Sr Manager - Zendesk Transformation

About the role:

We're seeking a highly experienced and strategic Senior Manager, Zendesk Transformation to lead our customer service platform initiatives. You will be responsible for defining and executing a vision that leverages the full power of Zendesk to modernize our support operations. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of leading large-scale, impactful transformations, including migrating from a legacy system to Zendesk. This role requires a unique blend of technical acumen, exceptional leadership skills, and the ability to bridge the gap between engineering and support teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and own the strategic roadmap for our Zendesk platform, aligning it with overall business goals to enhance customer experience and agent efficiency.

• Platform Migration & Transformation: Lead the end-to-end planning and execution of a migration to or major transformation of the Zendesk platform. This includes discovery, design, data migration, and launch.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as the primary liaison between customer support, engineering, product, and other key stakeholders. You will translate support team needs into technical requirements and communicate the business value of engineering efforts.

• Team & Process Optimization: Partner with support leadership to identify and implement process improvements, leveraging Zendesk's capabilities (e.g., automation, AI, QA, and analytics) to optimize workflows, reduce ticket volume, and improve key performance indicators (KPIs) like first-reply time and CSAT.

• Technical Excellence: Collaborate closely with engineering teams to ensure the Zendesk implementation is scalable, reliable, and integrated seamlessly with our existing tech stack. You'll provide guidance on best practices for API usage, custom app development, and data integrity.

• Mentorship & Development: Lead a team of Zendesk administrators, developers, and analysts, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and professional growth.

Qualifications

• Experience: Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in customer support operations, platform management, or a related field, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role.

• Zendesk Expertise: Deep, hands-on experience with the Zendesk platform is essential. This includes a strong understanding of Zendesk Support, Guide, Talk, Chat, AI, QA, and Explore.

• Proven Transformation Skills: Demonstrated success in leading a major platform transformation or migration project, ideally from a legacy system to Zendesk.

• Technical Acumen: Strong working knowledge of API integrations, software development lifecycles, and data modeling. The ability to have credible, in-depth conversations with engineers and solution architects is a must.

• Leadership & Communication: Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams without direct authority. You must be able to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences and vice versa.

• Analytical Skills: Proficient in using data and analytics to drive decision-making and measure the impact of platform changes. Experience with Zendesk Explore is a significant plus.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with a high-growth technology company.

• Familiarity with Agile methodologies.

• Zendesk certifications (e.g., Zendesk Certified Administrator, Application Developer).

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws, including the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, the Private Security Services Act 2004, and the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Act 2016.