Senior Director of Support

Foundant + smartsimple

About The Position

Foundant is actively investing in AI-assisted support capabilities across its product lines. The Senior Director of Support for SMS will be a key driver of how AI is evaluated, adopted, and scaled within the support function — not just as a user of tools, but as a strategic voice in how the team evolves alongside them. Define and execute an AI strategy for the SMS support function, including tooling evaluation, rollout, and adoption measurement Implement and iterate on AI-assisted ticket triage, suggested response, and deflection tools to reduce handle time and improve first contact resolution Build and maintain an AI-augmented knowledge base — ensuring content is current, surfaced intelligently, and reducing dependency on tribal knowledge Develop team fluency with AI tools through training, coaching, and change management — building confidence rather than resistance Use AI-generated insights from ticket data to identify patterns, predict volume, and proactively address emerging client issues before they escalate Partner with Product and Engineering to inform how AI capabilities within the SMS platform can reduce client support needs over time Establish guardrails and quality standards for AI-assisted responses — ensuring accuracy, tone, and client trust are maintained

Requirements

7+ years of experience in SaaS support, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership role managing managers or large teams
Demonstrated ability to build and scale support organizations through periods of growth or change
Strong operational background — experienced with SLA design, ticket management systems (e.g. Zendesk), and support metrics
Proven track record of driving CSAT improvement and reducing escalation rates
Excellent communication skills — equally effective with frontline team members, executive stakeholders, and clients
Experience working cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Sales, and CS teams
Demonstrated experience evaluating or implementing AI tools within a support or service environment

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting ERP, grants management, nonprofit technology, or similarly complex SaaS products
Familiarity with the nonprofit or philanthropic sector
ITIL certification or equivalent service management framework experience
Hands-on experience with AI-assisted support platforms (e.g. Intercom Fin, Zendesk AI, Guru, or similar)
Track record of leading AI adoption or change management within a support team

Responsibilities

Lead and develop the SMS support team
Provide direct leadership, coaching, and performance management for SMS support staff
Build team structure, career paths, and capacity plans to support current and future client growth
Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement
Manage hiring, onboarding, and retention for the SMS support function
Own the SMS support operation
Define and enforce SLAs, escalation frameworks, and incident response protocols for SMS clients
Monitor and drive performance against key metrics including CSAT, FCR, time-to-resolution, and ticket volume trends
Maintain visibility into ticket queue health, backlog, and emerging patterns across the team
Lead major incident and problem management processes, ensuring timely resolution and post-incident review
Drive client satisfaction and retention
Serve as the senior escalation point for complex or high-stakes client issues
Partner with Client Success to ensure continuity of the client relationship through support touchpoints
Use support data and client feedback to identify recurring pain points and advocate for product or process fixes
Represent the client voice in cross-functional conversations with Product and Engineering
Collaborate with the Implementation team to ensure smooth transitions from go-live into steady-state support
Work with Product on release readiness — ensuring the support team is informed, trained, and prepared ahead of launches
Partner with Sales to support pre-sales conversations where implementation or support complexity is a factor
Align with peer leaders across GLM/SLM, CSuite, and GivingData support functions to share best practices and maintain organizational consistency
Develop and maintain internal knowledge management systems, escalation playbooks, and training resources
Identify and implement tooling, automation, or AI-assisted workflows to improve team efficiency and client experience
Establish reporting cadences and dashboards that provide leadership with clear visibility into support health

Benefits

competitive salary and benefits
tuition
lifestyle reimbursements
bespoke mindfulness and fitness initiatives
Flexible PTO policy
professional and personal development opportunities
exposure to diverse ideas, expertise, and projects that span multiple industries
opportunities to grow your career
support internal mobility
autonomy and responsibility
Employee recognition