About this role.
Instructure is seeking a Senior Customer Success Manager to own a portfolio of 30-35 K12 district accounts representing roughly $3M in annual recurring revenue. The role focuses on driving retention, expansion, and market growth through complex multi-stakeholder engagement, executive relationships, and strategic account planning. You will lead cross-functional alignment across Sales, Renewals, Product, and Support, and mentor other CSMs. The position demands strong communication, renewal forecasting, and the ability to translate customer outcomes into advocacy.
Role DNA
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Job Complexity
4/5Pace & Pressure
4/5Autonomy Level
5/5Communication Load
5/5Salary analysis
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Core skills
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Cover letter sample
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am excited to apply for the Senior Customer Success Manager, K12 position at Instructure. With over six years of experience in customer success within the education technology sector, I have developed a deep understanding of district-level complexities and the importance of building trusted relationships with superintendents and curriculum leaders.
In my previous role, I managed a $4M book of business, consistently exceeding renewal targets while driving expansion through strategic QBRs and executive engagement. My ability to align cross-functional teams and mentor junior CSMs has directly contributed to increased customer retention and satisfaction.
I am particularly drawn to Instructure's mission of simplifying learning and am confident that my skills in forecasting, strategic planning, and advocacy will make a meaningful impact on your K12 customer success team.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to discussing how I can contribute to your organization.
Sample interview questions
In my previous role, I had a district account that was unhappy with product adoption and threatened to churn. I scheduled a leadership meeting, listened to their concerns, and identified the root cause: lack of onboarding. I created a tailored adoption plan, provided additional training for their teachers, and set up monthly check-ins. Within three months, usage increased by 40%, and the district signed a multi-year renewal and an expansion.
I start by understanding each executive's key initiatives and pain points, then align product capabilities to those outcomes. I prepare concise, data-driven narratives for executive business reviews, showing ROI and impact. I also maintain regular touchpoints, share industry insights, and proactively raise risks with proposed solutions, which builds credibility and long-term trust.
I use a combination of usage data, stakeholder sentiment, and account health scores in Gainsight, along with Salesforce reports to track engagement and open opportunities. I flag risks early by monitoring dashboard logins, training attendance, and support tickets. I then hold risk reviews with my team to align on mitigation strategies and adjust forecasts accordingly.
I prioritize based on risk and revenue impact, using a scoring matrix that factors in renewal date, contract value, and health score. I also delegate tasks to supporting team members and leverage automation for routine follow-ups. Clear communication with stakeholders and time blocking helps me stay focused on the highest-impact activities.
I would set aside regular 30-minute coaching sessions, focusing on real scenarios they're handling. I encourage them to shadow my QBRs and walk through my decision-making process. I also share templates and playbooks, and use a buddy system for peer learning. By empowering them to solve issues independently, I reduce my drain while building their confidence.
At Instructure, we believe in the power of people to grow and succeed throughout their lives. Our goal is to amplify that power by creating intuitive products that simplify learning and personal development, facilitate meaningful relationships, and inspire people to go further in their education and careers.
We do this by giving smart, creative, passionate people opportunities to create awesome. And that’s where you come in:
We’re looking for an experienced Sr. Customer Success Manager to drive retention and growth of our customers through targeted customer engagements, deep relationship building, and expanding our scope of influence across a district or account.
As a Sr. Customer Success Manager you will own a book of business of approximately 30–35 K12 accounts, representing about $3 million in annual recurring revenue. You’ll manage complex, multi-stakeholder customer relationships from the district level up through the superintendent’s office, and you’ll take the lead on retention, expansion, and market growth across your territory.
This role goes beyond managing individual accounts. You’ll drive cross-functional alignment across Sales, Renewals, Product, and Support, lead executive-level conversations, and mentor other customer success managers as you help build a stronger team.
What you’ll do:
Own territory and account plans for your book of K12 customers, anticipating risk early and driving internal alignment to keep outcomes on track.
Lead complex, multi-stakeholder account motions, balancing competing priorities and influencing alignment across Sales, Renewals, Product, and Support.
Build executive-ready narratives for QBRs and EBRs, align stakeholders, anticipate objections, and secure commitments that move accounts forward.
Develop multi-threaded relationships that earn trusted-advisor status, and expand executive access within your accounts.
Convert customer value into advocacy through references, case studies, and EBR stories, while managing political risk within the account.
Partner cross-functionally to refine handoffs and lifecycle processes, and lead process improvements that reduce friction for customers and internal teams alike.
Connect product capabilities to customer outcomes, advise on adoption paths, and flag integration needs and risks before they become problems.
Own renewal strategy and forecast accuracy for your book of business; run risk reviews and tie value to business outcomes to protect retention.
Track account health, pipeline, and customer engagement in Gainsight, Salesforce, and Gong.
Build account-level expansion plans, quantify ROI, and advance opportunities with Sales to close.
Mentor other customer success managers, model best practices, and contribute to onboarding and enablement across the team.
Take on stretch projects that support your customers and the broader customer success team.
Act as the voice of the customer, sharing insights and challenges with Instructure’s product and strategy teams.
What you’ll need to know/have:
A bachelor’s degree, or four or more years of account management experience.
A proven track record of understanding customer goals and partnering with customers to achieve them.
Experience managing renewal retention, pipeline generation, and non-recurring revenue against a quota.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting to executives.
Experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder relationships and navigating organizational change.
The ability to set clear expectations and manage issues through to completion.
The ability to multitask and reprioritize as circumstances change.
A customer-facing background in the software industry.
Experience with CRM and customer success platforms such as Gainsight, Salesforce, or Gong is a plus.
A strong team mentality and a track record of mentoring or coaching peers.
Strong problem-solving skills and a bias toward finding solutions.
Get in on all the awesome at Instructure!
We offer competitive, meaningful benefits in every country where we operate. While they vary by location, here’s a general idea of what you can expect:
Competitive compensation, plus all full-time employees participate in our ownership program – because everyone should have a stake in our success.
Flexible work culture. Our remote, hybrid and in-office collaboration spaces vary by role, team and location.
Generous time off, including local holidays and our annual “Dim the Lights” period in late December, when teams are encouraged to step back and recharge based on departmental needs.
Comprehensive wellness programs and mental health support
Learning and development resources, including professional development tools and tuition reimbursement, to support your growth
The technology and tools you need to do your best work
Motivosity employee recognition program
A culture rooted in inclusivity, support, and meaningful connection
We believe in hiring great people and treating them right. The more diverse we are, the better our ideas and outcomes.
Instructure is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We comply with applicable employment and anti-discrimination laws in every country where we operate.
All employees must pass a background check as part of the hiring process. To help protect our teams and systems, we’ve implemented identity verification measures. Candidates may be asked to verify their legal name, current physical location, and provide a valid contact number and residential address, in accordance with local data privacy laws.
Any attempt to misrepresent personal or professional information will result in disqualification.
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