Customer Success Agent Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

By joining the National Student Clearinghouse, you can be sure that the work you do now will help shape the future of education and the workforce in the U.S. As the trusted source for higher education data since 1993, the Clearinghouse is the leading provider of transcript and data exchange services, automated enrollment and degree verifications, learner insights and research, and compliance solutions for schools, businesses, and learners nationwide. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Clearinghouse works with nearly 3,600 postsecondary institutions to meet their compliance needs and with thousands of high schools and districts to provide continuing collegiate enrollment, progression, and completion statistics about their alumni. In addition, the Research Center publications inform policymakers and business leaders about student educational pathways. Using our unique combination of data, analytics, and software to drive our mission, security and privacy is paramount. Join us as we continue to invest in our talent and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data on behalf of all learners.

The Senior Manager, Customer Success (with a focus on Secondary & Postsecondary Education Accounts) provides hands-on leadership to a team of Account Managers (AMs), including coaching, development, training, and performance oversight. This role partners closely with Account Managers, sales leadership, implementation, compliance, reporting teams, and clients to strengthen relationships, drive retention, identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities, manage contract renewals, and resolve complex internal and external challenges.

In this capacity, the Senior Manager ensures the Account Management team consistently delivers a high-quality customer experience by proactively communicating the value and effectiveness of the Clearinghouse's services, coordinating timely issue resolution, and driving service excellence across the customer lifecycle.

The ideal candidate is a strong, customer-focused leader who combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution. They are approachable, adaptable, and highly detail-oriented, with the ability to guide teams through change and mentor employees in support of their career growth within the Clearinghouse. This individual demonstrates tenacity, ownership, and sound judgment, and thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where customer needs and priorities frequently evolve.

Currently, this is a remote-first position, and this position may be required to periodically work on-site at our office and the frequency would depend on the department/division's requirements. Therefore, candidates must either reside within a reasonable distance to commute to our office or be willing to travel to our office in Herndon, when required.

• Account Analysis - Evaluate and monitor the state of the account, including strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
• Voice of the Customer - Engage in meaningful discussions with clients to help uncover their challenges, concerns, and pain points. Share this information across the organization to help in tailoring products/services to meet client needs, driving customer loyalty, and increasing sales.
• Partner with your regional peer and sales leadership to collaboratively and proactively determine the key priorities for the customer-facing business.
• Monitor customer engagement, to help keep that customer on board and up-sell / cross-sell other products and services to them.
• Stay closely aligned with sales, marketing, and Customer Care to ensure a coordination that maximizes the customer relationship to ensure a unified approach that delivers consistent messaging. Identify issues/roadblocks relating to customer engagement internal to the Clearinghouse as well as externally with customers and work across the organization to drive them to resolution.
• Goal Setting - Create a roadmap of actionable strategies and initiatives to achieve the defined goals and objectives.
• Performance Monitoring - Track and measure the success of the Account Managers and customers against key performance metrics to ensure continuous improvement and accountability.
• Lead as an effective change agent within the department. Adjust team priorities to meet goals and commitments. Respond effectively to changing demands to reallocate and reprioritize resources as needed.
• Inspire, coordinate and closely collaborate with the Account Managers, who manage client relationships to ensure they are aligned to the client relationship strategy and deliver a consistent client experience.
• Serve as the primary point of escalation for assigned clients on customer related issues and questions.
• Act as a liaison to internal support teams such as Operations, Finance, Sales teams and Customer Care to ensure efficient, effective resolution.
• Support the Account Managers as they prepare for and attend onsite meetings and conferences.
• Maintain a high-level view of the entire customer experience, monitoring issues affecting specific geographies and proactively managing future risk accordingly.
• Develop and maintain a productive team environment that supports retention of clients, utilization and growth of services. Drive customer excellence by supporting and supervising the team to ensure that contracted services are delivered.
• Work with the Account Managers to develop and present service utilization reviews to clients.
• Gather, evaluate, and report performance metrics to identify and correct key issues that may affect client satisfaction and/or Clearinghouse program success. Metrics include traditional client satisfaction statistics, as well as support volume and success of outreach campaigns.
• Meet with customers on a regular basis to monitor the team's performance, virtually and onsite.
• Expand and promote Clearinghouse services which may include attending and/or presenting at Clearinghouse Academies (sales and training sessions), conferences, and individual school visits to address client questions or concerns.
• Identity, develop and implement best practices around client communication and sharing of client information internally.
• Contribute to the development of Account Managers through hands-on coaching, mentoring and management.

Workforce Management:

• Demonstrate the management and/or senior leadership competencies:
• Management Competencies: Making Complex Decisions, Being Flexible and Adaptive, Build Collaborative Relationships, Focusing on Performance, and Optimizing Diverse Talent.
• Build a team-based environment that aligns with company values, ways of working, and competencies.
• Ensure employees comply with company policies, procedures and regulations, while meeting established goals.
• Recruit and select the best talent to help optimize skills and experiences.
• Motivate and manage staff to maximize productivity and efficiency.
• Provide direction to team members, including feedback to support personal and career development and ongoing improvement.
• Develop and manage career development and advancement and define and monitor training and development plans to support job and career satisfaction.
• Coach, mentor, and ensure staff are adequately trained and provide guidance, as needed.
• Monitor and provide feedback on performance including annual reviews, rewards, and compensation structure.
• Reward employees using formal and informal methods.

Position may be required to perform other duties as required. These essential functions are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Bachelors degree in business, education, marketing, or any related field. A combination of education and experience including military service will also be considered.
• 8 years of direct and relevant progressively responsible experience in customer success or account management (strongly preferred), or sales, or partnership management.
• 5 years of direct people management experience, including hiring, coaching, and performance management.
• Prior experience within the education industry, with a strong understanding of the higher and/or secondary education landscape and its evolving challenges and opportunities.
• Experience:
  • Working directly and successfully with clients to resolve problems and/or inquiries.
  • In a fast-paced environment, effectively balancing multiple customer inquiries and adapting to changing priorities.
  • Effectively operating across organizational boundaries.
  • Successfully managing and providing resolutions to escalated client inquiries.
• Demonstrated commitment to client satisfaction, with strong time management and prioritization skills, and a high level of attention to detail across complex, high-impact workstreams.
• Advanced competency with Salesforce (or similar CRM platforms) and the Microsoft Office Suite, with the ability to leverage tools and data to drive team performance and business insights.
• Self-starter with a strong sense of ownership, motivation, urgency, and drive; demonstrated ability to lead effectively under pressure, navigate ambiguity, and maintain professionalism in highly demanding or escalated situations.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with strong executive presence and presentation capabilities; demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Proven track record of developing and sustaining strategic, trust-based relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including senior leadership.
• Positive, resilient, and professional demeanor, with the demonstrated ability to lead through change and adapt quickly within a dynamic, fast-paced industry and environment.
• Demonstrated ability to align teams and broader organizational stakeholders around key goals and objectives, driving accountability, execution, and measurable business outcomes.
• Demonstrates the Clearinghouse's core competencies: customer focus, optimizes work processes, communicates effectively, collaborates, and is open and authentic.
• Must live within a commutable distance to Herndon, VA or in one of the Clearinghouse's approved States for hiring purposes. Refer to our HR Policies Page, located on our Careers site at https://www.studentclearinghouse.org/careers/human-resource-policies/, for more details.
• Must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. We do not intend to sponsor external applicants for work visas, and may consider sponsorship only if no qualified candidates can be found who are authorized to work without sponsorship.
• Must be at least 18 years old.

Additional Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience leading and developing relationship management, account management, and/or marketing and sales professionals, with a focus on driving team performance and customer outcomes.
• Experience working within higher and/or secondary education administration (college or university setting), or within a technology service provider supporting higher and/or secondary education institutions; familiarity with the features, benefits, and value proposition of Clearinghouse services strongly preferred.
• Background in postsecondary administration or demonstrated knowledge of higher and/or secondary education operations, including institutional priorities, decision-making structures, and stakeholder dynamics.
• Willingness and ability to travel and engage in face-to-face customer interactions on a regular basis (at least quarterly), with a proven ability to build and strengthen client relationships in both virtual and in-person environments.
• Strong familiarity with the challenges, trends, and operational needs of higher and/or secondary education institutions, including the ability to translate customer needs into actionable strategies and solutions.
• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish preferred, with the ability to effectively communicate and build relationships with diverse client populations.

• Use of a computer for 8 or more hours a day.
• Use of a telephone and/or copy machine.
• Frequently required to sit for 7 or more hours per day.
• Occasionally required to use hands and fingers to operate, handle, and reach.
• Vision abilities include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• Travel via car, train, and airplane when needed (up to 25%).

The National Student Clearinghouse provides a robust benefit program designed to help meet the needs of each employee and their family, both now and in the future. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as life and disability insurance benefits, for employees and their qualified dependents. Health care, dependent care, and limited purpose flexible spending accounts, as well as a health savings account with annual employer contributions of $300 for employees and $600 for employees who are enrolled with their spouse and/or dependents, voluntary supplemental health plans for Accident and Hospital Indemnity coverage, and infertility coverage are options available for employees to set aside pre-taxed dollars for certain qualifying expenses. We offer a very generous 401k matching contribution program with the opportunity to defer pre-tax and Roth contributions, as well as catch-up contributions for those who are eligible! We are proud to offer a competitive paid leave program consisting of vacation, sick, and personal time, as well as paid holidays, up to 3 weeks of paid parental leave during a 12-month period , and up to 5 days of paid military leave per calendar year . Vacation time will accrue based on length of service, and new full-time hires can accrue up to 13 days of vacation and up to 10 days of sick time per year. On an annual basis, new employees may use up to 32 hours of accrued sick time as personal time. Additionally, the Clearinghouse observes at least 15 paid holidays per year, including company year-end clos