Customer Navigation Specialist

At Houston Methodist, the Customer Navigation Specialist position serves as a key liaison between internal and external customers and Supply Chain, guiding them through to resolution for their inquiries, concerns, and service options to ensure a seamless and positive experience. This position's primary role is to facilitate resolution to elevated issues that may require in-depth research and analysis to resolve. The Customer Navigation Specialist position requires strong communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and a customer-focused mindset to effectively navigate customers through complex service processes to provide tailored support. FLSA STATUS
Non-exempt

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)
• Bachelor's degree preferred

EXPERIENCE

• Three years proven experience in customer service, client relations, or a related role

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
• Demonstrates strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
• Communicates clearly and professionally, both verbally and in writing, with internal stakeholders and external suppliers
• Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively in a fast-paced environment

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Responds to customer inquiries from internal and external stakeholders, ensuring timely and effective resolution of Supply Chain needs.
• Collaborates with appropriate partners to address and resolve issues, including escalations, in a coordinated manner.
• Provides proactive follow-up to confirm issues are fully resolved and customer expectations are met.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Responds to assistance requests received through the Supply Chain HUB, phone, email, and other channels; routes inquiries to the appropriate teams and documents resolution.
• Partners with internal teams to address customer concerns and provides guidance on products, services, policies, and procedures to support informed decision-making.
• Translates insights into actionable feedback to improve service delivery, responsiveness, and issue resolution across the Supply Chain team.
• Analyzes Supply Chain service data to identify trends, track performance, and generate reports for leadership.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Utilizes sound judgment and analytical skills to resolve inquiries from end users and suppliers by reviewing relevant system data to assess status and determine appropriate next steps.
• Maintains clear, accurate documentation of all actions taken on inquiries within Supply Chain systems. Records status updates, ownership, and next steps to ensure visibility of the responsible party (e.g., buyer, vendor, or internal department) and resolution progress.
• Ensures accuracy and compliance in all interactions by adhering to established supply chain policies, procedures, and service standards; proactively identifies and escalates potential risks, discrepancies, or process gaps that could impact operations or customer experience.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Utilizes resources with cost effectiveness and value creation in mind. Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks, assisting coworkers as needed.
• Uses resources effectively and efficiently. Organizes time effectively, minimizing incidental overtime, and sets priorities. Utilizes time between heavy workloads efficiently and helps other team members.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Seeks opportunities to identify self-development needs and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the Individual Development Plan on an ongoing basis.
• Stays up to date on Supply Chain processes and services, industry trends, and the latest best practices in customer service navigation.
• Proactively identifies opportunities to improve customer service processes and enhance overall customer satisfaction.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE
• Uniform: No
• Scrubs: No
• Business professional: Yes
• Other (department approved): No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**
• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Work Shift:

1 - Day (United States of America)

Job Category:

Non-clinical Houston Methodist is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers. The health system consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the Texas Medical Center, seven community hospitals and one long-term acute care hospital throughout the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Houston Methodist also includes a research institute; a comprehensive residency program; international patient services; freestanding comprehensive care clinics, emergency care and imaging centers; and outpatient facilities. Come lead with us!

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.