Applied Control is seeking an entrepreneurial Customer Success Manager (CSM) to build and lead a proactive lifecycle-growth model across a focused portfolio of strategic installed-base customers. The CSM will help customers realize measurable value from Applied solutions and services, retain and expand recurring agreements and subscriptions, increase utilization of purchased services, and uncover whitespace opportunities across automation, asset performance and reliability, and software lifecycle offerings. For the right customers, the CSM will also serve as a differentiator in the sales process by demonstrating Applied Control’s commitment to ongoing support, proactive engagement, and measurable value realization.
The CSM is not the overall account owner and does not replace the Account Manager or Key Industry Manager. Instead, the CSM owns the recurring lifecycle motion within assigned accounts and serves as a bridge among the customer, Sales, and delivery teams. The role establishes an ongoing customer cadence, obtains and renews applicable purchase orders and agreements, converts sold commitments into utilized services and recognized revenue, documents customer outcomes, captures customer feedback, identifies future opportunities, and brings actionable insights back to the Account Manager or Key Industry Manager and the appropriate business units. The initial role will also help define the CSM program, customer selection model, lifecycle playbooks, metrics, and operating rhythm as Applied proves and scales the concept.
Responsibilities
Customer Success, Retention, and Value Realization
- Own the customer-success and recurring lifecycle plan for an initially focused portfolio of high-potential customers. Portfolio size will be refined as Applied gains experience with the level of engagement required to deliver strong customer and commercial outcomes.
- Establish a proactive customer cadence, including recurring check-ins and quarterly business reviews, aligned to each customer’s agreements, installed base, maturity, priorities, and value objectives.
- Support the sales process for selected customers by articulating the ongoing-support model, proactive engagement cadence, and value-realization approach that differentiate Applied Control after the initial sale.
- Ensure customers adopt and utilize the services, subscriptions, data, and support they have purchased rather than allowing service banks, blanket purchase orders, or subscription value to go unused.
- Quantify and communicate realized value, such as reduced downtime, improved reliability, increased cybersecurity, lower risk, greater efficiency, or improved operating practices.
- Identify adoption barriers, service-delivery concerns, and renewal risks early; coordinate internal resolution and maintain clear customer follow-through.
- Retain Guardian and other recurring agreements and subscriptions while identifying logical expansion opportunities within assigned sites.
- Capable of demonstrating and providing adoption critical customer support on some Software platforms, where applicable.
Recurring Revenue and Whitespace Growth
- Grow recurring lifecycle revenue through renewals, new agreements, service banks, sustainment programs, software subscriptions, reliability programs, and other repeatable offerings defined by the business units.
- Obtain applicable customer commitments and purchase orders, then remain accountable for driving utilization and conversion of those commitments into revenue.
- Use installed-base insight to identify cross-business-unit whitespace and connect customer needs to the appropriate Applied offering.
- Lead value-based conversations that connect recommendations to customer outcomes rather than simply presenting products or hours.
- Create forward visibility to renewals, budgets, lifecycle timing, and customer work-practice changes; document opportunities, risks, next steps, and expected value in Salesforce.
- Hand off major modernization, greenfield, or large one-time project opportunities to the appropriate BDM, solution consultant, inside team, or project owner while maintaining continuity of the customer lifecycle plan.
Program Development and Cross-Functional Leadership
- Help build the initial CSM operating model, including portfolio-selection criteria, engagement standards, QBR structure, lifecycle playbooks, handoffs, metrics, and feedback loops.
- Partner with business-unit leaders to understand packaged lifecycle offerings, target customers, pricing approaches, execution requirements, and proof-of-value expectations.
- Capture and communicate customer feedback, future needs, adoption barriers, and emerging opportunities; provide actionable insights to the Account Manager or Key Industry Manager and business-unit leaders on which offerings resonate, where customers see gaps, and what new or revised lifecycle solutions should be considered.
- Serve as the coordinating bridge among the customer, Sales, and delivery teams, aligning Business Development, service, software, reliability, engineering, operations, and support resources around one integrated customer-success plan.
- Advocate internally for execution capacity and timely delivery when customer commitments, service utilization, or renewal outcomes are at risk.
- Support a scalable, repeatable commercial motion that can expand into additional customer segments, offerings, and specialized CSM capabilities over time.
Qualifications
Required Experience and Capabilities
- 5+ years of relevant experience in customer success, account management, business development, lifecycle services, industrial technology, reliability, automation, software, service delivery, or a related customer-facing role. Equivalent combinations of experience will be considered.
- Demonstrated ability to build trusted customer relationships, maintain disciplined follow-through, and translate customer needs into practical actions and commercial opportunities.
- Ability to lead value-based conversations, connect recommendations to business outcomes, and communicate clearly with customer operational, technical, maintenance, reliability, and leadership stakeholders.
- Commercial judgment and comfort with renewals, recurring agreements, subscription or service utilization, opportunity development, and customer retention.
- Strong organizational, planning, CRM, and cross-functional coordination skills, with the ability to manage a focused portfolio and multiple internal dependencies.
- Entrepreneurial, action-oriented, and comfortable helping design a new role, testing new approaches, and constructively challenging internal teams when customer needs are not being met.
- Ability and willingness to learn Applied’s installed-base technologies, lifecycle offerings, software subscriptions, Guardian support model, and customer-value propositions.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, technology, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
Preferred Experience
- Experience in industrial automation, process control, asset performance management, reliability, software-as-a-service (SaaS), cybersecurity, instrumentation, or related lifecycle services.
- Experience in a Customer Success Manager capacity within SaaS or the industrial technology industry
- Experience working with DeltaV installed-base customers, recurring support agreements, service banks, multi-year contracts, or software subscriptions.
- Experience conducting business reviews, documenting customer ROI, developing adoption plans, or managing renewal and expansion motions.
- Familiarity with Salesforce, installed-base data, Power BI, or comparable CRM and analytics tools.
- Experience working in a matrixed organization and influencing teams without direct authority.
Leadership Competencies
- Customer-value orientation and a proactive, consultative mindset.
- Entrepreneurial ownership, curiosity, adaptability, and bias for action.
- Disciplined follow-through from customer commitment through utilization and measurable outcome.
- Ability to simplify complexity and coordinate multiple teams around a common customer plan.
- Assertive, constructive communication and willingness to surface gaps, risks, and improvement opportunities.
- Commercial acumen balanced with long-term customer trust and retention.
Travel and Location
This role requires regular travel to assigned customer sites, internal planning sessions, and business-unit meetings. The role may support customers across a broad geography; location should be aligned to the selected customer portfolio and the need for frequent, proactive customer engagement. Overnight travel will be required based on business need.
Compensation and Benefits:
- We offer a competitive compensation package with a mix of fixed and variable pay at plan $103,000-$129,000. Prior work or industry experience as well as job-related education and unique skills will be taken into consideration when setting the wage rate.
- Other Variable Compensation: Eligible for additional incentive compensation including a quarterly sales bonus, an annual sales escalation payment, and an annual profit share
- Benefits offered include: Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurances, 401K with an employer match, generous PTO plan starting at 16 days of PTO and increases with service, a 9/80 work schedule that provides for 26 additional weekdays off each year.
At Applied Control, you'll be part of a growing company with a strong reputation for technical excellence, customer service, and innovation. As an Emerson Impact Partner, we deliver industry-leading automation and process technology solutions while fostering a collaborative, people-first culture built on teamwork, trust, and a shared commitment to customer success. We believe our people are our greatest asset and provide an environment where employees are empowered to learn, grow, contribute, and build long-term careers. As we continue to invest in our future and expand our business, you'll have the opportunity to take on new challenges, develop professionally, and make a meaningful impact. If you're looking for a company where your contributions matter and your career can grow alongside the business, Applied Control is the place for you.