[Hiring] Customer Relationship Specialist, Bookkeeping @[bench]

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We acknowledge that Bench is founded on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Businesses need to understand their financial performance, but for many smaller ones, this means a trade-off between managing their books and running their businesses.

Our mission is to help every business owner thrive, by providing financial insight and peace of mind in one seamless platform. From creatives to chiropractors, Bench helps thousands of small business owners and entrepreneurs master their financial lives. Because understanding your finances should be three things: simple, effortless, and affordable.

We’re growing fast, and we’re looking for exceptional people to join us on this incredible journey. Check out our culture guide to learn more about what it’s like to work at Bench and read more about our business here!

What does “Customer Relationship Specialist, Bookkeeping - Future Opportunities” mean?

One of our key values is ‘Transparency’ and with that in mind, here’s what Future Opportunities means and how we’ll manage through the process for this Customer Relationship Specialist, Bookkeeping position. Currently, we don’t have any available openings, but business needs change and we know that we’re likely to need Customer Relationship Specialist at some time in the next few months. This role is mission critical for Bench, and to be ready for hiring changes, we’re building a list of qualified candidates that we hope to add to our Bookkeeping team in the coming months. We will provide updates in each stage of the interview process and will work with our successful candidates to have them placed on the team as soon as roles open. We can’t guarantee when the start date will be, so this is best suited to those candidates who have some flexibility regarding when they want to start a new role.  

Role Overview:

As a Customer Relationship Specialist, Bookkeeping at Bench, you'll be the bridge between our small business owners and our bookkeeping teams. Your primary responsibilities will include building and nurturing strong customer relationships with your own portfolio of customers, collaborating with internal teams to deliver top-notch bookkeeping services, and showcasing your creative problem-solving skills. 

Key Responsibilities:

Customer Relationship Building: Develop and maintain meaningful connections with your own portfolio of small businesses. Our customers trust us with their financial needs, and your role is to ensure their needs are met while providing them with peace of mind.

Collaborative Bookkeeping: Work closely with our internal teams to ensure that our customers’' financial records are accurate and up-to-date. Communication is key, and your ability to convey technical issues and bookkeeping concepts in an elegant and tactful way will shine here.

Creative Problem Solving: Every day presents new challenges. Your creative thinking and problem-solving abilities will be put to the test as you find innovative solutions to customer issues. A proven track record of developing processes out of uncertainty is a huge plus!

What We're Looking For:

Passion for Customer Support: We're not just in the business of bookkeeping; we're in the business of making our customers happy. When customers are having issues or need guidance, they come to us for help. We’re looking for applicants who are able to withstand the highs and lows of customer emotions. Not every interaction is positive and a Benchmates’ ability to empathize and stay confident is a major piece of how we deliver an amazing customer experience. 

Excellent Communication Skills: You're not just a messenger; you're an ambassador. Strong written and verbal communication abilities are essential. We’re looking for candidates that can explain not just the “what” of things, but the “why” of them to our customers.

Empathy and Tact: When customers face challenges, you'll be there to help. Empathy, diplomacy, and tact are crucial as you guide business owners through their financial journey.

Poise Under Pressure: Financial matters can be stressful and so can joining an ever-changing business. You'll be the calming presence when customers face issues, ensuring they know they're in good hands. Candidates who are humble and care about the end result will have a major impact.

Ownership and Responsibility: We’re always dealing with the next problem and we love having creative thinkers who drive towards solutions. Do you push the limits of what’s possible? Are you always looking for ways to improve systems and processes?

What you’ll get up to:

• Own the relationships and customer experiences of your own portfolio of customers. You’ll work up to being the advocate and primary point for small businesses that need support in compiling financial statements and understanding their bookkeeping.
• Work with customers to keep their bookkeeping up to date, answer incoming questions, and proactively ensure a positive experience with Bench. Most communication will be done through our in-app messaging service, email, and over the phone.
• Support our customers through solution-driven dialogue and problem-solving
• Utilize platforms like our Bench App, SalesForce, Tableau, Slack, and Confluence (our internal knowledge base) to complete daily tasks, prioritize your work, and provide your customers with financial insights and answers.
• Contribute to designing and improving processes and materials
• Help identify opportunities for innovation and improvement
• Consistently collaborate and communicate with our internal teams to deliver customers with a world-class bookkeeping experience.

What you'll get:

• At Bench we share information freely and openly whenever possible. All Specialists joining the team will start at a base salary of $44,500. From there, with Variable Pay and a Tax Season Bonus, the total annual earnings for the role are $50,500.
• Approximate Spring start date
• The hours can be flexible after training, with many associates working asynchronously during the work week. 
• In addition, we offer an extended benefits package that includes paid vacation, paid flex days, and full health, dental, and vision. 
• You’ll get access to  Inkblot Therapy’s  Employee and Family Assistance Program (EAP) that offers counseling and support, for you and family members, as well as professional development coaching, financial advice, legal advice and much more.
• You will have the support of your manager, and the opportunity to learn and develop with a team of unconventional & diverse Benchmates, who are all working together to achieve the same mission.
• We have a number of Affinity Groups - groups of people who have shared identities and experiences! The purpose of these groups is to support underrepresented Benchmates and amplify their voices.
• If you live in BC’s Lower Mainland, you have the opportunity to work at home or in our downtown office location, depending on your preference! If you’re interested in remote only, we currently focus our hiring efforts in the following provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
• We provide solutions to bring all teams together for collaboration and connection. 
• Regardless of how many days you decide to visit the office, you’ll have access to our Home Office Setup Fund to ensure that you have everything you need to work comfortably from home, from day one.

Everyone has their own unique talents. Even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications outlined above, tell us why you’d be a great fit for this role in your application.

We believe that unchecked biases disproportionately impact the most marginalized people in society—including but not limited to BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+ people, immigrants, and people with disabilities. We strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or other marginalized communities because we believe that without you, we are all less. At Bench, we don’t stand for tokenism. We stand for representation.   If you are selected for an interview and require support during the process, including disability accommodation, we'll give you the opportunity to tell us when we contact you.