Merchant Support Agent

Kafene is a leading point-of-sale financing partner dedicated to empowering flexible ownership solutions for underserved customers nationwide. By enabling our retail partners to offer flexible lease-to-own (LTO) purchase options for prime and non-prime consumers, Kafene helps merchants grow their customer base and meet the increasing demand for furniture, appliances, electronics, tires, and other durable goods. Utilizing over 20,000 data inputs alongside cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies, our platform creates a best-in-class experience for both merchants and customers. With over $300 million in sales since inception, we are rapidly growing and looking to expand our team.

We take pride in fostering a dynamic workplace culture that values collaboration, innovation, and mutual support. Our team of 170 is spread across our NYC headquarters, a Wilmington office, and fully remote staff nationwide. Last year, we were recognized as one of Built In's Startups to Watch and Forbes' Best Startup Employers.

The Merchant Support team strives to uncover the truth to ultimately make a decision that will impact the customer, our partners, and Kafene. They carefully analyze the details, listen empathetically, and strive for an equitable resolution that is aligned with our company values.

Our Merchant Support Specialist will play a crucial role in creating a strong, trustworthy relationship with our merchants. This person will work to resolve merchant questions and concerns and be the gatekeeper to sensitive merchant data. This role is service-oriented and requires perseverance, a strong work ethic, and an understanding of Kafene's core products so that Merchants have an outstanding experience with Kafene. The ideal candidate has exceptional customer service skills and is simultaneously able to think critically to resolve unique escalations. 

• Provide outstanding customer service to merchants by effectively handling inbound calls, chats, emails, and slacks. 
• Employ a customer-oriented mindset to resolve complex merchant escalations, leveraging critical thinking skills and de-escalation techniques. 
• Serve as a point of contact for high-level merchant inquiries and issues, demonstrating sensitivity, compassion, and a non-judgmental attitude. 
• Liaise cross-functionally with Risk Ops, Sales, and other teams across the organization to address and resolve merchant needs.
• Maintain merchant operational processes, ensuring efficiency and compliance with industry regulations and company policies. 
• Assist in the onboarding and training of new merchants, providing guidance on platform usage, company policies, and best practices. 
• Manage and track HubSpot tickets for merchant agreement issues and merchandise recovery, ensuring accurate documentation, timely follow-up, and effective resolution.

• Must be bilingual in English and Spanish. 
• 1-3 years prior experience in a remote customer support role.Exceptional interpersonal skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to employ critical thinking skills to resolve complex issues and act empathetically in challenging situations. 
• Strong understanding of core customer service principles and ability to operate with sensitivity, compassion, and integrity. 
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing in both English and Spanish.Detail-oriented mindset with the ability to analyze data, identify patterns, and detect anomalies. 
• Must be able to work weekends and later shifts (i.e. 1 pm - 10 pm ET), however, total working hours will still fall within 40 hours.

• Familiarity with Hubspot is a plus. 
• Prior experience in a high-growth or early-stage start-up environment. 
• Prior experience in FinTech or Lease to Own.

Kafene is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. If you are applying for a job in the U.S. and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to jobs@kafene.com and let us know the nature of your request and contact information. Please note that only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.