation of corrective actions, ensuring resolution, and bringing closure to the occurrence to meet or exceed customers’ expectations.
This position requires the ability to exercise a high level of independent judgment, discretion, and decision-making within the scope of assigned responsibilities. The incumbent must be capable of analyzing complex situations, identifying viable solutions, and taking appropriate action with minimal supervision.
Responsibilities:
- Enter and manage all inbound claims, ensuring customers receive timely responses and updates as needed.
- Provide technical claims support, working collaboratively with the sales team, while strictly adhering to a clear understanding of company goals, business strategies and exacting standards of care needed for their customers.
- Represent The Morning Star Company in a professional and ethical manner.
- Self-Manage workload with creation and maintenance of Steppingstones (performance measures) related to your Mission.
- Occasional travel away from home office, to visit customers and triage significant claims as requested/needed. Travel may include visiting other Morning Star facilities as well as customers’ facilities.
- Effectively communicate both verbally and in writing, providing detailed written reporting to Sales, internal key stake holders, and Morning Star customers pertaining to all requests, project progress and identified opportunities.
- Develop a thorough understanding of our packaging, products, and specifications.
- Use all resources available (internal and external) to achieve the best possible customer resolution.
- Ability for development of programs, record keeping, data models, charts, graphs, visual aids, presentations, customer profiles, and advanced technical reporting using the MS Office suite.
- Periodic auditing, inventory checks, physical inspections, and special projects would provide additional value to the sales team.
Physical Requirements for the Role:
- Activities require handling and grasping with the hands when working on or around equipment.
- Ability to bend, kneel, and work with arms raised for prolonged periods of time.
- Reaching, grabbing, and pushing on a regular basis
- Frequent lifting up to 25 lbs., occasional lifting up to 50 lbs.
- Regularly Climb stairs and ladders
- Office-based position.
- Some travel may be required for claims-related investigations or meetings.
Steppingstones (performance measures):
- 100% documented claim received response reply to customer ≤ 24-hours
- 100% claim investigation per claim completion ≤ 14-days
- 100% customer response denial or approval ≤ 21-days
- 100% customer response on approved claim response root cause and corrective action ≤ 30-days
- 90% of corrective action at plant level prevent repeat customer claims
Work Environment
- Food Processing / Packaging
- Fast Paced
- High heat and humidity
- Wet slippery conditions
- Loud noises
Required Training
- Safety lifting technique
- Tomato School
- Aseptic Packaging Dynamics
- GMP and Food Safety.
Competency Requirements:
- 5 Years experience in process improvement, risk assessment, management reporting, and customer facing activities.
- Formal education in a mission-related discipline, such as food science, is preferred, or similar experience.
- Ability to understand customers needs and provide expected value.
- Strong communicator: able to conduct phone and video meetings
- Follow all Food Processing Industry packing policies, including GMP’s and safety procedures.
- Reporting and analysis
- Ability to Self-Manage and work unsupervised.
- Maintain a respectful positive attitude towards other colleagues and business partners.
- Wear proper PPE and required Safety devices when appropriate.
- This position is classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Employees in exempt positions are not eligible for overtime compensation. The role requires the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance and typically involves executive, administrative, or professional duties."
Salary: Starting salary for this role is expected to be $72,000 - $85,000, depending upon qualifications.
Benefits: Morning Star offers a top-tier, comprehensive health plan, including medical, dental, and vision, and we pay the full monthly premiums for the Colleague and all eligible family members. The company also contributes to Colleagues' Health Savings Accounts. Year-round Colleagues are eligible to enroll in our 401K plan, with 4% match.
Salary : $72,000 - $85,000
