Customer Experience Strategy & Operations Manager, US KASA

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a leading home appliance company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. As the only major U.S.-based manufacturer of kitchen and laundry appliances, the company drives meaningful innovation through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir, Maytag, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, and InSinkErator. In 2024, the company reported approximately $17 billion in annual sales, 44,000 employees, and 40 manufacturing and technology research centers.

About the team

You know us for our iconic Stand Mixer, but we’re so much more. By joining the KitchenAid Small Appliances Team, you’ll be part of a group that pushes the boundaries of culinary innovation and award-winning design. We strive to deliver a best-in-class experience across the entire consumer journey. If you're passionate about blending tradition with cutting-edge creativity, you'll feel right at home here.

Responsibilities

• CX Strategy & Relationship Management
  • Brand Advocacy: Serve as the CX champion, fostering a culture of exceptional service across all business functions.
  • CxC Leadership: Lead the relationship with our contact center partner, inspiring the team to meet and exceed world-class CX standards.
  • Operational Governance: Establish a performance framework to track CxC metrics, ensuring all Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are consistently met.
  • Strategic Rituals: Lead structured communication cycles to ensure alignment:
    • Daily: Tactical pulse checks (SLAs and deflection monitoring).
    • Weekly: Performance reviews, roadblock removal, and coaching on mitigation rates.
    • Monthly: Business reviews (MBRs) focusing on volume optimization and KPI trends.
    • Quarterly: Top-to-Top sessions for roadmap alignment and executive confidence.
• Operational Excellence & Insights
  • Continuous Improvement: Partner with the CxC to drive operational efficiency, team growth, and process refinement.
  • Closed-Feedback Loop: Own the framework for transforming customer data into actionable insights, sharing findings across the business to drive change.
  • Forecasting & Planning: Collaborate with D2C and Consumer Services teams to manage contact volume forecasting and ensure proactive staffing levels.
  • Escalation Management: Work directly with the CxC team to resolve high-priority customer escalations.
• Performance Reporting & Innovation
  • CX Analytics: Analyze feedback and identify trends/pain points to improve the customer journey.
  • Technical Synergy: Work with IT and D2C teams to ensure system requirements support the CX strategy and enhance interactions.
  • Specialized Reporting: Deliver data-driven insights on:
    • Product Quality Signals: Identifying hardware/software malfunctions or recurring defects.
    • Unintended Use Cases: Reporting "off-label" product usage by consumers.
    • UX Friction: Identifying UI elements or features causing high contact volume.
    • Returns Classification: Need differentiation of returns needing credits issued vs PEX or other non-credit returns.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Communications, or a related field.
• Work Experience: 4–5 years of direct experience in Customer Experience (CX) Operations, Contact Center Management, or Customer Service Strategy.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7+ years of broader experience in a CX Strategy or Operations role, ideally within the consumer goods or D2C space.
• Proven track record in a Customer Service leadership or CX Operations role, including tracking performance metrics and enforcing SLAs.
• Strong cross-functional influence and people management skills, with a heavy emphasis on coaching and development.
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to translate complex data into clear strategic and actionable recommendations.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills; ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Advanced computer and systems skills (CRM, Data Visualization, and CX Platforms).
• A creative thinker who can work autonomously and make confident, independent decisions in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

• Generous benefits package.
• Whirlpool employee discount.
• Fitness & educational reimbursement programs.
• Kitchenettes in office locations.
• Saint Joseph/Benton Harbor locations:
  • Beautiful, recently renovated office space.
  • Barista Bar.
  • Biking/walking trails.
  • Access to The Eddy - Early Childhood Center (depending upon availability - additional costs required).
• Ways of Working Benefits:
  • Always On Flexibility: Autonomy to manage personal, family, and outside-of-work commitments as needed.
  • Two-Week Work from Anywhere: Minimum of one-week increments for a total of two weeks per year.
  • Sabbatical: Four weeks paid leave after every five years of service.

Schedule

In-person Monday through Friday.