Customer Success Manager, Blackboard

Anthology

47d•$79,000 - $118,500•Remote

About The Position

Anthology delivers education and technology solutions so that students can reach their full potential and learning institutions thrive. Our mission is to empower educators and institutions with meaningful innovation that’s simple and intelligent, inspiring student success and institutional growth. The Power of Together is built on having a diverse and inclusive workforce. We are committed to making diversity, inclusion, and belonging a foundational part of our hiring practices and who we are as a company. For more information about Anthology and our career opportunities, please visit www.anthology.com. The Customer Success Manager (CSM) ensures that customers see value throughout their entire Anthology journey. With a focus on success and retention, the CSM engages with customers to understand their goals and to create and execute plans that achieve partnership objectives, meeting the business needs of customers and Anthology. This CSM role works primarily with personas using Blackboard LMS and, as such, requires specialized knowledge of the solution, higher ed, and relevant personas. This individual is accountable for the strategic coordination of cross-functional teams and resources to ensure the customer receives appropriate support, resources, and services. The CSM also assists account team members in identifying expansion (sales and services) opportunities. The ideal candidate for this role embraces a customer-first mindset, excels at building relationships and creating raving fans, can confidently solve/triage Blackboard LMS adoption challenges, and is adept at driving activities that deliver exceptional value to customers in all phases of the lifecycle.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
At least 5 years of related experience in Higher Education, Customer Experience, Customer Success, and/or Education Technology serving the higher education sector
Strong customer-service focus and ability to communicate with empathy, sensitivity, and professionalism at all times
Excellent oral and written communication skills; proactive and impactful communicator
Strong project management skills
Ability to work independently and to proactively identify and respond to emerging challenges and changing conditions
Proven track record of successfully managing accounts and developing strong customer relationships with all levels of an organization
Well-developed problem-solving and critical thinking skills
Ability to effectively create, gather, and analyze reports, ability to use data to inform decision-making and develop action plans
Ability to multitask and consistently perform under the pressure of deadlines and other demands
Highly organized, task-oriented
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, results-oriented, collaborative environment
Skilled in building deep relationships and connect with others authentically
Proficiency with CRM and/or customer success software
Ability to work with sales organizations in a matrix-model as new products are being introduced and sold in various regions, for various functions to business units within an institution of higher learning
Experience managing a large-scale technology transition either at an educational institution or a company, from which applicable skills in project planning, stakeholder alignment, multi-team coordination, and executive progress communications were demonstrated
1+ years of experience working in the Blackboard LMS or with Blackboard customers
Fluency in written and spoken English

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree
Background in supporting higher education institutions, particularly HBCUs or other institutions serving underrepresented student populations. Experience working in a Customer Experience or Customer Success role at a Software-as-a-Service technology company
2+ years of experience developing courses in Blackboard as an admin or faculty member

Responsibilities

Developing strong relationships with customers centered on ensuring their success in meeting their business goals using Blackboard
Developing and implementing account engagements to ensure business objectives are met, modernization is achieved, and customer sentiment is positive
Executing prescriptive playbooks based on customer need
Developing an understanding of and responding to customer questions on the full Anthology portfolio of products and services, including their value proposition, the challenges they solve, and how they are supported
Conducting partnership reviews with customers to ensure progress on shared business objectives, including modernization
Acting on customer sentiment information such as surveys, NPS responses, solicited and unsolicited customer feedback
Promoting customer engagement in the online Anthology Community, as well as Anthology-hosted virtual and in-person events, facilitating client opportunities to network, share, and learn from their peers
Working with Marketing to organize, plan, and deliver engaging webinars and on-campus events for Blackboard customers
Connecting customers to best practice resources and/or recommendations; assisting customers in solving point-in-time challenges; connecting customers with opportunities for engagement in feedback sessions and with research projects as applicable; partnering with the customer to support the overall goal of increased satisfaction and adoption of Anthology solutions
Assisting Regional Sales Managers (RSMs) and regional leadership with opportunities for cross-sell, upsell, and expanded services
Assisting the RSM and CRM in the renewal process, contributing strategic insights to maximize value and positioning in renewal discussions
Serving as an internal advocate for the customer, helping to drive support and change when necessary to help the customer achieve their business objectives
Executing tailored plans both internally and externally, and proactively providing next-step support, including:
External: managing the customer experience through appropriate channels, including outreach, meetings, providing recommendations, crafting of responses after internal alignment, executing customer outreach strategies
Internal: escalation, identifying and engaging SMEs/Strategists/experts as needed, regular meetings with internal teams to resolve identified issues, providing direction and ensuring focus on customer as well as Anthology business needs
Acting as an information conduit from Anthology and the industry to customers, ensuring customers are connected to the latest information on Anthology products and services, resources, and higher education industry trends
Driving advocacy in the form of references and success stories
Maintaining accurate records of key contacts, engagements, workflows, health scoring, and risk assessments within the company CSP
Projecting a favorable public image of the company to promote its objectives and goals and enhance customer relationships
Building and maintaining relationships across the customer's organization, including with C-suite institutional leadership
Traveling as needed for onsite customer engagements and events, approximately 25% of the time