PeopleGrove is seeking a driven and dynamic Client Strategist to champion our higher education partners using our cutting-edge product suite. If you thrive in fast-paced environments, have a passion for helping others succeed, and love turning complex challenges into meaningful outcomes, this role is for you!
What You'll Do
- Lead annual strategy sessions with institutional stakeholders to align campus goals with their PeopleGrove platform.
- Set clear targets and give direction on platform usage based on each institution's priorities.
- Map platform capabilities to the institution's broader student success, advancement, or enrollment goals.
- Check in on progress against strategic targets and adjust the plan as institutional priorities change.
- Identify opportunities to expand platform usage in ways that support the institution's goals.
- Balance one-to-one strategic guidance with one-to-many programming.
- Shape the direction of client-facing events, including webinars, conferences, campus visits and PeopleGrove hosted events. Identify opportunities to plan, organize and attend the ones that matter most to the portfolio.
- Serve as the voice of the collective client inside PeopleGrove, sharing and providing feedback with CS Leadership, Product and Engineering.
- Own the renewal strategy for your portfolio, including forecasting, timing, and negotiation.
- Identify risk metrics and monitor account health; work with your Engagement Manager team to identify and intervene early on accounts at risk.
- Identify up- and cross-sell opportunities to tee up to New Sales team.
- Serve as the senior point of contact for institutional leadership within your portfolio.
- Represent your clients' priorities internally, working with Product, Support, and Sales to close gaps and inform the roadmap.
- Build a network of institutional champions who can speak to the value of the PeopleGrove partnership.
- Manage and coach a team of Engagement Managers, setting priorities and reviewing progress against adoption goals. Support Engagement Mangers in building and implementing a scalable engagement strategy for portfolio of clients.
- Run regular one-on-ones and support the professional growth of your team.
- Help onboard and train new Engagement Managers as the team grows.
- Track monthly gross and net retention rates, logo retention, account health, and adoption metrics across your portfolio.
- Report on portfolio performance and flag risk early enough to act on it.
- Use data to decide where your team should focus its engagement efforts.
Strategic Planning & Account Direction
Renewal Management
Team Leadership
Metrics & Reporting
Who You Are
- 6+ years in client success, account management, or a related role in higher education or SaaS, including experience leading or mentoring a team.
- Track record of managing renewals and account growth for institutional or enterprise clients.
- Experience with customer success or CRM platforms such as ChurnZero and Salesforce.
- Strong strategic and consultative skills, comfortable setting direction with senior stakeholders at a college or university.
- Clear communicator, in writing and in front of a room.
- Data-driven approach to tracking account health and identifying risk.
- Comfortable managing multiple institutional relationships and competing priorities at once.
- Bachelor's degree in a related field; advanced degree a plus.
- Background in higher education, SaaS, or both preferred.
Experience
Skills
Education
Perks & Benefits
- Competitive salary + annual bonus
- Flexible PTO and hybrid/remote work options
- Full medical, dental, and vision coverage
- 401K with generous company match + financial planning
- Company-paid life and disability insurance
- Collaborative and purpose-driven culture
Skills Required
- 6+ years in client success, account management, or related role in higher education or SaaS, including experience leading or mentoring a team
- Proven track record managing renewals and account growth for institutional or enterprise clients
- Experience with customer success or CRM platforms such as ChurnZero and Salesforce
- Strong strategic and consultative skills with senior stakeholders at colleges or universities
- Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills
- Data-driven approach to tracking account health and identifying risk
- Ability to manage multiple institutional relationships and competing priorities
- Bachelor's degree in a related field
- Advanced degree
- Background in higher education, SaaS, or both
- Willingness and ability to travel approximately 35-40%
What We Do
As higher education’s first Career Access Platform™, PeopleGrove is a smart career network that recommends Mentorship, Networking, Career Exploration, and the Job Connections that together effectively build the social capital learners need to succeed. Unlike other student success tools and alumni engagement software, PeopleGrove is lifelong career support that’s smart, personal, and helpful even to those without a network, experience, or clear starting point. Established in 2015, PeopleGrove set out to build the most helpful network ever created because we believe career fulfillment is a right every single person should have. To date, we've helped millions of learners on their career journeys: - 1+ million connections - 96% retention rate - 20+ million users - 60% of US News Top 100 Universities - 5/5 average rating from user interactions - 450+ customers served PeopleGrove is proudly part of The Riverside Company portfolio of companies. With their partnership, we are a transformational organization that prides itself on building an environment where curiosity is rewarded and the unknown is embraced. Places to go. People to be.
