Lead, Customer Success

Pearson

About The Position

In the market, this role is commonly referred to as a Director, School Administrator or Superintendent. At Pearson, our purpose is simple; to add life to a lifetime of learning. We envision a future where everyone can realize the life they imagine through learning. To achieve this, we create vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. For over 20 years, Pearson Virtual Schools has been reimagining K-12 education with full-time virtual schools for students who want a personalized, more flexible approach to learning. Our flagship products and services include Connections Academy, US-based online public charter schools; Pearson Online Academy, a global online private school; and Pearson Connexus, our comprehensive online school program for school districts nationwide. The following description is intended to describe the general nature of the job that may include other duties as assumed or assigned; it is not intended to be all-inclusive or limit the duties of the position. The Customer Success Lead at Pearson is a school partner responsible for maintaining school board, authorizer, and district relationships critical to the Pearson Virtual School business. They serve as the primary liaison between these customer roles and internal teams. They develop and manage strategic account plans, coordinate cross-functional teams for alignment, and monitor key outcomes and solutions. Additionally, they oversee program execution, ensuring consistent program quality and compliance, while driving financial performance and innovation within the company. Their role includes addressing client concerns swiftly and managing risks through effective strategies.

Requirements

Customer Centric – Acts with a strong customer mindset (both internal and external) and is a visible advocate for the customer. Builds strong relationships with customers and uses those to improve their experience and outcomes.
Delivering Financial Results – A strong track record of delivering against budgets and commitments.
Communications - A great communicator who engages teams and stakeholders with thoughtful delivery and messages that resonate.
Building a strong team - Creates strong morale and inclusive spirit within the team, Proactively addresses team performance and communication challenges and blends new people into teams when needed. Has a track record of hiring and quickly and effectively onboarding great talent. Demonstrated success in developing and promoting talent.
Works well in a matrix - Models collaboration, solves problems with peers, builds trust and support.
Takes personal responsibility – Can be relied on to complete tasks timely and well, demonstrates “ownership” regardless of the outcome, proactive in exploring and exploiting new opportunities.

Responsibilities

Cultivate and maintain customer relationships to expand and enhance account performance.
Develop and maintain strong, long-term relationships with key clients and stakeholders by serving as the primary liaison between them and internal teams.
Understand and respond to customer needs to ensure satisfaction and retention, while continuously engaging with clients to support loyalty and identify partnership opportunities.
Manage and resolve client-related conflicts diplomatically, fostering a culture of teamwork and effective communication within the account management team.
Actively identify areas of risk and develop mitigation strategies to ensure the longevity of each customer, handling timely issue resolution and ensuring high responsiveness to client concerns.
Establish a strong foundation of customer success through strategic account planning.
Conduct needs assessments to understand each account’s specific goals and growth potential.
Develop tailored strategic account plans that outline objectives, timelines, and success metrics.
Identify upsell, cross-sell, and expansion opportunities within existing accounts.
Align strategies with company OKRs and business priorities to drive mutual value.
Monitor performance metrics and refine account strategies based on data and insights.
Provide account plan implementation oversight.
Serve as a key collaborator and presenter of proposals. Provide leadership in new school and product/service launches.
Coordinate delivery of client solutions across multiple departments, ensuring consistent quality.
Oversee complex program execution and guide internal and external teams to foster collaboration and accountability.
Motivate and influence team members to drive performance and professional growth.
Adapt to change and ambiguity, keeping programs on track despite obstacles.
Lead conflict resolution efforts and problem-solving across projects and teams.
Achieve financial outcomes according to school and PVS expectations.
Negotiate contracts with clients, ensuring terms and conditions align with revenue and margin objectives.
Lead and influence revenue and margin goals alignment.
Collaborate with departments to align school and department budgets and ensure financial objectives are met.
Monitor financial performance of schools and identify opportunities for cost-saving and revenue generation.
Negotiate contracts and manage pricing to align with revenue and margin objectives.
Develop and lead strategies for new product/service offerings and business models.
Identify market trends and client feedback to inform innovative solutions.
Collaborate with internal teams to create new solutions that meet emerging client needs.
Drive initiatives aimed at expanding into new markets and improving client experiences.