About this role.
Instructure is seeking a Senior Customer Success Manager to manage strategic higher-education SaaS accounts and serve as a trusted advisor to senior university stakeholders. The role owns account health, adoption, retention, strategic planning, and executive business reviews for a substantial portfolio. The successful candidate will use customer data and generative AI workflows to identify risks early, improve account intelligence, and scale strategic engagement. They will partner with Renewal Representatives, Sales, Product, and internal operations teams to support renewals, expansions, and product feedback. This position requires strong executive communication, SaaS customer-success experience, and the ability to travel 10–15%.
Role DNA
A quick view of the complexity, pace, ownership and collaboration implied by the job description.
Job Complexity
4/5Pace & Pressure
4/5Autonomy Level
4/5Communication Load
5/5Salary analysis
Estimated compensation compared with the broader US market for similar roles.
Core skills
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Sample interview questions
I begin by mapping stakeholders, institutional priorities, renewal timing, product usage, support history, and measurable desired outcomes. I then build a mutual success plan with milestones, ownership, risk indicators, and an executive-review cadence that connects platform adoption to the institution's goals.
I would combine quantitative health signals, such as declining usage, unresolved cases, engagement gaps, and renewal sentiment, with qualitative feedback from stakeholders. After validating the root cause, I would document a mitigation plan, align internal partners, establish clear customer commitments, and monitor progress through regular checkpoints.
I tailor the review to the executive audience and focus on outcomes rather than product activity. The agenda typically covers agreed goals, adoption and value metrics, strategic risks, relevant benchmarks, upcoming initiatives, and mutually owned next steps, including any growth opportunities.
I would use approved tools to summarize account history, organize themes from feedback, draft communications, and identify patterns in usage or churn data while protecting customer confidentiality. I would validate AI-generated insights against source data and use professional judgment before making recommendations or communicating externally.
I establish clear role ownership, shared account objectives, and a single customer-facing plan. I keep CRM records current, communicate risks and opportunities early, and coordinate messaging so the customer receives consistent guidance throughout adoption, renewal, and expansion conversations.
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 are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Sr. Customer Success Manager (CSM) to join our Strategic HigherEd CSM team. This role is crucial for managing and nurturing relationships with our strategic members. The ideal candidate will possess a high-caliber skill set, a proven track record in strategic customer success, and the ability to drive engagement, adoption, and retention for a large base of key accounts. This individual will act as a trusted advisor, leveraging data and strategic planning to ensure our strategic members achieve maximum value from our platform.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Customer Success Management
Develop and execute strategic account plans to secure the health, growth, and retention of a portfolio of strategic members.
Own regular strategic executive business reviews (EBRs) with key stakeholders to align on goals, review performance, and identify expansion opportunities.
Monitor customer health metrics, identify risks early, and develop mitigation strategies before issues escalate.
Serve as the primary point of contact for strategic members, ensuring seamless communication and a consistently positive customer experience.
Working smarter with AI
Use generative AI tools to strengthen account knowledge, sharpen signal detection, and reduce time spent on administrative work, so you can spend more time on strategic customer conversations.
Bring new workflows and tools to the team.
Partner with CS leadership to identify where AI-augmented approaches can replace reactive, late-stage interventions with earlier, more strategic engagement.
Driving Product Adoption and Value
Deeply understand each strategic member’s business objectives, workflows, and desired outcomes to tailor success plans.
Drive product adoption and utilization across member organizations by providing strategic guidance and best practices.
Collaborate with Product Management to relay member feedback and advocate for improvements that benefit strategic users.
Share industry trends, emerging EdTech benchmarks, and peer-customer success stories to inspire strategic adoption.
Retention and Growth
Own the strategic health and growth trajectory of your portfolio, partnering closely with dedicated Renewal Reps, who lead the commercial renewal process.
Identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling within existing strategic accounts and partner with the Sales team to drive these opportunities.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation of all member interactions, success plans, and forecasts in the CRM.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Education, Technology, or related field.
Five or more years of progressive experience in Customer Success, Account Management, or Sales within a SaaS environment; EdTech experience strongly preferred.
Proven success managing a substantial book of business and driving revenue outcomes through renewals, upsells, and expansions (e.g., portfolios of $3M+ annually).
Experience using generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot) to scale customer communication, analyze churn data, and optimize account management workflows.
Exceptional communication, executive presence, and ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, including senior university leadership.
Strong proficiency with key operational tools (Salesforce, Gainsight, JIRA, Tableau, MS Office Suite).
Demonstrated ability to thrive in a high-growth, fast-paced environment, balancing strategic thinking with tactical execution.
Ability to travel 10–15% for customer engagements, conferences, and team events.
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.
Annual salary information is not provided for this position. Explore salary ranges for similar roles in our Salary Directory ›
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