Home Surplus is hiring: Kitchen Designer in Baltimore

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 Fall 2024.

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 salary/wage based on experience and skill level. 
• Monthly bonus program
  
• Benefits: Health, Vision, Dental, EAP, Disability, Life. PTO. 401k.
• Advancement opportunities related to the continued rapid growth of the company.