The Work You'll DoThe Manager, Customer Success is responsible for the performance, consistency, and development of a pod of Customer Success Managers and/or Team Leads. This role serves as the primary people-management and performance-accountability layer within Customer Success, ensuring that execution standards are met, risks are surfaced early, and customer outcomes are delivered predictably. Managers do not carry a personal book of accounts. Success in this role is measured by team outcomes, including retention performance, risk prevention, execution quality, and talent development-not individual customer ownership. Customer Success does not own commercial renewals. Managers are accountable for ensuring renewal readiness across their teams through accurate health visibility, disciplined risk management, value articulation, and reliable forecasting inputs to renewal owners.
More specifically, you will:Team Performance & Accountability (Primary Accountability)
- Own the overall performance of assigned CSMs and/or Team Leads, including execution quality, risk discipline, and customer outcomes.
- Ensure consistent adoption of Customer Success standards, playbooks, and operating rhythms across the team.
- Hold Team Leads, where applicable, accountable to frontline leadership expectations (risk coverage, inspections, coaching, and role discipline).
- Identify performance gaps early and drive corrective action before customer or retention impact occurs.
Risk Management, Retention & Renewal Readiness
- Maintain aggregate visibility into customer health and risk across the team; ensure risks are identified, documented, and escalated early.
- Review and calibrate Risk Success Plans for quality, ownership, and effectiveness; ensure plans are actively executed.
- Prevent "surprise churn" by enforcing disciplined risk inspection and escalation paths.
- Partner with Renewals, Sales, and cross-functional leaders by providing reliable renewal readiness inputs (health trends, risk outlook, mitigation progress).
People Management & Coaching
- Serve as the direct people manager for Team Leads and/or CSMs, including goal-setting, performance feedback, and development planning.
- Conduct regular 1:1s focused on performance, judgment, prioritization, and growth.
- Where applicable, coach Team Leads on how to inspect work, deliver effective feedback, and maintain role discipline-especially for first-time leaders.
- Drive fair, evidence-based performance evaluations and promotion readiness aligned to the Customer Success career framework.
Execution Quality & Operational Discipline
- Ensure CRM and Customer Success platform data (e.g., Gainsight) is decision-grade across the team.
- Partner with CS Operations to improve workflows, dashboards, and signals that enable proactive risk detection and consistent execution.
- Reduce execution variance across the team by reinforcing "what good looks like" and addressing gaps quickly.
Talent Development & Team Health
- Identify and develop high-potential talent; create growth paths for CSMs, Senior/Strategic CSMs, and Team Leads.
- Actively participate in promotion calibration and succession planning.
- Foster a culture of accountability, learning, and consistency-where standards are clear and coaching is expected.
What We Need From You- 7+ years of experience in Customer Success, Account Management, or related SaaS roles.
- Prior experience as a Senior CSM, Strategic CSM, Team Lead, or equivalent role.
- Demonstrated ability to manage performance, coach others, and drive consistent execution.
- Strong understanding of customer health, risk management, success planning, and renewal readiness.
- Experience using Customer Success platforms and CRM systems (e.g., Gainsight, Salesforce).
- Strong communication, judgment, and decision-making skills.
- Experience supporting enterprise and/or complex customer environments preferred.
- Tax/compliance or regulated-industry experience is a plus.
- Proficiency in Spanish and/or Portuguese is a plus.
Environmental Job Requirements and Working Conditions Position requires minimal (less than 25%) travel required both domestic and international to Sovos locations and events
What Does Sovos Offer You?The tools to enhance your life - because we want you to enjoy your life outside of work and inside!
- Flexible Time Off
- Comprehensive Health, Dental & Vision Benefits
- 401(k) with employee sponsored match
- Bi-Weekly Meeting Free Days
- Globally Recognized Training & Development Programs
- Access to cutting edge AI resources
- Tuition reimbursement, Time off to Volunteer, Charitable Giving Match, and more!
