Lead, Customer Advocacy

Remote from: Canada
Salary, yearly, CAD: 89,000 - 139,000
Department: Customer Success
Employment type: Full Time,
Job posted: 9 Jun 2026
Apply before: 9 Jul 2026
Experience level: Senior
Views / Applies: 31 / 3

About company

About Affirm

Buy now. Pay later. Simple and transparent financing.

Financial Services
2012

Actively Hiring

AI Summary

Affirm is seeking a Lead, Customer Advocacy to lead a team of specialists in resolving complex customer complaints and driving operational excellence. The role involves managing cross-functional initiatives, vendor performance, and QA operations to improve customer outcomes. The ideal candidate has people management experience, strong analytical skills, and a customer-centric mindset. This position requires navigating high-risk issues and influencing stakeholders across the organization. The Lead will act as the Voice of Affirm, ensuring fair and empathetic resolutions while scaling processes.

Role DNA

Job Complexity

Easy Hard

Pace & Pressure

Relaxed Fast-paced

Autonomy Level

Guided Full Ownership

Communication Load

Independent Highly Collaborative

AI Insight This role is rated difficulty 4 due to the combination of leading a team, managing complex escalations, and driving cross-functional operational improvements, which requires high-level problem-solving and stakeholder management.

Salary Analysis

AI Insight The offered salary range of $89,000–$139,000 CAD is competitive for a Lead Customer Advocacy role in Canada, with the median aligning well with market benchmarks for similar positions in fintech.

Key Skills

Leadership Customer Advocacy Complaint Resolution QA Operations Vendor Management Cross-functional Collaboration Data-driven Decision Making Process Improvement Escalation Management Team Development

Cover Letter Sample

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am excited to apply for the Lead, Customer Advocacy position at Affirm. With over five years of experience in customer advocacy and team leadership, I have successfully managed complex complaint resolutions and driven process improvements that enhanced customer satisfaction. My background includes leading high-performing teams, developing QA frameworks, and collaborating cross-functionally to address systemic issues.

I am particularly drawn to Affirm's mission of making credit more honest and friendly. In my current role, I have championed customer voices and implemented scalable solutions that reduced complaint rates by 20%. I am confident that my skills in escalation management, vendor oversight, and data-driven decision-making align perfectly with the requirements of this role.

I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to Affirm's customer advocacy efforts and help build a world-class customer experience. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Jane Doe

Possible Interview Questions

How would you approach developing a high-performing team of Customer Advocacy Associates?

I would start by setting clear performance metrics and expectations, then provide regular coaching and feedback. I believe in fostering a supportive environment where team members feel empowered to resolve issues while maintaining empathy. I would also implement training sessions on product knowledge and conflict resolution, and use data to identify skill gaps and recognize top performers.

Describe a time you handled a highly escalated customer complaint. What steps did you take?

In a previous role, a customer escalated a billing error that had persisted for months. I first listened empathetically to understand their frustration, then personally took ownership of the case. I coordinated with billing and IT teams to identify the root cause, expedited a refund, and implemented a preventive measure. I also followed up with the customer to ensure satisfaction and documented the process for future cases.

How would you drive improvements in QA operations for complaint handling?

I would start by analyzing current QA metrics and feedback to identify gaps. Then I would revise the QA framework to include more objective criteria, such as resolution accuracy and customer sentiment. I would also introduce calibration sessions to ensure consistency among reviewers. Regularly reviewing QA trends with the team helps reinforce best practices and drive continuous improvement.

Explain how you would manage vendor performance for third-party complaint handling.

I would establish clear SLAs and KPIs aligned with our standards, and conduct regular performance reviews. I would also implement a feedback loop where the vendor shares root cause data, and I would collaborate with them on training and process adjustments. Escalation protocols would be documented, and I would track vendor performance dashboards to proactively address issues.

How do you balance data-driven decision making with empathy in customer advocacy?

Data helps identify trends and measure outcomes, but each case involves a human story. I use data to prioritize systemic fixes, while ensuring individual interactions remain empathetic. For example, when analyzing complaint data, I might spot a recurring issue, but I always train the team to handle each customer with patience and understanding. Both are essential for fair and effective resolutions.

Affirm is reinventing credit to make it more honest and friendly, giving consumers the flexibility to buy now and pay later without any hidden fees or compounding interest.

About The Role

Affirm’s Customer Advocacy and Retention (CAR) team houses our customer advocacy experts. When customers share their most challenging experiences with Affirm, the CAR team provides critical insight into the breaking points of our products, processes, and policies. By championing these customers, we use their voices to improve the customer experience, deliver fair outcomes, and repair relationships.

As a Customer Advocacy Lead, you will serve as the Voice of Affirm – leveraging deep service and product expertise to resolve highly complex complaints while leading a team of Customer Advocacy Associates. The team facilitates coordination across cross-functional partners to identify root causes, assess complaint validity, and determine appropriate, compliant resolutions.

Beyond individual case resolution, this role owns key components of Affirm’s complaints and customer advocacy ecosystem, including quality assurance operations, escalation management, and vendor performance. You will act as a critical operational leader across internal and external partners – proactively identifying risks, removing bottlenecks, and driving scalable solutions that improve service levels, reduce complaint rates, and increase customer satisfaction.

This role requires navigating complex, cross-functional challenges and leading initiatives that enhance both customer outcomes and operational effectiveness at scale.

Key Attributes

Experience as a people manager with a track record of building high-performing teams
Strong ownership mindset with the ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives
Deep commitment to customer-centric solutions and fair, empathetic outcomes
Data-driven decision maker with strong analytical and critical thinking skills
Process improvement mindset with strong operational rigor
Ability to influence and drive alignment across multiple stakeholders
Sound judgment and accountability when handling sensitive, high-risk issues
Experience managing external vendors, BPOs, or third-party partners (or similar)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex topics clearly and concisely

What you’ll do

Lead and develop a high-performing team

Manage, coach, and develop a team of Customer Advocacy Associates
Drive team performance using key metrics such as productivity, quality, customer outcomes, and service levels
Foster a high-performing, engaged team environment that operates effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Partner with recruiting to hire, onboard, and retain top talent

Deliver exceptional customer outcomes

Resolve complex and highly escalated customer complaints with efficiency, empathy, and sound judgment
Review and respond to sensitive, high-risk complaints, reinforcing and shaping the “Voice of Affirm”
Communicate with customers across channels, including email and phone, as appropriate
Represent and advocate for the complaints function in cross-functional forums to ensure consistent, high-quality customer experiences

Own operational excellence across internal and external partners

Own QA operations and processes, ensuring consistent, high-quality complaint handling across the team
Evolve QA frameworks to maintain depth, rigor, and scalability as the organization grows
Own vendor performance and accountability for third-party complaint handling, ensuring alignment with Affirm standards for quality, compliance, and customer experience
Establish and monitor service level expectations (SLAs/KPIs), proactively identifying risks and driving corrective actions
Oversee internal escalation workflows and act as a point of escalation for the most complex and sensitive issues
Establish scalable support models and coverage strategies to maintain service levels during periods of fluctuating volume or constrained bandwidth
Own capacity planning and resource allocation across internal teams, vendors, and contractors
Manage and oversee contractors supporting the CAR team to ensure consistent performance and coverage

Drive cross-functional impact

Lead complex, cross-functional initiatives across teams such as Vendor Partners, Compliance, Legal, Risk, Product, and Communications
Act as the primary operational interface with partner teams to improve intake quality, routing accuracy, and escalation effectiveness
Remove operational bottlenecks and drive alignment on processes, tooling, and customer experience standards
Influence product, policy, and process improvements based on customer insights and complaint trends

Drive continuous improvement at scale

Analyze complaint data to identify trends, root causes, and opportunities for systemic improvement
Deliver measurable impact by reducing complaint rates and improving customer satisfaction
Drive remediation of thematic issues through strong cross-functional collaboration
Continuously improve the internal complaints management program, tools, and workflows
Identify emerging risks, operational gaps, and service-level challenges, and drive end-to-end solutions with minimal direction
Improve customer-facing resources and education to streamline service and reduce friction

Grow your financial services expertise

Serve as a subject matter expert on Affirm’s products, servicing processes, and applicable regulatory requirements
Stay informed on evolving consumer finance policies and industry trends

What we look for

5+ years of people management experience in a customer operations or service delivery environment with a Bachelor’s degree; OR 3+ years with a Master’s degree; or no experience with a PhD; or equivalent experience
3+ years of experience in customer support, service delivery, or complaint resolution
Experience managing vendors, BPOs, or external partners
Experience owning multi-domain operational functions (e.g., QA, escalations, service delivery)
Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives and drive measurable outcomes
Strong operational mindset with experience managing SLAs, KPIs, and service performance
Ability to operate independently and drive execution with minimal oversight
Resilience and ability to navigate ambiguity, complexity, and high-pressure situations
Collaborative mindset with strong stakeholder management skills
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with attention to detail, tone, and clarity
Strong customer empathy and a passion for improving customer outcomes
Proactive thinker with a continuous improvement mindset

Pay Grade – I
Equity Grade – 3
Employees new to Affirm typically come in at the start of the pay range. Affirm focuses on providing a simple and transparent pay structure which is based on a variety of factors, including location, experience and job-related skills.
Base pay is part of a total compensation package that may include monthly stipends for health, wellness and tech spending, and benefits (including 100% subsidized medical coverage, dental and vision for you and your dependents). In addition, the employees may be eligible for equity rewards offered by Affirm Holdings, Inc. (parent company).
CAN base pay range per year: $89,000 – $139,000
# LI-Remote

Affirm is proud to be a remote-first company! The majority of our roles are remote and you can work almost anywhere within the country of employment. Affirmers in proximal roles have the flexibility to work remotely, but will occasionally be required to work out of their assigned Affirm office. A limited number of roles remain office-based due to the nature of their job responsibilities.

We’re extremely proud to offer competitive benefits that are anchored to our core value of people come first. Some key highlights of our benefits package include:

Health care coverage – Affirm covers all premiums for all levels of coverage for you and your dependents
Flexible Spending Wallets – generous stipends for spending on Technology, Food, various Lifestyle needs, and family forming expenses
Time off – competitive vacation and holiday schedules allowing you to take time off to rest and recharge
ESPP – An employee stock purchase plan enabling you to buy shares of Affirm at a discount

We believe It’s On Us to provide an inclusive interview experience for all, including people with disabilities. We are happy to provide reasonable accommodations to candidates in need of individualized support during the hiring process.

[For U.S. positions that could be performed in Los Angeles or San Francisco] Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, Affirm will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

By clicking “Submit Application,” you acknowledge that you have read Affirm’s Global Candidate Privacy Notice and hereby freely and unambiguously give informed consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of your personal information as described therein.

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