Senior Customer Service Agent, NYT Wirecutter (Temporary)

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It’s why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It’s why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination.

And it’s why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it’s worth paying for.

About the Role, Mission or Department Overview

Wirecutter, a New York Times company, is the premier product recommendation service dedicated to rigorously testing and reviewing products to help readers make the best decisions for their lives. Building on our mission of trust and utility, the Wirecutter Store (wirecutterstore.nytimes.com) is our dedicated e-commerce destination, offering our audience for purchase a highly-curated selection of the exceptional products we recommend.

As we approach our busiest time of the year (Q4/Holiday Season), we are looking for two experienced Senior Temporary Customer Service Agents to join our team. You will be the customer-facing voice of the Wirecutter Store. You will ensure that our customers receive the same level of care, clarity, and reliability that they expect from Wirecutter's editorial recommendations.

You will report directly to the Ecommerce Operations Director. You will work with our Customer Experience Manager to resolve inquiries, refine support processes, and improve our helpdesk operations during the peak holiday shopping rush.

Schedule and Hours

• Base Hours: Up to 20 hours per business week.
• Peak Season: An additional 10 hours on weekends during peak periods.
• Available Shifts (subject to change):
• Shift A: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
• Shift B: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Responsibilities

• You will provide customer support across our primary communication channels: email and chat.
• You will manage inquiries coming through our email and AI chat systems, providing rapid, real-time responses to customers and take over complex issues that require a human touch.
• You will resolve inquiries regarding order status, product information, shipping, and returns.
• You will process returns using Loop Returns, ensuring accurate refunds and inventory tracking.
• You will guide communication between the store and our external supply partners, investigating and escalating complex fulfillment, shipping, or product inquiries to ensure rapid resolution for the customer.
• You will navigate and use our ecommerce tech platforms at an expert level, specifically Shopify, Gorgias (including live chat and AI automation features), and Loop Returns.
• You will collaborate with the Customer Experience Manager to identify trending customer issues and suggest operational improvements.
• Demonstrate support and understanding of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years, as a senior or lead customer service representative.
• Communication & Speed: at least 5 years of experience interpreting and responding to customer requests with impeccable grammar and empathy. Must respond quickly to live chat inquiries without sacrificing quality.
• Technical Expertise: at least 2 years of experience with Shopify, Gorgias, and Loop Returns.
• AI Chat & System Optimization: at least 1 year of experience working with AI chat tools, managing live chat queues, creating macros, configuring auto-responses, and performing advanced administrative tasks within Gorgias.
• Work Environment: at least 3 years of experience in a high-volume retail environment, meeting strict response time expectations during peak season.
• Location Flexibility: You will work in-office during the Monday–Friday business week, with the flexibility to work from home on weekends during peak volume weeks.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years of experience working with drop-ship retailers.

Candidate Use of GenAI Tools

We’re excited to learn more about you and your experience. To keep our hiring process as fair and authentic as possible, we ask that you submit your own work and not use GenAI tools to generate substantive content during the application and interview process.

If you’re an engineering candidate, we’ll let you know what specific GenAI tools you are permitted to use for your technical assessment.

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