Role Overview 

Encoura is a data and technology company purpose-built for higher education, helping institutions and students make smarter, more connected decisions. As we evolve our go-to-market model and build a modern, scalable revenue organization, we are looking for a strategic and entrepreneurial leader to own and transform our renewals function. 

 

This is not a traditional renewals management role. This is a high-impact leadership position for someone who understands where the renewals function is heading, and is excited to help architect what that looks like in practice. You will own the day-to-day renewals operation while simultaneously partnering with senior leadership to redesign how renewals and Customer Success work together in a data-driven, scalable model. 

 

If you are someone who has been in the renewals trenches, knows what a modern revenue org should look like, and wants the opportunity to build it — this role is for you. 

 

A Day in the Life 

• Own and manage the full renewals pipeline, including a rolling 120-day forecast with clear visibility into at-risk accounts
• Drive on-time renewal closure across all customer segments, ensuring commercial terms are favorable and contract value is protected or expanded  
• Work collaboratively with Customer Success and Sales to develop win/win renewal proposals that incorporate upsell and cross-sell opportunities  
• Provide leadership with regular, accurate updates on renewal status, risks, and resolution strategies 
• Ensure quality and timeliness of renewal workflows, including quoting, contract processing, and system updates  
• Partner with the VP, Global GTM Life Cycle Engagement and Student Success to define and execute a multi-phase plan to modernize the renewals function — including shifting responsibility for smaller renewals to a pooled Customer Success model so the renewals team can focus on high-ARR, complex accounts 
• Provide strategic input on how roles and responsibilities should be redistributed across the renewals and Customer Success teams as the org evolves  
• Lead recommendations on contract language simplification — working cross-functionally to move customers toward cleaner, easier-to-execute agreements  
• Champion improvements to forecasting methodology and data quality to make the renewals function more predictable and insight-driven 
• Identify and recommend automation and tooling improvements to reduce manual effort and improve the overall renewal experience for both customers and internal teams 
• Develop and implement renewals playbooks that reflect both current operational best practices and the evolving model we are building toward  
• Establish, document, and monitor compliance with best practices across Opportunity Management, Data Quality, Quoting, and Forecasting 
• Implement system automation strategies to reduce friction and improve renewal experience at scale  
• Directly manage and develop the renewals team, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and adaptability  
• Coach team members on commercial negotiation, Customer Success best practices, and data-driven decision making  
• Act as a cross-functional partner to Customer Success, Sales, Finance, and Legal, with strong relationships across the revenue organization
• Travel up to 20%, including overnight and occasional weekend travel, depending on business needs. 

 

Role Progression 

• Within 1 month, you’ll: Get oriented to Encoura’s renewal book of business, customer segments, and current forecasting process. You’llbuild relationships across Customer Success, Sales, and key internal stakeholders, and begin forming a point of view on how the renewals function is currently structured and where the biggest opportunities lie.
• Within 3 months, you’ll: Own the renewals forecast end-to-end with full visibility into at-risk accounts and be running a consistent cadence with CS and Sales. You’ll have started contributing strategic input on how we redistribute responsibilities across the renewals and Customer Success teams — including recommendations on contract language simplification, forecasting improvements, and how we begin shifting smaller renewals to a pooled CSM model so the renewals team can focus their energy on high-ARR accounts.
• Within 6 months, you’ll: Be a key architect of Encoura’s modernized renewals org. You’ll have developed concrete recommendations on role and responsibility redistribution, helped move us toward a model where Customer Success Managers are equipped to own renewals directly, and established measurable NRR targets and playbooks that reflect this new structure. You’ll be a trusted cross-functional partner with real influence on how we scale and transform the broader revenue organization.  

 

About You 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience  
• 10+ years of experience in renewals, Customer Success, or Sales in a SaaS or technology environment, with 5+ years in a leadership capacity  
• Demonstrated experience in a renewals or CS leadership role with direct ownership of NRR, forecasting, and retention outcomes  
• Strong commercial acumen — including experience negotiating contracts, simplifying commercial terms, and managing complex renewal cycles  
• Proven ability to think strategically about org design and operational transformation, not just day-to-day execution  
• Highly developed cross-functional relationship skills; able to influence without authority across Sales, CS, Finance, and Legal  
• Data-driven mindset with strong analytical and forecasting capabilities  
• Excellent organizational, written, and presentation skills  
• Fluency in written and spoken English  
• Ability to travel up to 20% as needed for business requirements.
• Experience in EdTech or higher education technology preferred
• Background building or transitioning to a pooled or tiered Customer Success model preferred
• Experience working with or recommending CS/renewals platforms and CRM tools preferred 
• Track record of leading change in a fast-paced, evolving revenue organization preferred 
• Master’s degree in a relevant field, preferred 

 

What Sets Us Apart 

• Mission driven culture
• Comprehensive health and benefits package
• 401k company match that vests immediately upon participation
• Paid holidays and a generous PTO policy
• Paid parental leave