Senior Client Success Lead

Competitive Compensation & Benefits Package * 401(k) with Profit Sharing * Flexible Time Off * Office Dog!!

ABOUT US

By combining our unparalleled domain expertise with leading-edge technology, Ad Astra is helping higher education in its mission to advance timely student completions. We are building a cloud-based software platform that will provide the foundation for our next generation of industry-leading solutions and analytics. Simply put, we're helping students graduate faster.

OUR CORE VALUES

• We recognize talent. We recognize and appreciate the unique God-given talents that our people bring to Ad Astra. Aligning these individual gifts with our work sets team members up to succeed.
• We’re unpretentious. There’s no room for ego. We admit our imperfections and have the humility to know what we don’t know.
• We’re passionate. We aren’t satisfied with the status quo. We’re on a mission together to protect the value of degree completion and to transform the higher education industry.
• We’re pioneering. We’re pioneering and aren’t afraid of failing—in fact, we celebrate it. We love it when our people boldly experiment with innovative solutions.
• We love fun. The health of our relationships is strengthened by working with people who stretch our thinking—and by enjoying the lighter side of life together. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we do take fun seriously.
• We have grit. Beyond talent and intelligence, our people have stick-to-itiveness. We push through challenges to make goals a reality.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Client Success Lead (Senior CSL) serves as a strategic advisor and trusted partner to Ad Astra's most complex and high-value client accounts. Building on the core responsibilities of the Client Success Lead, the Senior CSL leverages advanced industry expertise, consultative skills, and business acumen to drive client outcomes, maximize value realization, and strengthen long-term partnerships.

This role is responsible for proactively identifying opportunities and risks through data-driven analysis, guiding executive stakeholders toward strategic goals, and developing scalable success strategies that improve client retention, adoption, and growth. In addition to managing a portfolio of strategic clients, the Senior CSL acts as a mentor and subject matter expert for the Client Success team, contributing to best practices, process improvements, and organizational excellence.

The Senior CSL serves as a champion for the voice of the customer and collaborates across departments to ensure client objectives are aligned with product direction, service delivery, and business outcomes.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build value-centered client relationships
• Act as a strategic advisor for the client using industry knowledge, skills and experience
• Serve as a mentor and help grow knowledge across the client success team
• Monitor client patterns, usage and engagement to signal early intervention
• Work with the client team to develop client playbooks focused on repeatable engagements and interventions to ensure consistent outcomes
• Create and implement Client Success Plans for all client accounts and align all parties on the plan for success
• Lead annual partnership meetings to share account insights, opportunities and partnership ROI
• Other duties as assigned

In addition to performing the responsibilities of the Client Success Lead role, the Senior Client Success Lead will:

• Build and maintain trusted advisor relationships with executive sponsors and senior stakeholders across strategic client accounts.
• Serve as the primary strategic consultant for assigned clients, aligning institutional objectives with Ad Astra solutions and best practices.
• Lead the development and execution of long-term account success strategies designed to improve adoption, retention, client outcomes, and revenue growth.
• Analyze client health, utilization patterns, business outcomes, and industry trends to identify opportunities and risks before they impact client success.
• Develop executive-level recommendations and action plans based on client data, benchmarking, and industry best practices.
• Facilitate Executive Business Reviews (EBRs), annual partnership reviews, and strategic planning sessions with client leadership.
• Lead risk mitigation efforts for complex or at-risk accounts and coordinate cross-functional resources to address challenges.
• Partner with Sales and Leadership to identify, prioritize, and support expansion opportunities within existing client accounts.
• Develop and maintain client playbooks, success frameworks, engagement models, and intervention strategies that drive consistency and scalability across the Client Success organization.
• Act as an escalation point and consultant for complex client situations and strategic initiatives.
• Mentor Client Success Leads by sharing expertise, coaching best practices, and supporting professional development efforts.
• Support onboarding and continuous training initiatives for Client Success team members.
• Collaborate with Product, Services, Marketing, and Leadership teams to advocate for client needs and influence product and service enhancements.
• Identify and document client success stories, measurable outcomes, and best practices that demonstrate client value and organizational impact.
• Contribute to departmental initiatives, process improvements, and strategic projects that enhance client experience and operational effectiveness.
• Other duties as assigned.

 POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum 7 years of experience working in Client Success, Account Management, Relationship Management, Consulting, or a related client-facing role, preferably within SaaS B2B organizations or within Higher Education.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Sales, Marketing, Higher Education Leadership, or related discipline.
• Demonstrated success managing strategic or enterprise-level client relationships.
• Proven ability to serve as a trusted advisor to executive stakeholders and institutional leaders.
• Experience developing and executing retention, adoption, and growth strategies for complex accounts.
• Proven ability to achieve or exceed retention, renewal, utilization, and expansion goals.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect client initiatives to measurable outcomes and ROI.
• Experience using client data, metrics, and analytics to develop recommendations and influence decision-making.
• Advanced project management skills with the ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders and initiatives.
• Exceptional written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive alignment around client priorities.
• High emotional intelligence, including curiosity, empathy, self-awareness, resilience, and integrity.
• Ability to provide direct, constructive, and consultative feedback to clients and internal stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES

• Problem Solving
• Active Listening
• Collaborative Communication
• Relationship Building
• Influencing Skills
• Analytical Thinking
• Strategic Thinking
• Agility
• CRM
• Emotional Intelligence
• Business acumen
• Data and AI Fluency

ADDITIONAL PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Experience in Higher Education
• Office 365
• Salesforce CRM
• Success Plans
• Quarterly / Executive Business Reviews (QBR / EBR)
• Risk Frameworks

HOW PERFORMANCE IS MEASURED FOR THIS ROLE

• Achievement of Gross Revenue Retention (GRR) targets.
• Achievement of Net Revenue Retention (NRR) targets.
• Identification and progression of expansion opportunities within assigned accounts.
• Measurable improvements in client adoption, engagement, and utilization.
• Completion and quality of Client Success Plans.
• Execution of Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), Executive Business Reviews (EBRs), and annual partnership reviews.
• Reduction of client risk indicators and successful mitigation of at-risk accounts.
• Creation and submission of client value stories, case studies, and advocacy opportunities.
• Contributions to Client Success team development through mentoring, coaching, and knowledge sharing.
• Development and adoption of scalable client success processes, playbooks, and best practices.

This position is in Overland Park, KS in the greater Kansas City metro area. Ad Astra does not cover relocation expenses.

Ad Astra is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and fairness—regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, political affiliation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Ad Astra is unable to provide work visa sponsorship for this position.