Project Specialist 1

HNI Corporation is a global family of brands for the workplace and home dedicated to enhancing the spaces where we live, work, and gather. We pride ourselves on fostering an environment where we make a positive impact on others, upholding our beliefs in integrity, inclusion and belonging. Your Impact Starts the Day You Do!

What We Need:

We are looking for a Project Specialist 1 to join our HNI Workplace Furnishings team. This role will serve as the front-end coordinator for Design Services, ensuring projects are submitted correctly, coded accurately, and routed efficiently to the appropriate design resources. This role acts as a key liaison between Customers, Sales and Design, driving smooth project intake, clear communication, and on-time delivery against SLA commitments. In addition to managing project flow and stakeholder communication, the Project Specialist plays a critical role in supporting and improving the tools and processes that enable the design workflow (e.g., Salesforce and related technologies), help to identify bugs, recommend enhancements, and support testing efforts. The role also contributes to workload balancing, team capacity management, and continuous improvement of the overall project intake experience.

What You Will Do:

Review project submittals for required documentation, clarity, and accuracy; monitor submission timelines to ensure SLA compliance. Facilitate collaboration by engaging with submitters/customers for clarification, conducting pre-calls as needed, and keeping Design Managers and Designers informed. Apply critical thinking to analyze and synthesize information from multiple sources, identify gaps or risks, and summarize key findings for Designers to streamline execution and reduce rework. Optimize project coding and traffic flow by assessing complexity and turnaround needs and routing work to the appropriate Design Team members. Manage shared inbox communications, providing timely and accurate responses to inquiries. Support design technology and workflow improvements by submitting enhancement/bug requests and participating in testing to ensure reliable system performance. Serve as a liaison between Sales and Design by providing submittal training, gathering feedback, and driving workflow improvements. Monitor team capacity, balance workloads, and help maintain project momentum. Contribute to other activities as needed to support organizational success.

What You Have:

High School diploma or equivalent required. Associate's degree in a related field preferred. 1+ year of relevant experience in design, coordination, or customer support preferred. Demonstrated experience completing design projects (e.g., preparing drawings, specifications, or similar design deliverables.) Knowledge of the commercial furniture industry and HNI product offerings. Strong organizational, time management, and communication skills with high attention to detail. Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to synthesize incomplete or complex information and clearly summarize key findings. Process-oriented, adaptable, and comfortable making judgment calls in a fast-paced environment.