Director, Enterprise Transformation & Operational Excellence

Job Description

Zendesk is seeking a dynamic, results-oriented Director to lead high-priority, cross-functional enterprise transformation and process excellence initiatives that translate corporate strategy into execution-ready programs delivering measurable business impact.

This role is responsible for the end-to-end planning, alignment, execution, and ongoing governance of strategic initiatives across Marketing, GTM, IT, CX, and G\&A functions. The Director will engage closely with senior leaders, external partners such as private equity owners and consultants, and operational teams to drive alignment with corporate objectives and ensure successful delivery of business outcomes.

Success requires strong strategic and analytical skills, exceptional communication and interpersonal effectiveness, and the ability to lead change management efforts that embed transformation as a core organizational capability.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Initiative Leadership \& Cross-Functional Execution

• Own one or more enterprise-wide strategic transformation initiatives, partnering with senior leadership, private equity stakeholders, and third-party consultants to translate high-level corporate strategies into actionable, execution-ready programs.
• Lead the design, planning, and governance of initiatives focused on operational excellence, AI-driven process adoption, organizational design, and business process re-engineering.
• Bring structure and clarity to ambiguous visions, shaping initiative goals, workstreams, and timelines. Lead cross-functional teams to deliver against milestones with measurable business outcomes.
• Coordinate meetings, facilitate alignment sessions, drive data analysis, craft business cases, and develop recommendations that enable informed decision-making.

Enterprise Process Excellence \& Automation Enablement

• Drive process optimization and automation efforts leveraging AI, RPA, and other emerging technologies to improve operational efficiency, quality, and customer experience.
• Collaborate deeply with GTM, CX, IT, and Supporting functions to embed scalable, AI-first operational capabilities that sustain long-term performance gains.
• Continuously identify and mitigate risks, roadblocks, and conflicts across stakeholders to keep initiatives on track and aligned with strategic priorities.

Reporting, Insights \& Change Management

• Develop and oversee systems, metrics, and dashboards that track initiative success and identify improvement opportunities.
• Lead the creation of executive communications, board materials, and data-driven reporting that provide transparency into progress, impact, and risks.
• Define and execute comprehensive change management strategies that drive adoption of new processes and technologies with minimal disruption.
• Educate and empower business stakeholders to improve their data literacy and adoption of automated tools and AI capabilities.

People Leadership \& Program Team Development

• Build, mentor, and influence a high-performing program team, including more junior Business Transformation members and cross-functional partners.
• Foster a collaborative, growth-oriented team culture aligned to transformation goals and continuous improvement of best practices and methodologies.
• Support team members by sharing expertise, advocating for professional development, and promoting agile ways of working.

Required Qualifications \& Experience

• 8-10\+ years of relevant experience in management consulting, business operations, corporate strategy, program management, operations improvement, or business process re-engineering relating to technology-enabled transformation.
• Proven success in leading complex, large-scale cross-functional programs that delivered impactful business results, including AI-driven transformation initiatives.
• Strong ability to navigate ambiguity, synthesize competing priorities, and apply structured project management methodologies to align and mobilize diverse stakeholders.
• Experience collaborating with executive leadership, external investors (e.g., private equity), and consultants to co-own strategy execution and governance.
• Demonstrated executive presence coupled with exceptional communication skills that enable building consensus and fostering alignment at all organizational levels.
• Deep understanding of change management principles; experience defining and executing strategies to embed lasting organizational change.
• Analytical mindset with ability to lead robust data analysis, risk management, and business case development.
• Certifications such as PMP, Prosci Change Management, Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt are highly desirable.

Key Skills \& Competencies

• Strategic Leadership: Translate broad corporate strategies into actionable transformation programs, leading cross-functional execution.
• Operational Excellence: Leverage AI, automation (RPA), and process re-engineering to elevate operational performance and customer experience.
• Change Management: Design and lead change initiatives to successfully embed new processes and technologies with measurable adoption.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Build trusted relationships and align multiple senior stakeholders—including executive leadership and external parties—on goals and delivery.
• Communication \& Influence: Exceptional ability to communicate complex topics clearly and build consensus across diverse teams and leadership.
• Program \& Risk Management: Skilled at managing project scope, timelines, risks, roadblocks, and dependencies, with a bias for action and results.
• Team Leadership: Develop and inspire teams, fostering continuous improvement, agility, innovation, and accountability

The US annualized base salary range for this position is $211,000\.00-$317,000\.00\. This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives. While this range reflects the minimum and maximum value for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations, the offer for the successful candidate for this position will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other factors such as work location. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only (or OTE for commissions based roles), and do not include bonus, benefits, or related incentives.

Hybrid: In this role, our hybrid experience is designed at the team level to give you a rich onsite experience packed with connection, collaboration, learning, and celebration - while also giving you flexibility to work remotely for part of the week. This role must attend our local office for part of the week. The specific in-office schedule is to be determined by the hiring manager.

The Intelligent Heart Of Customer Experience

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, \& inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk 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 a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to [email protected] with your specific accommodation request.