Senior Manager, Renewals

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Role Overview 

Encoura is a data and technology company purpose-built for higher education, helping institutions and students make smarter, more connected decisions. As we evolve our go-to-market model and build a modern, scalable revenue organization, we are looking for a strategic and entrepreneurial leader to own and transform our renewals function. 

This is not a traditional renewals management role. This is a high-impact leadership position for someone who understands where the renewals function is heading, and is excited to help architect what that looks like in practice. You will own the day-to-day renewals operation while simultaneously partnering with senior leadership to redesign how renewals and Customer Success work together in a data-driven, scalable model. 

If you are someone who has been in the renewals trenches, knows what a modern revenue org should look like, and wants the opportunity to build it — this role is for you. 

A Day in the Life 

• Own and manage the full renewals pipeline, including a rolling 120-day forecast with clear visibility into at-risk accounts
• Drive on-time renewal closure across all customer segments, ensuring commercial terms are favorable and contract value is protected or expanded
• Work collaboratively with Customer Success and Sales to develop win/win renewal proposals that incorporate upsell and cross-sell opportunities
• Provide leadership with regular, accurate updates on renewal status, risks, and resolution strategies
• Ensure quality and timeliness of renewal workflows, including quoting, contract processing, and system updates
• Partner with the VP, Global GTM Life Cycle Engagement and Student Success to define and execute a multi-phase plan to modernize the renewals function — including shifting responsibility for smaller renewals to a pooled Customer Success model so the renewals team can focus on high-ARR, complex accounts
• Provide strategic input on how roles and responsibilities should be redistributed across the renewals and Customer Success teams as the org evolves
• Lead recommendations on contract language simplification — working cross-functionally to move customers toward cleaner, easier-to-execute agreements
• Champion improvements to forecasting methodology and data quality to make the renewals function more predictable and insight-driven
• Identify and recommend automation and tooling improvements to reduce manual effort and improve the overall renewal experience for both customers and internal teams
• Develop and implement renewals playbooks that reflect both current operational best practices and the evolving model we are building toward
• Establish, document, and monitor compliance with best practices across Opportunity Management, Data Quality, Quoting, and Forecasting
• Implement system automation strategies to reduce friction and improve renewal experience at scale
• Directly manage and develop the renewals team, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and adaptability
• Coach team members on commercial negotiation, Customer Success best practices, and data-driven decision making
• Act as a cross-functional partner to Customer Success, Sales, Finance, and Legal, with strong relationships across the revenue organization
• Travel up to 20%, including overnight and occasional weekend travel, depending on business needs.

Role Progression 

• Within 1 month, you’ll: Get oriented to Encoura’s renewal book of business, customer segments, and current forecasting process. You’llbuild relationships across Customer Success, Sales, and key internal stakeholders, and begin forming a point of view on how the renewals function is currently structured and where the biggest opportunities lie.
• Within 3 months, you’ll: Own the renewals forecast end-to-end with full visibility into at-risk accounts and be running a consistent cadence with CS and Sales. You’ll have started contributing strategic input on how we redistribute responsibilities across the renewals and Customer Success teams — including recommendations on contract language simplification, forecasting improvements, and how we begin shifting smaller renewals to a pooled CSM model so the renewals team can focus their energy on high-ARR accounts.
• Within 6 months, you’ll: Be a key architect of Encoura’s modernized renewals org. You’ll have developed concrete recommendations on role and responsibility redistribution, helped move us toward a model where Customer Success Managers are equipped to own renewals directly, and established measurable NRR targets and playbooks that reflect this new structure. You’ll be a trusted cross-functional partner with real influence on how we scale and transform the broader revenue organization.

About You 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• 10+ years of experience in renewals, Customer Success, or Sales in a SaaS or technology environment, with 5+ years in a leadership capacity
• Demonstrated experience in a renewals or CS leadership role with direct ownership of NRR, forecasting, and retention outcomes
• Strong commercial acumen — including experience negotiating contracts, simplifying commercial terms, and managing complex renewal cycles
• Proven ability to think strategically about org design and operational transformation, not just day-to-day execution
• Highly developed cross-functional relationship skills; able to influence without authority across Sales, CS, Finance, and Legal
• Data-driven mindset with strong analytical and forecasting capabilities
• Excellent organizational, written, and presentation skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Ability to travel up to 20% as needed for business requirements.
• Experience in EdTech or higher education technology preferred
• Background building or transitioning to a pooled or tiered Customer Success model preferred
• Experience working with or recommending CS/renewals platforms and CRM tools preferred
• Track record of leading change in a fast-paced, evolving revenue organization preferred
• Master’s degree in a relevant field, preferred

What Sets Us Apart 

• Mission driven culture
• Comprehensive health and benefits package
• 401k company match that vests immediately upon participation
• Paid holidays and a generous PTO policy
• Paid parental leave

About Us 

Encoura’s mission is to empower students and institutions to create meaningful connections so everyone can make the most informed decisions to achieve their goals. Since 1972, the Company has evolved its products and services to better represent the link between students and higher education institutions and to create the highest probability of student success.  

Encoura’s expertise now spans enrollment, research, marketing, student success, and advancement and provides an unmatched combination of higher education experience and innovative solutions for colleges and universities. The Company also offers Encourage® — the nation’s largest free college and career planning program used by millions of high school students and educators nationwide.  

It is the policy of the Company to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. All applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S.  

Encoura endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability and need an alternative method for applying, please contact the Talent Team.  

Applicants from California, please review the CA HR Privacy Notice.  

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