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Portfolio Jobs

Looking for your next role? Take a look at these exciting jobs at Sapphire Ventures’ portfolio companies. Our Talent team is passionate about connecting you to your dream job!

Director, Professional Services (EMEA & APAC)

Degreed

Degreed

Sales & Business Development
Southern Asia · East Asia · Oceania
Posted on Sep 21, 2024
Beware of fraudulent recruitment activities impersonating Degreed. Scammers are using our name, “Degreed”, impersonating our website, and claiming to be affiliated with Degreed as part of a recruitment scam. Please note that Degreed does not recruit talent through WhatsApp, Telegram or any other direct-messaging systems other than Degreed.com e-mail and, during the interview process, phone numbers. We also do not request sensitive personal or financial information in an unsolicited manner, nor do we offer employment opportunities that require upfront payments or promise unrealistic returns.
Degreed is the upskilling platform that connects learning to opportunities. We integrate everything people use to learn and build their careers—skill insights, LMSs, courses, videos, articles, and projects—and match everyone to growth opportunities that fit their unique skills, roles, and goals. Degreed exists to discover, empower and recognize the next generation of the world's expertise.

The Director, Professional Services, will be a key member of the Professional Services leadership team, reporting directly to the Vice President of Professional Services. Ideally based in the EU, the Director will bring strong knowledge of the EMEA and APAC regions. The Director is responsible for leading, planning, coaching, and overseeing a team of Professional Services Consultants, including both Technical and Product Implementation consultants. This role will work closely with regional leadership and cross-functional teams (Sales, Product, Client Success) to drive business strategies, foster collaboration, and continuously improve functional processes to deliver exceptional client experiences. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience mentoring and developing a diverse, client-facing services team, with a strong focus on scaling operations for growth. They will also have a proven track record of managing P&L, driving revenue growth, and optimizing both people and processes to ensure operational efficiency and success.


DAY IN THE LIFE:

  1. Lead and Develop Teams:
    • Lead a regionalized team of technical and product implementation consultants, ensuring alignment with local market needs and the successful delivery of high-impact client solutions.
    • Coach, mentor, and develop team members, overseeing new employee onboarding, providing career development planning, and fostering opportunities for professional growth.
    • Cultivate a culture of collaboration and inclusivity, fostering open communication, healthy debate, and cohesive teamwork to enable the team to deliver their best work.
  2. Operational and Strategic Leadership:
    • Drive strategic goal setting and operational execution in collaboration with cross-functional leaders, ensuring team efforts align with broader business objectives and company vision.
    • Lead quarterly goal-setting (OKRs) and performance tracking, focusing on productivity, quality, and continuous improvement to meet business targets.
    • Manage resource allocation across client engagements, balancing workloads and optimizing staffing to deliver efficient, high-quality service in all regions.
    • Develop and implement operational frameworks that enhance efficiency, reduce risk, and foster innovation within the Professional Services organization.
    • Oversee the continuous improvement of processes, leveraging data and feedback to enhance service delivery and operational performance.
  3. Client Management:
    • Lead the resolution of client escalations, effectively manage project scope changes, and oversee change orders to ensure smooth project transitions and high client satisfaction.
    • Build strong, lasting relationships with clients by acting as a trusted advisor and fostering collaboration between internal teams and client stakeholders.
    • Actively engage with clients to understand their evolving needs, providing tailored solutions that drive long-term success and increase client retention.
    • Conduct regular review sessions with key client stakeholders to gather feedback and ensure services align with client expectations and identifying opportunities for further engagement and growth.
  4. Data and Performance:
    • Act as a data-driven leader, leveraging analytics and reporting to guide strategic decisions, track performance metrics, and continuously improve team efficiency and client outcomes.
    • Oversee the management and reporting of key performance indicators (Survey Scores, Gainsight, Precursive, Zendesk, etc.) to track progress against team and organizational goals.
  5. Financial Management:
    • Support the management of the P&L and budget for Professional Services, ensuring alignment with company financial objectives and contributing to the optimization of revenue streams, including recurring ARR services.
    • Develop financial forecasts and track budget performance, identifying opportunities to maximize profitability and resource utilization while maintaining high-quality service delivery.


WHO YOU ARE:

  1. Experience and Expertise:
    • Based in the EU with 7+ years of experience in a Professional Services organization, specifically leading technical and product implementation teams for a SaaS platform.
    • 5+ years in a people management role, with proven leadership experience in scaling and developing high-performing teams.
    • Deep expertise in OKR methodology, project life cycles, and service delivery methodologies.
  2. Skills and Leadership Qualities:
    • Exceptional communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to inspire teams and foster collaboration.
    • Adept at relationship building and employee coaching, with a track record of developing talent and leading through influence.
    • A trusted advisor to senior management, with experience providing strategic direction and operational leadership.
  3. Data and Conflict Management:
    • A strong data advocate with proven experience using data to inform strategy, improve service delivery, and drive continuous improvement in a Professional Services environment.
    • Skilled in conflict management and resolution, fostering a positive team dynamic.
  4. Regional Expertise:
    • A deep understanding of the EU market, including privacy regulations and local client expectations, with experience navigating cross-cultural dynamics.
    • Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, with strong organizational and prioritization skills.
  5. Business Acumen:
    • Business-savvy, with experience working across all levels of customer and partner organizations, focusing on delivering results with integrity and achieving aligned outcomes.
    • Skilled at identifying growth opportunities within client engagements, driving upsell, cross-sell, and expansion strategies that align with broader business goals.


WHAT WILL SET YOU APART:

  1. Core Experience:
    • Proven ability to scale a Professional Services team and transform processes to drive efficiency and revenue growth.
    • Cross-cultural/global experience with an understanding of regional differences in client needs and expectations.
    • Experience in HCM, Talent Management, or HRIS consulting within a professional services or customer experience organization.
  2. Technical Skills:
    • Experience with key platforms such as Salesforce, Precursive, Zendesk, and Gainsight, with a focus on leveraging these tools to drive operational efficiency.
    • Strong technical acumen, including experience supporting and integrating APIs, enabling seamless collaboration across systems and platforms.
  3. Certifications and Specializations:
    • Project Management certification (PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent), demonstrating a deep understanding of project methodologies and best practices.
    • A background in designing and managing recurring ARR services, with an understanding of how to build scalable, predictable revenue streams through client engagement.

Global Data Privacy Notice for Job Candidates and Applicants

Depending on your location, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) may regulate the way we manage the data of job applicants. Our full notice outlining how data will be processed as part of the application procedure for applicable locations is available here: Ireland/EU, United Kingdom, and California. By submitting your application, you are agreeing to our use and processing of your data as required.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

Degreed is a remote-first company, however our roles are open to in-office or hybrid if you live in a city with a physical office location. This role has the opportunity to operate 100% virtually from your home office. We primarily collaborate with our US and International colleagues through virtual meetings (Zoom), email, and Slack. In this role, you will be required to operate a laptop computer, computer software platforms, and other office productivity machinery as necessary. Due to the nature of this role, you must be able to remain stationary for extended periods, and must be able to observe and interpret written and/or verbal communication.

Additional Information

Degreed provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
We are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Degreed will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Degreed uses the E-Verify employment verification program.