Chief Customer Officer, GRC SaaS, Germany

Exceptional opportunity for a Chief Customer Officer (CCO)  to hold global responsibility for the Customer Experience (CE) organization of a PE backed GRC SaaS firm. The role will hold leadership of Professional Services, Technical Support, and Customer Success.

This role is business driven and crucial for long-term customer retention and business success with over 14,000 customers in EMEA, APAC and the USA.

As a member of the executive team, the CCO plays a vital role in shaping strategy and ensuring an excellent customer experience throughout the entire lifecycle – from implementation to support and ongoing value expansion. 

The CCO will hold the following key responsibilities working in close contact with other members of the C suite including CEO, CRO, CMO and Private Equity team

1. Strategic Leadership & Customer Focus

• Develop and execute a comprehensive Customer Experience Strategy to maximize retention, expansion, and long-term success.
• Ensure a customer-centric approach across all departments, delivering sustainable value.
• Foster a data-driven culture to continuously improve processes, products, and services.

2. Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead and scale the global Customer Experience Organization with an entrepreneurial spirit, covering Professional Services, Tech  Support, and Customer Success.
• Build a scalable, efficient customer service model with global reach.
• Promote a high-performance culture driven by innovation, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence.

3. Customer Retention & Business Development

• Own key Customer Satisfaction Metrics (CSAT), Net Promoter Score (NPS), and Churn Reduction
• Work closely with Sales, Product, and Marketing to optimize the Customer Journey and drive expansion opportunities.
• Enhance Customer Success Management to proactively support customers and maximize SaaS adoption.

4. Commercial Responsibilities

• Revenue Growth:
  Lead customer experience teams in identifying upselling, cross-selling, and expansion opportunities to drive overall revenue growth. 
• Account Management & Renewals:
  Oversee the strategic management of high-value accounts, ensuring long-term partnerships and driving contract renewals and expansions to maximize revenue. 
• Customer Retention & Churn Reduction:
  Develop and implement strategies to reduce churn, enhance customer satisfaction, and maximize customer lifetime value (LTV) through proactive engagement and support. 
• Pricing Strategy & Negotiation:
  Collaborate with Sales and Finance teams to develop competitive pricing models, lead price increase initiatives, and manage pricing negotiations to ensure profitability and alignment with customer needs. 

5. Operational Excellence & Scalability

• Optimize and automate processes in Support, Professional Services, and Customer Success to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Implement Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure success and drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure a seamless onboarding and implementation process, reducing time-to-value for customers.

Technical & Professional Expertise 

• 10+ years of experience in senior customer-facing leadership roles within Customer Experience, Customer Success, Professional Services, or Support in a B2B SaaS company
• At least 5+ years of experience in roles that involve direct revenue generation, such as sales, account management, or customer success, with proven success in driving upsell, cross-sell, and renewal strategies.
• Proven track record in developing and executing pricing strategies, including price increases and contract negotiations.
• Proven track record in building, scaling, and managing global customer organizations with a focus on high retention and satisfaction.
• Extensive experience in managing large, complex SaaS customer portfolios. Demonstrated success in driving customer retention and satisfaction at scale, with measurable results in reducing churn and increasing customer lifetime value (CLTV).
• Experience in process optimization and automation, leveraging modern technologies (e.g., AI-powered support, customer health scoring, self-service platforms).
• Deep understanding of subscription-/SaaS business models, customer retention, expansion, and revenue growth.
• Experience in regulated markets and compliance (e.g., GDPR, ESG regulations, SEC requirements) would be helpful although not mandatory

Leadership & Personal Skills 

• Entrepreneurship: Leadership and management of Customer function as a profit organization
• Deep understanding of customer success strategies and best practices, particularly in SaaS and GRC environments.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to align long-term customer strategies with business objectives.
• Proven experience in driving revenue growth through customer retention, upselling, and cross-selling strategies.
• Demonstrated success in leading pricing negotiations, price increases, contract renewals, and identifying new business opportunities within existing customer accounts.
• Exceptional Communication Skills: Ability to clearly and persuasively communicate complex topics – both internally and externally with customers and partners.
• Strong Leadership & Team Building: Experience in managing and growing globally distributed teams, fostering engagement and motivation.
• Analytical & Data-Driven Decision-Making: Ability to use data insights to understand customer needs and drive actions.
• Change Management & Scaling Expertise: Proven success in building and scaling customer organizations in fast-growing companies. 
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage and influence both internal and external stakeholders.