Senior Director, Enterprise Transformation & Process Excellence

Zendesk

1d•$241,000 - $361,000

About The Position

Zendesk is seeking an accomplished and strategic Senior Director to spearhead Operational Process Excellence and Enterprise Transformation initiatives, scaling and fortifying the operational backbone of the world’s leading customer experience company. This senior leadership role requires a forward-thinking, innovative leader who actively incorporates AI, automation, and advanced digital technologies into process re-engineering and enterprise transformation programs, driving a profound shift in how Zendesk operates. You will be a key thought partner to executive leadership—co-owning transformation initiatives and their outcomes—driving sustainable, data-driven change that accelerates business value, unlocks new efficiencies, and radically reimagines core business processes across Marketing, GTM, IT, CX, and G&A functions. This role blends strategic vision, operational discipline, AI-enabled innovation, portfolio management expertise, and deep business process knowledge with strong leadership and organizational influence to define the future of transformation at Zendesk.

Requirements

15+ years progressive leadership experience in enterprise transformation, operational excellence, business operations or technology-driven process innovation — preferably in SaaS, technology, or customer experience sectors.
Expertise or knowledge in leading AI/ML-powered process re-engineering, automation programs, and complex enterprise-wide transformations that delivered measurable business impact.
Deep knowledge of GTM, IT, CX, and Revenue Operations
Strong portfolio and program management skills with experience owning outcomes jointly with senior stakeholders, balancing P&L considerations and ROI-driven prioritization.
Demonstrated ability to serve as a high-impact thought leader, influencing executive teams and fostering consensus across cross-functional groups.
Exceptional communication, strategic thinking, and analytical skills with the ability to process excellence concepts into tangible business value.
Experience managing and developing diverse teams with a focus on building automation expertise, fostering innovation, and scaling transformation capabilities.

Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Innovation Architect and lead the development of analytical frameworks and advanced insights models that enable data-driven, anticipatory strategic decision-making across enterprise functions.
Drive thought leadership in embedding automation within business rhythms (planning cycles, OKRs, resource allocation), enabling intelligent, adaptive organizational planning.
Enterprise Transformation & AI-Driven Process Re-Engineering Lead the end-to-end design and implementation of large-scale transformation programs featuring AI, ML, and automation technologies to radically re-engineer and optimize operational processes.
Innovate and reimagine processes leveraging cutting-edge AI tools, automation platforms, and digital solutions, continuously elevating process performance and customer impact.
Partner closely with GTM, CX, Support, Marketing, IT, and other functions to embed intelligent automation and AI capability, enabling scalable and sustainable operational excellence.
Act as a trusted advisor and co-owner of transformation initiatives and outcomes, collaborating with senior leaders to design AI-driven solutions that address complex business challenges and accelerate growth.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influential Thought Leadership Foster enterprise-wide alignment through proactive cross-functional collaboration focused on business model innovation, workforce strategy reimagination, and future-proof organizational design.
Lead the development of standardized frameworks and tools that increase transparency, agility, and real-time alignment across business units.
Serve as a thought leader and ambassador for AI’s strategic role in enterprise transformation, regularly engaging with executive leadership and key stakeholders to influence vision and investment priorities.
Data, Metrics, AI-Enhanced Reporting & Insights Oversee the integration and use of AI and advanced analytics to enhance data synthesis, predictive insights, and hypothesis testing to support agile, evidence-based decisions.
Own executive reporting and AI-powered dashboards that provide real-time visibility into transformation KPIs, risks, and outcomes, driving continuous improvement.
Define new KPIs and success metrics that capture AI and automation impact on business performance, quality, and customer satisfaction.
People Leadership & Culture of Innovation Build, nurture, and lead a high-performing, innovation-driven team with deep expertise in AI, automation, process excellence, and change management.
Work in a matrix organization to coach and develop talent Develop team capabilities through continuous learning and experimentation with emerging AI technologies and process automation tools.
Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, agility, and empowerment that embraces transformation as a core organizational capability.
Communications & Adaptive Change Management Establish dynamic cadences and forums for transparent, AI-informed program reviews that surface challenges early and facilitate agile course-correction.
Lead strategic change management efforts institutionalizing AI and automation adoption across the enterprise, creating lasting behavioral and cultural shifts aligned to transformation goals.