Manager - Customer Success

About the role

Cordance is dedicated to accelerating the growth of vertically focused business-to-business (B2B) software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies through acquisition and long-term tactical and financial guidance. We partner with founders to help them scale their businesses and realize their companies’ full potential. The Manager, Customer Success (CS Manager) is a pivotal leadership role within the Customer Success organization. Your full professional capacity is invested in one outcome: building, developing, and leading a high-performing CS team that consistently delivers exceptional retention, expansion, and customer outcomes across the portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Own team-level GRR, NRR, and expansion targets — accountable for aggregate performance across all direct reports' portfolios
• Maintain a real-time view of the team's renewal pipeline, at-risk accounts, and expansion opportunities through regular account reviews and reporting
• Identify commercial risk early across the team's portfolio and drive proactive mitigation
• Ensure every CSM on the team has a documented account strategy, active success plans, and clear renewal and expansion plans for key accounts
• Partner with CS Leadership to set team targets, forecast performance, and report on retention and revenue outcomes at the portfolio level
• Serve as the executive escalation point for the most critical or complex account situations within the team's portfolio
• Own the consistent application of CS playbooks, processes, and standards across the team — identifying where gaps exist and driving improvement
• Partner with CS Leadership to develop, refine, and operationalize playbooks, renewal frameworks, and success plan standards
• Manage a team of CSMs across levels with direct accountability for their performance, development, and career progression
• Conduct regular 1:1s with each direct report — structured, purposeful, and focused on both immediate performance and longer-term development
• Deliver honest, specific, and actionable performance feedback on a consistent cadence
• Develop and maintain individual development plans for each direct report, aligned to their career goals, current gaps, and the needs of the team
• Identify high-potential team members and proactively create stretch opportunities, exposure, and development experiences
• Address underperformance early and directly, with clear expectations, documented support plans, and consistent follow-through
• Actively contribute to hiring decisions, onboarding design, and ramp planning for new CS team members
• Build a team environment where feedback flows in both directions — where CSMs feel safe to raise concerns, share ideas, and push back constructively

Competencies

• People Leadership & Talent Development – Builds and develops a high-performing CS team through structured coaching, actionable feedback, individualized development plans, and clear accountability for performance and career growth.
• Commercial & Retention Leadership – Owns team-level GRR, NRR, retention, and expansion outcomes, ensuring CSMs understand their commercial responsibilities and have clear strategies to achieve portfolio targets.
• Strategic Account & Risk Oversight – Maintains visibility across renewal pipelines, account health, expansion opportunities, and at-risk customers, identifying trends and driving proactive strategies before risks impact retention.
• Performance Management & Accountability – Sets clear expectations, evaluates performance consistently, recognizes high potential, and addresses performance gaps early through direct feedback, structured support, and follow-through.
• CS Coaching & Execution Excellence – Coaches CSMs on account strategy, success planning, renewals, expansion, and executive engagement while ensuring consistent execution of CS playbooks and standards.
• Operational Excellence & Scalability – Builds and improves CS processes, reporting cadences, playbooks, onboarding programs, and team systems that create consistency and enable the organization to scale effectively.
• Executive Escalation & Customer Leadership – Provides leadership in complex or high-risk customer situations, helping shape strategy and executive communication while enabling the CSM to maintain appropriate account ownership.
• Cross-Functional Leadership & Influence – Partners effectively with Sales, Product, Finance, Operations, and CS Leadership to align customer strategy with broader retention, expansion, and business objectives.

Required Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in Customer Success, Account Management, or Customer Growth in B2B SaaS
• Demonstrated track record of excellence as an individual contributor in CS — equivalent to CSM 3 or CSM Team Lead performance — providing the commercial credibility needed to coach and develop senior CSMs
• Prior people management experience with direct reports in a CS, account management, or related customer-facing function
• Proven ability to develop CS talent — identifying gaps, designing development plans, and delivering feedback that produces measurable improvement
• Strong commercial literacy: fluency in NRR, GRR, ARR, churn, and expansion mechanics and the ability to hold a team accountable to these metrics with depth and confidence
• Experience managing team performance — setting targets, reviewing pipelines, identifying risk, and driving accountability across a group of individual contributors
• Demonstrated cross-functional influence: working with Sales, Finance, Product, and Operations to align around customer and revenue outcomes
• Strong operational instincts — able to design and improve team processes, reporting cadences, and playbook execution standards
• Experience with CS and CRM platforms at both a user and team-management level
• Exceptional communication skills — able to give difficult feedback, navigate executive conversations, and represent the team's perspective with authority

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a CS Team Lead, pod lead, or senior advisor role before moving into direct management — demonstrating a natural progression through the player-coach model
• Background building or redesigning CS team structures, onboarding programs, or career frameworks
• Strong data fluency: designing team dashboards, renewal forecasts, and health scoring systems that inform management decisions

Benefits

• Health and Wellness: Comprehensive Health Coverage beginning on your first day of employment
• Retirement Savings:
  • 401K Plan (US): 1:1 match for the first 3% of contributions and 0.5:1 for the next 2%. Contribute 5% of your salary and receive a 4% match. Pre-tax and Roth options available. Eligible the first of the month after 90 days and immediately vested.
  • RRSP (CAN): 1:1 match for the first 3% of contributions and 0.5:1 for the next 2%. Contribute 5% of your salary and receive a 4% match. Pre-tax and Roth options available. Eligible the first of the month after 90 days and immediately vested.
• Paid Time Off:
  • Flexible PTO: Uncapped paid time off to balance work and personal life
  • Parental Leave: 12 weeks paid leave for all employees
• Remote Work Support: Monthly Stipend of $75 USD / $140 CAD per month for phone and internet if you work remotely
• Holidays: Generous Holiday Schedule with an extensive list of holidays