Implementation Lead

Element451 is the AI-native CRM and agent platform built for higher education. We help colleges and universities modernize engagement, recruitment, enrollment, and student success with intelligent automation and a product customers genuinely love. As we continue to scale, predictable, high-quality go-lives are a core growth lever. This role exists to ensure every new institution launches with clarity, momentum, and the right foundation for long-term success. The Role As an Implementation Lead, you are the delivery owner for all customer implementations. You lead the implementation program end to end, including project plan, timeline, stakeholder alignment, and launch readiness, and are accountable for ensuring the platform is successfully adopted to achieve the customer's defined goals at handoff to Customer Success. You keep projects moving, decisions crisp, and go-lives predictable. This is a customer-facing role for someone who blends strong program leadership with enough platform fluency to guide solution direction, make tradeoffs, and coordinate effectively across teams. What You'll Own Go-live delivery ownership Own implementation delivery from kickoff through go-live and transition to Customer SuccessBuild and manage the project plan: milestones, dependencies, decisions, and weekly execution rhythmDrive accountability across internal teams and customer stakeholders to keep timelines on track Discovery, solution direction, and decision-making Lead structured discovery to clarify goals, workflows, stakeholders, constraints, and measurable success criteria tied to customer outcomesTranslate requirements into a phased implementation approach and realistic timelinePartner with Integrations Architect and Product as needed on complex design decisions Launch readiness and risk management Maintain a clear go-live checklist: UAT completion, data readiness, approvals, training coordination, and communicationsIdentify risks early (scope creep, stakeholder misalignment, data delays) and implement mitigation plansEnsure scope is controlled and tradeoffs are made transparently when neededEnsure go-live criteria include both technical readiness and alignment to intended customer outcomes Outcome validation and value alignment Ensure the configured product supports the customer's primary use cases and defined success criteriaValidate, with the customer, that key workflows and capabilities are live, usable, and aligned to their goalsConfirm readiness not just for go-live, but for value realization post-launch Cross-functional Coordination And Customer Experience Lead customer working sessions and executive updates with confidence and clarityCoordinate with Adoption & Enablement and Integrations specialists to ensure all workstreams land cleanlyProvide clear validation of how the implementation supports the customer's goals, including any gaps, risks, or dependencies for achieving outcomes What You Bring 4-8 years in SaaS implementation, project delivery, or customer onboarding (PM, Implementation Manager, Professional Services, TPM, etc.)Proven ability to run multiple implementations at once with strong stakeholder managementComfort working with technical and non-technical audiences (Enrollment Ops, IT, leadership)Excellent project discipline: timelines, risks, communication, and follow-throughFamiliarity with CRM/marketing automation implementations (higher ed experience a strong plus)Experience in a scaling environment is a plus How We Measure Success Early value realization signals (e.g., initial usage, workflow adoption, or goal alignment within first 30-60 days)On-time go-live rate and predictable delivery outcomesImplementation cycle time without quality tradeoffsRisk management quality: fewer avoidable delays/escalationsHandoff quality score: CS confirms the implementation is positioned to achieve stated customer goalsCustomer experience: post-implementation CSAT and stakeholder confidence Our Values Impactful not ImmediateProgress before PerfectionLearners before MastersTogether not AloneCustomer Success not Support Our Interview Process Our process is rigorous and designed to be a real signal, for you and for us. Expect a live working session grounded in a realistic implementation scenario, not take-home busywork or trivia. You will show how you run discovery, structure a plan, manage risk, and communicate with customers and cross-functional partners.