Sales Assistant

Hampton Lumber is a thriving family-owned company aspiring to be North America's preferred source for responsibly-sourced wood solutions. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, we operate nine sawmills in Western Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. We also manage timberland and operate a wholesale and import/export division.  

Our mission is to grow, manufacture, and market renewable wood products and deliver innovative solutions for a more sustainable built environment. At Hampton Lumber, we accomplish this through our own operations as well as those of our affiliates—Trapa Forest Products, Idaho Timber, and RedBuilt. Our tagline, "Find a better way every day," encapsulates our commitment to innovation and improvement across all operations.
 

We are guided by our core values: 

• Safety – Prioritize safety across all operations.
• Integrity & Authenticity – Operate honestly and ethically while preserving our distinctive family-owned brand.
• Responsible Stewardship – Endeavor to balance and maintain economic, social, and environmental values in everything we do.
• Tenacity – Embrace challenges with grit, determination, and a can-do spirit. 
• Continuous Improvement – Strive to enhance our processes, products, and people.
• Customer Satisfaction – Be nimble, responsive, and solutions-oriented.
• Community Engagement – Be a responsive, supportive, and respected member of the community.

With over 80 years in the sawmill business, we are proud to have cultivated the knowledge and experience needed to grow and prosper, even in challenging times.  We always look to the future and invest in our people, new technologies, and continuous improvement processes and techniques. 

The Sales Assistant plays a critical role in supporting a defined group of lumber traders within Hampton Lumber Sales (HLS). This position is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely processing of transactions, maintaining strong communication across internal teams and customers, and proactively identifying and resolving issues that impact order flow and inventory management.

Success in this role requires strong problem-solving ability, attention to detail, assertiveness in communication, and the initiative to anticipate needs before issues arise. This individual must be adaptable in a fast-paced trading environment and capable of balancing multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and accountability.

• Substantial company-paid assistance for Medical and Dental insurance premiums; mental health coverage; cost effective co-pays and deductibles
• 401(k) with 5% annual company contribution and generous company matching contributions vested over three years
• Paid time off, including eight paid holidays
• Opportunity to earn bonuses
• Employee wellness program that includes free counseling sessions, financial and legal guidance, and more
• Opportunities for paid training to support career advancement and personal development

Sales & Transaction Support:

• Enter and process sales orders, purchase orders, and transfer orders accurately and efficiently
• Review daily order files and proactively identify discrepancies or potential issues
• Monitor inventory levels and coordinate necessary adjustments, including work orders for inventory modifications
• Ensure accurate documentation and timely completion of shipping-related processes

Cross-Functional Coordination:

• Serve as liaison between traders, vendors, mills, reloads, Rail and Trucking teams, and customers to ensure on-time and accurate delivery
• Communicate clearly and assertively to resolve order issues, shipping discrepancies, and inventory concerns
• Coordinate across departments to prevent miscommunication and missed handoffs

 Problem Solving & Process Ownership:

• Identify potential transactional or inventory issues before they escalate
• Analyze order, shipping, and inventory data to determine root causes of discrepancies
• Take the initiative to recommend solutions and follow through until resolution
• Continuously looking for ways to improve workflow accuracy and efficiency

• Ability to prioritize and adapt in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
• Strong analytical and organizational skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel) and the ability to quickly learn internal systems such as LumberTrack
• Prior experience in sales support, operations, logistics, or administrative coordination is preferred but not required
• Four-year college degree or relevant industry experience preferred

Preferred Skills:

• Strong Problem Solving: Ability to analyze information, anticipate challenges, and implement practical solutions in a dynamic trading environment.
• Detail Orientation & Accuracy: Maintains a high level of precision when managing orders, inventory, documentation, and system transactions.
• Assertive Communication: Communicates clearly, confidently, and respectfully to ensure issues are addressed promptly and expectations are aligned.
• Initiative & Ownership: Takes proactive steps to identify gaps, follow through on tasks, and support traders and team members without waiting to be directed.

Hampton Lumber is a fourth-generation, family-owned company headquartered in Portland, Oregon that has grown to become one of the nation’s largest privately held forest products companies. With over 80 years in the sawmill business, Hampton operates sawmills in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia and markets wood products all over the world. We also manage a wholesale and lumber export division and numerous reload and re-manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S. All of Hampton’s forestlands are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), an independent, non-profit organization that promotes sustainable forest management. SFI certified forests play an important role in water conservation, wildlife habitat, and climate solutions. 

Community is important to us, and we encourage and support our employees’ desire to be active in the community through volunteering and special projects. We passionately support youth education, career and technical education, the arts, diversity and inclusion, affordable housing, and anti-poverty programs. We are also proud sponsors of the Portland Timbers and the Portland Thorns soccer clubs. Go Timbers! Go Thorns!

Learn more at hamptonlumber.com, or follow us on Facebook: @HamptonLumber.  You can also learn about our company and our priorities by visiting our blog. 

Hampton Lumber is an equal opportunity employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other status protected by law. 

Disability accommodation available: If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Office for the location that you are applying.

Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please see these government posters: EEO is the Law and its accompanying temporary supplement.