The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Director designs and executes a strategy that delivers intuitive solutions and targeted data management for Hayward and its customers, serving as a strategic partner in the development of:
- Commercial business analysis and go-to-market plans
- Customer Experience measurement and enhancement solutions
- Technology solutions (including and in addition to CRM) that drive business improvement, efficiency gains, and improved customer experience.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead cross-functional efforts with Finance, Sales, Operations, IT, Marketing, Quality, Product Management, and other business groups to identify key business strategies, then design and implement CRM solutions that enable the delivery of those strategies.
- Partner with senior leadership to drive the achievement of organizational goals through the deployment of system solutions and measurement of key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Design and implement a blueprint to provide stakeholders with timely, clear, and relevant communication.
- Design a comprehensive systems training plan to support change management, continuous improvement, and employee onboarding.
- Conduct ongoing research to identify technology solutions that enhance the customer experience, optimize internal processes, and enable Hayward to get closer to the customer.
The scope of system management extends beyond CRM platforms to include the support and enablement of additional technology solutions, such as:
- Warranty Management System
- Customer Contact Center Solutions (voice, text, ai-driven support)
- Email Marketing platforms
- Additional data-handling SaaS applications
Additionally, this role is responsible for:
- Lead, develop, and nurture a collaborative, high-performing team committed to maximizing system benefits.
- Provide end-user support and training as needed to meet business requirements.
- Establish best practices for system deployment, testing, and maintaining system integrity.
- Manage a team of specialized direct and indirect reports who consult with vendors and internal business partners, design and deliver solutions, and provide real-time user support.
Major Tasks and Responsibilities:Strategic Partner- Deliver actionable insights to drive smarter, faster decision-making through customer value segmentation, budget planning and monitoring, and integration of external data.
- Contribute to continuous improvement efforts by evaluating customer experience, analyzing feedback, and identifying both global and local areas for enhancement.
- Lead and collaborate across functions to streamline business operations and elevate customer-facing processes.
CRM Strategy- Own the vision and roadmap for CRM strategy, ensuring alignment with broader marketing and business objectives.
- Engage with key business leaders and stakeholders to capture and translate business requirements into actionable plans for development and support teams.
- Serve as the business and subject matter expert, providing strategic direction that enables the design of system solutions that drive the achievement of key business objectives.
- Prepare detailed performance reports and project updates for senior leadership, utilizing dashboards, system reports, and data analysis tools.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives aimed at optimizing system performance and enhancing data integrity.
- Conduct regular system audits to ensure adherence to best practices.
- Manage CRM performance metrics, including Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), first-contact resolution rates, and customer retention.
- Maintain and strengthen Hayward's relationships with key vendors, staying informed on emerging trends and new tools.
- Collaborate with legal and compliance teams to safeguard company interests in areas such as contract renewals, terms and conditions, and SOX compliance.
Technology Support & Enablement- Serve as a subject matter expert, project manager, and design support for non-CRM technology solutions that will interact with the CRM platform.
- Collaborate with vendors and internal partners to scope, design, and implement these solutions.
- Examples include Warranty Management System, Contact Center technology solutions, AI-driven customer solutions, and more.
Project and Communication Management- Collaborate with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and department leadership to align project priorities with business objectives.
- Oversee CRM-driven communications, measure their impact on customer satisfaction metrics, and adjust strategies accordingly.
- Actively solicit and assess user feedback to drive system and process enhancements.
- Serve as a business consultant and primary point of contact for other business groups regarding CRM projects, mass email initiatives, and data integration efforts.
- Establish KPIs for major project implementations, then implement tracking and reporting to measure success.
- Drive the administration, development, testing, and deployment of CRM solutions.
Training and Change Management- Design and implement comprehensive training programs that empower employees to effectively use CRM platforms, focus efforts, and better understand customer behaviors.
- Lead the development of training content and materials to enhance the use of CRM insights in customer interactions.
- Provide one-on-one coaching to CRM team members, ensuring comprehension of key metrics, workflows, business cases, and customer-centric strategies.
- Conduct advanced system and business process reviews for strategic employees.
- Deliver key presentations at national events, including National Sales Meetings and sales planning sessions.
- Maintain training resources such as SharePoint sites, instructional videos, FAQs, and support documents.
Admin and Developer Team Management- Lead and manage a team responsible for campaign management, automation, segmentation, and A/B testing.
- Ensure the CRM team is well-resourced to deliver exceptional, real-time support to internal stakeholders by:
- Monitoring support ticket activity and providing direction as necessary.
- Balancing workloads to maximize team efficiency.
- Implementing professional growth strategies and continuous development programs.
- Facilitating team-building activities to foster engagement and collaboration.
- Reviewing and approving deliverables, providing peer reviews when appropriate.
- Presenting alternative solutions to overcome technical challenges.
Skills & Abilities:- Comprehensive understanding of Sales, Marketing, Customer Care, and Support Operations, with a proven ability to design communications that drive service and sales outcomes.
- Expertise in developing personalized, service-focused CRM strategies that enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Proficiency with modern CRM and marketing automation platforms (e.g., Salesforce Sales, Service, and Marketing Clouds).
- Strong collaboration skills, with a history of working effectively across customer service, product, and technology teams.
- Highly data-driven, with the ability to analyze performance metrics and continuously refine strategies based on feedback and results.
- Decisive, with excellent problem-solving skills, including the ability to envision and deliver creative solutions.
- Outstanding verbal, written, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with both business and technical audiences.
- Proven experience in translating business requirements into Salesforce customizations that drive organizational success.
Qualifications:- A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in CRM, lifecycle marketing, or a related discipline, with at least three (3) years in a leadership capacity.
- Demonstrated success in delivering measurable outcomes through CRM initiatives.
- Comprehensive understanding of segmentation, personalization, A/B testing methodologies, and automation strategies.
- Extensive hands-on experience with contemporary CRM platforms and analytics tools.
- Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with a proven ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams.
- A strategic mindset coupled with a proactive, hands-on approach to execution.
Education:A bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited college or university in business, computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field is required.
Physical Requirements:Must be able to sit for extended periods of time. Regularly required to stand, walk, talk and hear.
Travel and Commute:Travel required up to 15%
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