Senior Director, Customer Service AI Product

About the role

Own and drive Customer Experience Product, combining core service capabilities and AI-powered solutions to improve customer satisfaction, reduce handle time, and lower cost per contact. Partner with engineering, data, operations, and customer care teams to define strategy, deliver high-impact features, and continuously optimize through analytics, testing, and customer feedback across all service channels.

Responsibilities

• Own the Customer Service/Experience Product roadmap across phone, chat, email, web, and self-service channels to improve CSAT/NPS, reliability, and efficiency
• Define and deliver both AI-powered and traditional service capabilities, including CRM workflows, case management, IVR routing, agent tools, and self-service experiences
• Translate customer journeys, voice-of-customer insights, and service metrics into PRDs, user stories, and acceptance criteria tied to AHT, FCR, and contact reduction
• Design, build, and launch AI solutions (LLM/NLP, conversational AI, agent assist, intelligent routing) with clear performance targets and guardrails
• Optimize CRM case workflows (assignment rules, escalations, macros) and knowledge management to improve resolution speed and reduce transfers
• Implement and enhance self-service and IVR capabilities to increase containment and reduce cost per contact
• Partner cross-functionally with engineering, data science, QA, operations, digital, and customer care to plan releases and deliver on roadmap priorities
• Define KPIs and leverage analytics (CSAT, NPS, FCR, AHT, transfer rate, cost per contact, deflection) to prioritize work and validate impact
• Drive A/B testing and experimentation to measure feature effectiveness and continuously improve outcomes
• Integrate solutions across CRM and contact center platforms to create seamless agent and customer experiences
• Establish responsible AI practices, ensuring data privacy, safety, and content quality
• Create feedback loops, annotation processes, and model improvement cycles to enhance AI performance
• Map customer journeys and service processes to identify friction points and drive improvements
• Partner with QA and operations to execute UAT, ensure quality launches, and implement monitoring and rollback plans
• Create release notes, documentation, and training materials to support adoption and change management
• Drive continuous improvement by simplifying workflows, reducing costs, and improving customer loyalty

Qualifications

• Required Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, Business, or related field, or equivalent practical experience
• Experience: 5+ years of product management or customer experience/service product experience
• Experience delivering both core service products (CRM, IVR, self-service) and AI-powered capabilities
• Proven track record shipping features that improve CSAT/NPS, reduce AHT, and increase FCR or deflection
• Hands-on experience building or deploying AI-driven customer experience solutions (e.g., conversational AI, agent assist)
• Strong analytical skills with experience using SQL, Excel, or BI tools (Power BI, Tableau)
• Experience writing PRDs, user stories, and acceptance criteria aligned to business outcomes
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills
• Experience working in Agile environments (Jira, Confluence)

Technical & Domain Skills

• Working knowledge of AI/ML, NLP, and large language models and how to evaluate performance
• Experience with conversational AI platforms (e.g., Dialogflow, Lex, Azure Bot Service)
• Familiarity with cloud AI services (Azure OpenAI, AWS, Google Cloud)
• Experience with CRM platforms (Salesforce Service Cloud, Zendesk) and contact center systems (Genesys, NICE, Five9, Cisco)
• Knowledge of contact center operations (queue management, escalation paths, workforce considerations)

Additional Qualifications, Preferred

• Advanced experience in prompt engineering, conversation design, and retrieval-augmented generation
• Background in retail or eCommerce customer service environments
• Experience in omnichannel contact centers and high-volume service operations
• Experience with experimentation frameworks and pilot design
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or ITIL practices
• Experience deploying AI solutions with MLOps practices

Benefits

• Health, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off; increases with years of service
• Generous Employee Discount on home furnishings
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Tuition Assistance
• Ashley Wellness Centers (location specific)
• 401(k) and Profit Sharing
• Life Insurance

Core Values

• Honesty & Integrity
• Growth & Results Focus
• Culture of Leadership
• Customer-Centric & Boundaryless
• Operational Excellence

Work Environment

• This position is located in an active industrial manufacturing and distribution center with moderate to high noise levels, temperature variations, and material handling equipment in operation.
• The role may require extended periods of standing or walking on concrete floors and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses and steel-toed boots.
• The fast-paced environment involves time-sensitive and safety sensitive operations and may include various shift schedules to support production and distribution needs.

Notice to Search Firms

We are not seeking assistance or accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms unless we have agreed otherwise in a valid, written agreement for the specific position posted and signed by an authorized representative of Ashley Furniture Industries. Please note this position is not eligible for current or future employment sponsorship. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or at any time in the future.