Manager, Partner Success

Full-Time Location: Phoenix, AZ (Remote Eligible) Reports To: Director, Partner Services About CEA CAPA At CEA CAPA, we believe studying and interning abroad is a transformative experience. By immersing themselves in new cultures, our students gain valuable skills and perspectives that shape their futures. We’re proud to be a recognized sector leader, known for our delivery of impactful academic, professional and cultural experiences. This is achieved through our dedicated global team who provide comprehensive guidance, instruction, support and resources to maximize the benefit of our students’ time abroad. A sense of belonging is central to CEA CAPA’s mission. We foster a work environment that values diversity and is free from bias. Our hiring practices are based on professional qualifications, skills and competence. With a footprint that spans 53 cities in 20 countries across Europe, Latin America and Australia our 450 strong global workforce deliver exceptional cultural experiences abroad to over 7,000 students per year. Position Summary As the Manager of Partner Success, you will lead and develop a team of Partner Success Managers responsible for supporting institutional partners and delivering exceptional partner experiences throughout the lifecycle of their relationship with CEA CAPA. You will be accountable for team performance, partner retention, program growth, strategic account health, and the successful execution of cohort & B2B2C programs. This role combines people leadership, operational excellence, and strategic relationship management. You will coach and develop Partner Success Managers, establish best practices, leverage data to drive performance, and partner cross-functionally to ensure institutional partners achieve their objectives while supporting organizational growth. You will serve as a key leader in shaping the partner experience strategy and creating scalable processes that drive partner satisfaction, enrollment growth, adoption, and long-term retention.

Job Duties Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Partner Success Managers to achieve retention, satisfaction, and enrollment objectives.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, performance reviews, and career development planning.
• Establish team goals, KPIs, and accountability measures aligned with organizational objectives.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, inclusion, and exceptional service.
• Support onboarding, training, and professional development of new team members.
• Manage workload distribution and portfolio assignments across the team.

Partner Success Strategy

• Develop and execute partner success strategies that improve retention, program adoption, and institutional engagement.
• Monitor overall partner health and proactively identify risks and opportunities across the portfolio.
• Establish scalable processes and service standards that improve consistency and efficiency.
• Drive initiatives that strengthen partner relationships and increase long-term institutional value.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee the successful implementation and delivery of select signature and cohort programs across the partner portfolio.
• Ensure accurate forecasting, reporting, and pipeline management within Salesforce and other systems.
• Establish operational standards for partner communications, service delivery, documentation, and account management.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, systems, and partner-facing processes.
• Ensure data integrity and adherence to departmental procedures.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate closely with Institutional Relations, Academics, Enrollment Operations, Finance, Marketing, Health & Safety, Student Advising, and other teams to deliver seamless partner experiences.
• Serve as a senior escalation point for partner concerns and service issues.
• Partner with Health & Safety leadership regarding significant student incidents and institutional communications when appropriate.
• Advocate for partner needs internally and influence organizational priorities that enhance the partner experience.

Data, Reporting & Performance Management

• Analyze partner engagement, enrollment trends, retention metrics, renewal performance, and customer satisfaction data.
• Develop dashboards and reporting mechanisms to monitor team and portfolio performance.
• Present regular performance updates and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Identify trends and implement corrective actions to improve outcomes.

Strategic Account Leadership

• Maintain executive-level relationships with select strategic partners.
• Participate in renewal discussions and growth opportunities for key institutional accounts.
• Support new initiatives that expand partner engagement and enrollment opportunities.
• Represent the organization at conferences, campus visits, partner meetings, and industry events.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Net Revenue Retention
• Partner Renewal Rate
• Partner Satisfaction (CSAT/NPS)
• Cohort & B2B2C Signature Program Retention
• Enrollment Growth
• Program Implementation Effectiveness
• Team Performance Against Service Metrics
• Salesforce Data Accuracy & Forecast Reliability
• Employee Engagement and Retention Within the Team
• Time to Value and Partner Adoption Metrics

What Makes a Great Candidate

• 5-8+ years of experience in Customer Success, Partner Success, Account Management, Institutional Relations, or a related field.
• 2-4+ years of people leadership experience managing professional-level employees.
• Proven track record of building high-performing teams and driving customer retention and growth.
• Demonstrated success managing strategic relationships and complex stakeholder environments.
• Strong business acumen and ability to analyze data to influence decisions.
• Experience developing scalable customer success processes and programs.
• Exceptional communication, coaching, and presentation skills.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office and CRM platforms, including Salesforce.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in international education, higher education administration, study abroad, or student mobility programs.
• Experience leading customer success or account management teams.
• Salesforce reporting and dashboard experience.
• Project management experience.
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
• Experience studying, living, or working abroad.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• People Development & Coaching
• Relationship Management
• Customer-Centric Leadership
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Change Management
• Operational Excellence
• Emotional Intelligence
• Inclusion & Cultural Awareness

Success in the First 12 Months

• Maintain and improve a highly engaged and high-performing Partner Success team.
• Improve partner satisfaction and retention metrics.
• Create standardized operating procedures and service models.
• Strengthen executive-level institutional partnerships.
• Improve Salesforce adoption, reporting accuracy, and forecasting.
• Develop scalable strategies that support enrollment growth and partner success.
• Establish Partner Success as a strategic driver of institutional engagement and revenue retention.