Vice President – Customer Enablement

Our client is changing how globally distributed product development and manufacturing organizations collaborate and interact with key stakeholders throughout the product development value chain.

The firm’s cloud-based Product Lifecycle Management and Product Data Management solutions simplify product development by connecting engineers, designers, project managers and suppliers in a secure, collaborative manner that accelerates product lifecycle development, thereby allowing organizations to launch products faster and more cost effectively.

Our client boasts an enviable list of high-profile global customers in aerospace, automotive, technology and entertainment,and is funded by a blue-chip group of investors. The firm is Toronto-based.

Poised for explosive growth and an exceptionally bright future, our client now seeks to hire a Vice President, Customer Enablement.

Scope of Position

Reporting to the CEO, the Vice-President Customer Enablement will be responsible for all delivery services including onboarding, go-live, customer specific software development/configuration and support.

Collaborating with the sales organization and other cross-functional stakeholders, the Vice-President Customer Enablement will establish the firm’s implementation program while driving overall professional services strategy, execution and revenue generation. The position will also be responsible for the P&L targets for this segment of the business.

The ultimate objective of the role is customer delight.

Functional Tasks

Key responsibilities of the role:

• Participate as an engaged, open, collaborative and committed member of the senior management team; Contribute to and support initiatives and strategies.
• Develop and manage the implementation/services budget including developing methods and criteria to report on effective profit and loss of all services that flow through the organization.
• Build, train, motivate and evaluate team responsible for sustaining the service level of the professional services/implementation team. Build and maintain trust.
• Onboarding of new customers:
  • Ensure legal agreements are in place for all customers/partners
  • Review and define the implementation and onboarding processes for new customers from a PS perspective
  • Implement scalable best practices and build capacity
  • Prioritize and make decisions for the execution of all projects ensuring that project teams have the tools and methodologies to be effective
  • Support/drive first project implementation with customers.
• Implementation training and certification:
  • Create implementation training program
  • Ensure regular updates to the program based on product releases
  • Deliver Implementation webinars on best practices and how to implement new features
  • Develop community content for partners and customers
• Develop services related sales support and bid management tools as appropriate for sales
• Develop a portfolio of commercial value-added professional services that are complementary to the product portfolio and will add value to the business
• Develops, monitors, and acts upon appropriate customer satisfaction metrics.
• Work with customers as needed to ensure their needs are met and that they are satisfied
• Proactively assesses big picture issues with professional services team and clients and develops custom solutions as needed.

Key Performance

In light of the identified responsibilities, the following arespecific deliverablesthat the position is designed to achieve.

• Specific measures of performance will be discussed and agreed upon with the successful candidate.

Competency Profile

The following competencies listed below define the role ofVice President Customer Enablement:

Results Orientation
Focuses strongly on achieving agreed upon outcomes and ensures that key objectives are met. Conveys a sense of urgency and drives issues to closure. Aims to improve upon past performance. Establishes aggressive personal targets and strives to achieve them.

Planning & Objective Setting
Systematic in approach to work. Produces action plans in which objectives are defined and steps for achieving them are clearly specified. Plans by breaking down large task into subtasks. Develops plans that anticipate obstacles. Is realistic about time-scales and builds in appropriate checkpoints, milestones and controls in order to ensure that desired results are realized.

Customer/Client Orientation
Strives to provide customers/clients with personalized and efficient service. Anticipates customers’/clients’ needs. Quickly follows up on customer/client contacts and complaints. Monitors and acts on measures of customer/client satisfaction.

Commercial Acumen
Applies appropriate commercial and financial principles. Understands situations in terms of costs, profits, added value and return on investment. Appreciates the commercial impact of own work on the organization’s total expenses and revenues.

Team Skills
Helps to create a sense of team spirit and harmonious relations through cooperation and support. Balances personal goals with those of the team. Fosters collaboration among team members.

Strategic Approach
Develops a strategic plan to realize the vision. Revises strategy in light of changing circumstances. Takes a long-term view of organizational success. Works to clarify long term organizational goals. Able to stand back from immediate problems in order to focus on more far reaching ideas.

Role Expertise
Demonstrates critical technical or professional knowledge/skills related to the role. Has thorough knowledge of relevant products, services and methods. Expands technical knowledge/skills and keeps up-to-date in own area of expertise.

Preferred Experience / Education

The following indicates specific industry, academic and functional experience/qualifications that are important to the successful achievement of the identified responsibilities and performance deliverables.

• 15+ years of software experience, with at least 5 years thriving in a founder-led, fast-paced, high growth environment.
• A proven track record of leading and scaling software/solutions professional service organizations; planning, design, and execution.
• Leadership and successful execution of complex IT implementation projects; Strategic planning and program management abilities.
• Ability to build strong relationships within/across organizations and effective cross-functional/matrix management skills.
• Ability to coordinate business plans, goals and activities with both internal and external senior stakeholders.
• Possesses product/technology/industry knowledge as well as broad understanding of complex globally distributed customer environments.
• Innovative, forward-thinking leader, able to anticipate/plan for future.
• Proven track record of selecting, developing, retaining world class talent.
• Strong communication skills (Customer and Executive interface)
• Exceptional influence and negotiation skills
• Highly competitive base, variable and equity package for the successful candidate. #J-18808-Ljbffr