Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Business Support Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

The Business Support Specialist provides comprehensive operational and administrative support to business units, enabling efficient day-to-day operations, improving process accuracy, and ensuring service-level commitments are met. This role acts as a cross-functional liaison — handling invoice processing, vendor and client interactions, CRM and ERP administration, reporting and data analysis, expense reconciliation, and small project coordination. The Business Support Specialist optimizes workflows, resolves issues proactively, and delivers timely, high-quality support to internal stakeholders and external partners.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Administrative Assistant / Executive Assistant
Customer Service Representative
Accounts Payable / Billing Clerk

Advancement To:

Senior Business Support Specialist
Operations Coordinator / Manager
Business Operations Analyst

Lateral Moves:

Client Services Coordinator
Procurement Specialist
HR Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Provide end-to-end administrative and operational support to assigned teams by managing calendars, scheduling meetings, coordinating travel arrangements, preparing itineraries, and ensuring seamless logistics for domestic and international travel.
Manage invoice processing and accounts payable workflows: validate vendor invoices, match purchase orders, code expenses to appropriate general ledger accounts, obtain approvals, and coordinate timely payments in the ERP system.
Maintain and administer CRM and ERP systems (e.g., Salesforce, Dynamics, NetSuite, SAP) by creating and updating records, running data integrity checks, performing routine maintenance, and training end users on standard procedures to ensure accurate customer and vendor data.
Prepare, consolidate, and distribute weekly and monthly operational reports and dashboards (revenue, headcount, SLA compliance, expense trends) using Excel and BI tools to provide actionable insights for managers and leadership.
Serve as primary point of contact for vendor management: onboard vendors, maintain vendor documentation, manage contracts and renewals, coordinate communications, and resolve routine vendor disputes or escalations.
Support revenue cycle tasks including sales order processing, contract administration, invoice generation, and coordination with Sales and Finance to resolve billing discrepancies and ensure accurate revenue recognition.
Coordinate cross-functional project support: create project trackers, follow up on deliverables, facilitate cross-team meetings, document meeting minutes, and escalate risks or blockers to project leads to keep initiatives on schedule.
Handle customer and internal stakeholder inquiries via email and phone with a high level of professionalism: triage requests, provide status updates, escalate complex issues, and ensure timely resolution consistent with SLAs.
Oversee expense management processes by reviewing and reconciling employee expense reports, enforcing policy compliance, and liaising with Finance to process reimbursements efficiently.
Maintain accurate and auditable records and documentation (contracts, purchase orders, invoices, HR paperwork) in shared drives and document management systems, ensuring compliance with internal controls and audit requirements.
Implement process improvements and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to streamline workflows, reduce processing time, lower error rates, and improve cross-functional handoffs.
Execute procurement support tasks including raising purchase requisitions, obtaining quotes, managing approvals, tracking deliveries, and coordinating with facilities or IT for asset allocation and onboarding.
Support onboarding for new hires by coordinating equipment ordering, workspace setup, account provisioning, orientation scheduling, and ensuring checklists are completed for a smooth new-employee experience.
Perform ad hoc data pulls, reconciliations, and root-cause analysis to resolve discrepancies between operational systems and financial records, collaborating with Finance and IT to implement corrective actions.
Monitor key operational metrics and SLAs (response times, processing times, backlog volumes) and proactively communicate trends and improvement opportunities to supervisors and stakeholders.
Coordinate internal and external events, workshops, and training sessions — handling venue logistics, catering, attendee communications, registration, and post-event follow-up to ensure a professional experience.
Assist with compliance and regulatory requirements by collecting required documentation, preparing compliance reports, and supporting internal audits and external vendor reviews.
Prepare presentations, status summaries, and executive-ready briefings that synthesize operational metrics, project status, and recommended next steps for leadership decision-making.
Manage inventory and office supplies, track expenditures against budgets, and work with procurement to source cost-effective vendors and services while maintaining service quality.
Act as a process owner for recurring operational activities (monthly close tasks, reconciliations, reporting cycles), ensuring timely completion and continuous updates to process documentation.
Facilitate communications between sales, operations, product, and finance teams to ensure alignment on product availability, pricing updates, order fulfillment timelines, and client commitments.
Support continuous learning and team enablement by documenting best practices, training materials, and FAQs; lead brown-bag sessions or quick trainings for colleagues to scale knowledge across the organization.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to help teams identify operational bottlenecks and efficiency gains.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by recommending improvements to reporting, data capture, and business rules in core systems.
Collaborate with business units to translate data and process needs into requirements for IT and engineering teams, ensuring solutions meet operational use cases.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within cross-functional teams to prioritize support tasks, track progress, and remove operational blockers.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

ERP and CRM administration (Salesforce, NetSuite, Dynamics, SAP) — record management, data hygiene, report creation, and user support.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, Power Query), Google Sheets, and experience with BI tools (Tableau, Power BI, Looker).
Invoice and accounts payable processes, purchase order workflows, and basic accounting reconciliation knowledge.
Familiarity with expense management tools (Concur, Expensify) and procurement systems.
Strong written and verbal communication skills for stakeholder coordination, vendor negotiations, and executive reporting.
Experience preparing and presenting operational dashboards and executive summaries.
Document management and compliance tools (SharePoint, Box, DocuSign) and maintaining audit-ready records.
Basic SQL or ability to run queries and pull datasets for analysis (preferred but not always required).
Project coordination tools experience (Jira, Asana, Trello, Smartsheet) and ability to manage timelines and deliverables.
Knowledge of SOP development, process mapping, and continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma fundamentals preferred).

Soft Skills

Exceptional organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize competing requests in a fast-paced environment.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy when handling financial and contractual information.
Proactive problem-solver who anticipates needs, identifies gaps, and drives pragmatic solutions with minimal supervision.
Customer-focused mindset with a professional demeanor for internal and external stakeholder interactions.
Collaborative team player who can influence cross-functional partners and build strong working relationships.
Adaptability and resilience when managing shifting priorities or ambiguous requirements.
Critical thinking and analytical curiosity to translate data into clear, actionable recommendations.
High integrity and discretion when handling confidential information and sensitive documents.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree or equivalent practical experience in business administration, finance, operations, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Operations Management, or related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Finance / Accounting
Operations Management
Information Systems / Analytics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years in administrative, operations, or finance support roles with demonstrated process ownership.

Preferred:

3+ years supporting cross-functional teams in a corporate or high-growth environment.
Experience with ERP/CRM administration, invoice processing, and reporting.
Track record of driving process improvements, creating SOPs, and working with finance and IT stakeholders.