Director of customer success job description.

What does a director of customer success do?

 

The director of customer success oversees customer success at a strategic and operational level. They manage senior CS leaders, own retention targets, and ensure customer insights influence product and commercial strategy.

 

Responsibilities include setting retention goals, scaling the CS organisation, leading process and platform decisions, and reporting to executive leadership. They also handle escalations, guide segmentation strategies, and ensure customer outcomes align with revenue growth.

 

In mid-sized businesses, they may sit on the senior leadership team. In global organisations, they lead large CS departments across markets, helping shape long-term customer experience and post-sale strategy.

 

Key responsibilities of a director of customer success.

 

The director of customer success leads the CS organisation at a strategic level. Their responsibilities include:

• Overseeing all customer success operations across regions or segments

• Setting team structure, goals, and performance frameworks

• Reporting on renewals, retention, and expansion metrics to the C-suite

• Ensuring CS alignment with commercial and product roadmaps

• Leading senior client engagements and executive relationships

• Managing tools, workflows, and customer data systems

• Driving CS strategy for scale, efficiency, and customer lifetime value

• Coaching team leaders and overseeing hiring and training

• Collaborating cross-functionally to deliver a unified customer experience

• Leading strategic initiatives such as onboarding redesign or voice of customer programs

This role blends strategic leadership, cross-functional alignment, and commercial impact.

 

Skills and requirements for a director of customer success.

 

Directors of customer success oversee customer success strategy and operations. Employers typically look for:

• 10+ years of experience in customer success or post-sales leadership

• Proven success leading global or regional customer teams

• Ability to drive retention, expansion, and advocacy

• Strong background in operations, analytics, and team management

• Skilled in customer segmentation and process design

• Experience setting departmental KPIs and success metrics

• Ability to influence product direction cross-functionally

• Confidence managing stakeholder relationships and board reporting

• Experience scaling teams and customer journeys through growth stages

Most directors of customer success ensure customer value is central to business strategy.

 

Average salary for a director of customer success.

 

In the UK, the average salary for a director of customer success typically ranges from £55,000 to £87,500, reflecting executive influence over post-sale experience and account growth.

• Mid-level directors tend to earn between £55,000 and £70,000

• Senior professionals managing CS strategy, tech stack, and operations may earn between £71,000 and £87,500

• Bonuses and equity are common in high-growth SaaS organisations

Top salaries are offered in tech, B2B SaaS, and enterprise service providers.

 

Career progression for a director of customer success.

 

A director of customer success sets the long-term strategy for client retention and engagement. This senior leadership role manages teams, tools, and commercial alignment. A common path includes:

 

CSM / Onboarding specialist

 

Delivers hands-on account management and product adoption support.

 

Senior CSM / Strategic lead

 

Advises key clients and delivers against account expansion metrics.

 

Head of customer success

 

Owns CS operations, manages teams, and defines the customer journey framework.

 

Director of customer success

 

Leads global CS strategy. Aligns KPIs with revenue growth, renewals, and customer satisfaction.

 

VP of customer experience / Chief revenue officer

 

Transitions into executive ownership of the entire customer lifecycle — from activation to advocacy.