Customer Service Manager

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Location: Irvine, CA Salary Range: $85,000 - $105,000 About Rhythm Rhythm is an Australian-born alternative surf and lifestyle apparel brand focused on premium product and authentic coastal culture. About The Role We are looking for an experienced Customer Service Manager to take full ownership of Customer Service across Rhythm’s US wholesale and e-commerce businesses. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who understands customer service from start to finish and knows how to take an issue, quickly understand what is happening, determine the best solution, and see it through to resolution. You will be the primary owner of customer service for our customers and sales team, partnering closely with Sales Management, Sales Reps, Sales Operations, Accounts, Warehouse/3PL teams, and other internal stakeholders. The ideal candidate understands that wholesale and e-commerce have different customer needs, processes, and priorities, and is able to provide a consistently high level of service across both channels. We are looking for someone who is highly accountable, solutions-oriented, responsive, organized, and confident making decisions. You should be comfortable working independently and taking ownership without needing to be directed through every step. This role is about owning the customer experience and making sure issues get resolved. Key Responsibilities Customer Service Ownership Take full ownership of the Customer Service function and day-to-day customer experience across wholesale and e-commerce. Serve as the primary point of contact for customer service matters and escalations. Ensure customer inquiries are acknowledged and responded to quickly, professionally, and accurately. Own issues from initial inquiry through final resolution rather than simply passing issues to another department. Prioritize urgent customer and sales issues and ensure appropriate follow-up until resolved. Identify recurring issues and implement solutions to prevent them from happening again. Establish and maintain customer service protocols, high customer service standards, response times, and follow-up expectations across wholesale and e-commerce. Ensure the Customer Service team is consistently following established processes and providing a high level of service. Customer & Sales Support Act as a key support partner to Sales Management and Sales Reps across all customer service-related matters. Work directly with Sales Reps and wholesale customers to resolve order, shipping, product, pricing, return, credit, and account issues. Manage e-commerce customer inquiries and escalations, including order, product, shipping, return, refund, and post-purchase issues. Understand the needs of both wholesale and e-commerce customers and find practical solutions that support the business. Manage customer escalations professionally and confidently, including sensitive or high-priority situations. Keep Sales Management informed of significant customer issues, risks, and opportunities. Build strong working relationships with key wholesale customers and become a trusted point of contact for resolving issues. Ensure e-commerce customers receive timely, accurate, and professional support throughout their customer journey. Order Management & Fulfillment Oversee the customer service side of the order lifecycle from order processing and entry through shipment, invoicing, returns, and resolution of post-shipment issues across wholesale and e-commerce. Partner closely with Sales Operations, Warehouse, 3PL, and Accounts to resolve order issues and prevent delays. Monitor open wholesale orders and proactively identify issues that may impact customer commitments or on-time shipment. Coordinate order changes, cancellations, holds, stock issues, shipping exceptions, and other order-related requests. Support e-commerce order management and resolve customer-facing issues related to order status, fulfillment, shipping, delivery, cancellations, and other exceptions. Ensure customer expectations are communicated clearly when orders cannot be fulfilled as originally planned. Take ownership of exceptions and coordinate the appropriate internal teams to reach resolution. Identify recurring fulfillment issues and work with internal teams to improve processes and prevent future issues. Returns, Credits & Claims Own the customer-facing return and credit process across wholesale and e-commerce. Manage wholesale return authorizations, damaged/defective product claims, order cancellations, and related customer issues. Manage e-commerce returns, refunds, exchanges, damaged/defective product claims, and other post-purchase customer resolutions. Work with Sales Management and Accounts to obtain appropriate approvals and ensure credits are processed accurately and promptly. Ensure customers and Sales Reps receive clear communication throughout the process. Identify trends in returns, damages, claims, refunds, and customer complaints and communicate opportunities for improvement. Account & System Management Oversee new wholesale customer account setup and ensure required information is complete and accurate. Ensure customer information, pricing, discounts, shipping instructions, and account details are maintained accurately in applicable systems. Work closely with Accounts regarding payment terms, credit holds, billing questions, and account status. Maintain accurate customer service records, logs, and documentation across wholesale and e-commerce. Ensure customer service processes are documented, followed, and continuously improved. Maintain a strong understanding of the systems used to manage customer orders, inquiries, accounts, returns, and customer communications. Team Leadership Lead, coach, and develop the Customer Service team. Establish clear expectations around responsiveness, ownership, accuracy, communication, and follow-through. Delegate appropriately while maintaining accountability for the overall customer experience. Review workload and priorities and ensure urgent matters are addressed quickly. Provide guidance and support to the team when escalations or complex issues arise. Identify process gaps and training opportunities and improve the way the team operates. Ensure the team has the knowledge and resources necessary to support both wholesale and e-commerce customers. How You Work We are looking for someone who: Takes ownership. You don't wait for someone else to tell you what the next step is. Moves quickly. You understand that a fast acknowledgement and clear communication can be just as important as the final resolution. Finds solutions. You look for ways to solve the problem rather than simply explaining why something cannot be done. Follows through. If you own an issue, you stay on it until it is resolved. Thinks end-to-end. You understand how customer service connects with Sales, Sales Operations, Warehouse, 3PL, Accounts, and Operations. Communicates clearly. You can communicate effectively with customers, sales reps, management, and internal teams. Knows when to escalate. You can make decisions independently while recognizing when management input or approval is required. Can prioritize. You can manage a high volume of requests while distinguishing between what needs immediate attention and what can wait. Is accountable. You don't lose issues in an inbox or assume someone else is handling them. Can adapt. You understand that wholesale and e-commerce require different approaches while maintaining consistent service standards across both channels. In This Role, Success Means: Customer inquiries receive quick acknowledgement and clear communication. Customer issues have a clear owner from start to finish. Sales Reps know they have a reliable partner who can help them resolve customer issues. Wholesale customers receive consistent, professional, and proactive support. E-commerce customers receive timely, accurate, and effective support. Escalations are handled quickly, professionally, and with sound judgment. Issues are resolved without unnecessary involvement from Operations Management. The Customer Service team operates with clear processes, accountability, and follow-through. Order and fulfillment issues are identified proactively rather than after the customer complains. Returns, credits, refunds, and claims are handled accurately and within established expectations. Customers feel supported and confident that when they have an issue, someone is going to own it and get it resolved. Operations Management is not required to step into day-to-day customer service issues to determine the next steps. Experience & Qualifications 5+ years of customer service experience, preferably within wholesale, e-commerce, apparel, retail, consumer goods, or a similar product-based business. 2+ years of experience managing or leading a Customer Service team. Strong understanding of the customer order lifecycle, including order entry, fulfillment, shipping, invoicing, returns, credits/refunds, and customer follow-up. Experience working directly with Sales teams and supporting Sales Reps and Sales Management. Experience supporting both wholesale and e-commerce customers strongly preferred. Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities. Comfortable working in ERP, order management, CRM, e-commerce, and customer service systems. Strong attention to detail without losing sight of the bigger picture. Comfortable handling difficult conversations and customer escalations. Ability to work independently and take ownership in a fast-paced environment. Ability to lead a team while remaining hands-on and involved in day-to-day customer service operations.