Customer Service Manager

═══════════════════════════════════════════════ LOOKING FOR: Senior Dutch-Speaking Customer Service Manager For fast-growing European e-commerce brand (€750K+/month) ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ ⚠️ READ CAREFULLY BEFORE APPLYING ⚠️ This role is ONLY for native or fluent Dutch speakers (NL/BE). If Dutch is not your native language: please do not apply. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ ABOUT THE ROLE ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ We are a fast-growing direct-to-consumer e-commerce business operating in the Netherlands, Belgium, and expanding into Germany. We handle 14,000+ orders per month and our customer service operation needs a senior manager who can take full ownership. You will not be a ticket-taker. You will be the strategic owner of our entire customer service operation — managing agents, building systems, hitting KPIs, and continuously improving how we serve our customers. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ WHAT YOU WILL DO ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ ▸ MANAGE OUR CS TEAM - Lead and develop our 2 existing CS agents - Train them on new procedures and edge cases - Monitor their performance daily (response times, resolution rates, quality) - Be their first point of escalation - Run weekly 1:1s and team performance reviews ▸ HANDLE COMPLEX TICKETS PERSONALLY - Take ownership of complex Dutch-language tickets that agents cannot resolve - Personally handle complaints, refund disputes, and high-emotion cases - Turn frustrated customers into loyal advocates through superior communication ▸ MASTER GORGIAS — KNOW EVERY IN AND OUT - Build, optimize, and maintain macros for all recurring scenarios - Configure auto-tagging, smart routing, and AI suggested replies - Set up automation rules that reduce manual work - Optimize Gorgias integration with Shopify and other tools - Understand reporting dashboards and use data to make decisions ▸ OWN AND HIT MONTHLY KPIs - Define realistic KPI targets each month (response time, resolution time, CSAT, ticket volume per agent, etc.) - Build a clear plan for HOW you will hit those KPIs - Track progress daily, intervene before targets slip - Report weekly to founders with insights, not just numbers - Continuously raise the bar — what worked last month is not enough next month ▸ BUILD SYSTEMS AND SOPs - Document SOPs for every recurring scenario - Build escalation paths and decision trees - Create training materials for new agents - Maintain a knowledge base that grows with the business ▸ STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENT - Analyze ticket patterns to spot trends and root causes - Identify upstream problems (shipping, product, website) that create CS tickets — and push for fixes - Recommend changes that reduce ticket volume without reducing customer satisfaction - Help scale the CS operation as we grow ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ MUST-HAVES: ✓ Native or fluent Dutch (C2 level minimum) — non-negotiable ✓ 2+ years of e-commerce customer service experience ✓ 1+ year of team management experience (managing CS agents) ✓ Deep hands-on expertise with Gorgias (you know the ins and outs, not just the basics) ✓ Shopify backend familiarity ✓ Strong written English (you will communicate with our international team) ✓ KPI-driven mindset — comfortable owning numbers and defending them ✓ Self-starter who can build processes from scratch NICE TO HAVE: ○ Experience scaling CS from under €1M to multi-€M ○ German language skills DEAL-BREAKERS: ✗ Not fluent in Dutch ✗ No team management experience ✗ Ticket-taker mindset without strategic thinking ✗ Agency representatives presenting as solo freelancers ✗ Cannot commit to 20-30 hours per week consistently ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ HOW WE WORK ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ ▸ 20-30 hours per week, ongoing engagement (long-term) ▸ Flexible hours but minimum 4-hour overlap with CET timezone ▸ Direct reporting line to one of the founders ▸ Weekly 1:1 with founder, daily async via Slack ▸ Tools we use: Gorgias, Shopify, Notion, Slack ▸ We move fast, value initiative, and reward results ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ RATE AND ENGAGEMENT ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ ▸ Rate: €15-20/hour depending on experience ▸ Start with a 60-day trial period to mutually evaluate fit ▸ Long-term collaboration with growth opportunities ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ HOW TO APPLY ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ In your proposal, please include: 1. A brief intro IN DUTCH (3-5 sentences) explaining why you are the right fit. This is our first language check — applications in English only will be rejected. 2. Your most relevant experience: which e-commerce brands have you worked with? At what scale (monthly orders or revenue)? 3. Describe your Gorgias experience in detail. Which advanced features have you set up (automation rules, integrations, AI features, custom workflows)? 4. Tell us about a CS team you have managed. How many agents? For how long? What KPIs did you own and what did you achieve? 6. Your weekly availability and earliest possible start date. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ WHAT HAPPENS NEXT ═══════════════════════════════════════════════ ▸ We review proposals within 5 business days ▸ Shortlisted candidates get a 30-min video interview ▸ Decision within 3 weeks of posting We are looking for someone serious about a long-term collaboration. If that is you — apply now.