Senior Manager, Renewals

Encoura

About The Position

Encoura is a data and technology company purpose-built for higher education, helping institutions and students make smarter, more connected decisions. As we evolve our go-to-market model and build a modern, scalable revenue organization, we are looking for a strategic and entrepreneurial leader to own and transform our renewals function. This is not a traditional renewals management role. This is a high-impact leadership position for someone who understands where the renewals function is heading, and is excited to help architect what that looks like in practice. You will own the day-to-day renewals operation while simultaneously partnering with senior leadership to redesign how renewals and Customer Success work together in a data-driven, scalable model. If you are someone who has been in the renewals trenches, knows what a modern revenue org should look like, and wants the opportunity to build it — this role is for you.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
10+ years of experience in renewals, Customer Success, or Sales in a SaaS or technology environment, with 5+ years in a leadership capacity
Demonstrated experience in a renewals or CS leadership role with direct ownership of NRR, forecasting, and retention outcomes
Strong commercial acumen — including experience negotiating contracts, simplifying commercial terms, and managing complex renewal cycles
Proven ability to think strategically about org design and operational transformation, not just day-to-day execution
Highly developed cross-functional relationship skills; able to influence without authority across Sales, CS, Finance, and Legal
Data-driven mindset with strong analytical and forecasting capabilities
Excellent organizational, written, and presentation skills
Fluency in written and spoken English
Ability to travel up to 20% as needed for business requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience in EdTech or higher education technology preferred
Background building or transitioning to a pooled or tiered Customer Success model preferred
Experience working with or recommending CS/renewals platforms and CRM tools preferred
Track record of leading change in a fast-paced, evolving revenue organization preferred
Master’s degree in a relevant field, preferred

Responsibilities

Own and manage the full renewals pipeline, including a rolling 120-day forecast with clear visibility into at-risk accounts
Drive on-time renewal closure across all customer segments, ensuring commercial terms are favorable and contract value is protected or expanded
Work collaboratively with Customer Success and Sales to develop win/win renewal proposals that incorporate upsell and cross-sell opportunities
Provide leadership with regular, accurate updates on renewal status, risks, and resolution strategies
Ensure quality and timeliness of renewal workflows, including quoting, contract processing, and system updates
Partner with the VP, Global GTM Life Cycle Engagement and Student Success to define and execute a multi-phase plan to modernize the renewals function — including shifting responsibility for smaller renewals to a pooled Customer Success model so the renewals team can focus on high-ARR, complex accounts
Provide strategic input on how roles and responsibilities should be redistributed across the renewals and Customer Success teams as the org evolves
Lead recommendations on contract language simplification — working cross-functionally to move customers toward cleaner, easier-to-execute agreements
Champion improvements to forecasting methodology and data quality to make the renewals function more predictable and insight-driven
Identify and recommend automation and tooling improvements to reduce manual effort and improve the overall renewal experience for both customers and internal teams
Develop and implement renewals playbooks that reflect both current operational best practices and the evolving model we are building toward
Establish, document, and monitor compliance with best practices across Opportunity Management, Data Quality, Quoting, and Forecasting
Implement system automation strategies to reduce friction and improve renewal experience at scale
Directly manage and develop the renewals team, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and adaptability
Coach team members on commercial negotiation, Customer Success best practices, and data-driven decision making
Act as a cross-functional partner to Customer Success, Sales, Finance, and Legal, with strong relationships across the revenue organization
Travel up to 20%, including overnight and occasional weekend travel, depending on business needs.