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About the Company
Our client is a very successful video-on-demand software company with rich experience of almost 20 years. Headquartered in Ontario, Canada with offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia, our client’s software is used by over 35 million consumers across the world. They work closely with global brands in sectors such as automotive, telecommunications and electronics.
As a result of a major new game-changing contract with a tier-1 North American cable MSO the firm now requires a dynamic and passionate leader to head up its professional services organization.
Scope of Position
Reporting to the President and CEO, the Vice-President Professional Services will be responsible for the successful deployment, support and profitability of all the company’s product and service offerings into the firm’s largest North American account. Customer delight will be among the most important measures of success.
The Vice-President Professional Services will manage a team of program management, architectural and integration professionals all committed to the timely and effective implementation and integration of their client’s solutions.
As the client relationship and overall company grow, is expected that the role will expand into an enterprise wide, global professional services leadership role.
Functional Tasks
- Ensuring that firm’s resources are deployed such that the client’s projects are delivered to their complete satisfaction (time, cost, quality).
- Continuing to build, train, manage and motivate a top-rated lean global services organization which will own all installation, integration, deployment and technical support functions.
- Refining project management practices (i.e. scheduling, tracking, planning, risk management etc.) that will reduce implementation times while enhancing customer satisfaction.
- Refining methods and criteria to report on effective P&L on all services that flow through the organization.
- Ensuring that customer support objectives align with those of the services organization and that metrics of performance are in place and met.
- Providing a positive environment for company team members to exceed customer expectations. Support team as required.
- Working cooperatively with colleagues to ensure that professional services is an enabler to organizational success.
- Ensuring that scalable processes, policies, procedures are in place to help professional services team build future capacity.
- Acting as the principle senior liaison with the customer to ensure that their needs are being served. Build strong relationships throughout the client organization.
- Identifying, promoting and successfully securing enhancements to existing client programs as well as new programs.
- Develops, monitors and acts upon customer satisfaction metrics.
- Providing feedback to the engineering organization on product issues that impact the services group and ensuring that continuous improvement and best practices are in place.
- Ensuring services are well defined and articulated technically and commercially
- Implement and provide feedback and developmental support to team members through proactive performance management practices.
- Prioritizing and making decisions for the execution of all projects and providing the team with the tools and methodology to effectively deliver those projects.
- Ensuring that company’s technological/solutions roadmap is aligned with the client’s.
Key Performance Deliverables
In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.
- Specific measures of performance will be discussed and agreed upon with the successful candidate.
Competency Profile
The following competencies listed below define the role of VP Professional Services –
Planning & Objective Setting
Systematic in approach to work. Produces action plans in which objectives are defined and steps for achieving them are clearly specified. Plans by breaking down large task into subtasks. Develops plans that anticipate obstacles. Is realistic about time-scales and builds in appropriate checkpoints, milestones and controls in order to ensure that desired results are realized.
Problem Solving
Draws parallels across situations and contexts. Divides problems into their individual elements. Develops several explanations or alternatives. Separates the core of a problem from its symptoms and can identify cause and effect.
Results Orientation
Focuses strongly on achieving agreed upon outcomes and ensures that key objectives are met. Conveys a sense of urgency and drives issues to closure. Aims to improve upon past performance. Establishes aggressive personal targets and strives to achieve them.
Commercial Acumen
Applies appropriate commercial and financial principles. Understands situations in terms of costs, profits, added-value and return on investment. Appreciates the commercial impact of own work on the organization’s total expenses and revenues.
Customer/Client Orientation
Strives to provide customers/clients with personalized and efficient service. Anticipates customers’/clients’ needs. Quickly follows up on customer/client contacts and complaints. Monitors and acts on measures of customer/client satisfaction.
Industry & Market Awareness
Seeks to anticipate and respond to industry and market changes/challenges by understanding key characteristics, issues and the factors driving them. Aware of competitor’s products, services and position.
Role Expertise
Demonstrates critical technical or professional knowledge/skills related to the role. Has thorough knowledge of relevant products, services and methods. Expands technical knowledge/skills and keeps up-to-date in own area of expertise.
People Management
Establishes and communicates clear priorities and sense of direction. Clarifies roles and responsibilities. Adapts management style to achieve optimum results.
Preferred Experience / Education
The following indicates specific industry, academic and functional experience/qualifications that are important to the successful achievement of the identified responsibilities and performance deliverables.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, preferably in a technical or engineering discipline. Master’s degree an asset.
- 10-15 years work experience with a majority spent in services roles such as professional services, major projects, software development etc. At least five years in leadership role.
- Significant experience in delivering software services in large complex environments.
- Experience in responding to and supporting RFPs and RFIs.
- Experience in people management roles with recruitment, selection, hiring, coaching, feedback, employee engagement and performance management.
- Experience with large complex clients.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to plan, prioritize and organize effectively and to make sound, logical decisions.
- Passion for customer service, building processes and developing an organization that will exceed customer expectations.
- Strong commercial awareness having worked in a financially motivated delivery role.
- Strong customer facing skills
Remuneration & Benefits
- Highly competitive base, variable and stock plan for the successful candidate