Description: At National Trade Supply, the Director of Customer Experience & Support Strategy will set the vision and lead the execution for how we serve, support, and delight our customers across every interaction. This role is perfect for someone who thrives at the intersection of service operations, process improvement, and customer advocacy — translating big-picture experience goals into systems, policies, and initiatives that make every touchpoint better. You'll define and drive the strategies that enhance our support channels, streamline service workflows, and empower teams to resolve customer needs with speed, empathy, and precision. This includes enhancing interactions that help customers identify filter models and sizes, manage product returns, and address general installation questions. From first contact through long-term loyalty, your work will shape how customers experience our brand and ensure we deliver on our promise of our three guarantees: • Compatibility Guarantee — our filters are guaranteed to fit, or your money back. • Satisfaction Guarantee — if you're not satisfied with the product for any reason, we will make it right (including a 365-day return window for D2C orders on DF and FO). • No Hassle Returns — we make returns easy and respectful, with no runaround. At National Trade Supply, we operate with a shared set of core values that guide how we work and grow together: Grit, Bias for Action, Critical Thinking, Self-Awareness, and Operational Excellence. These principles shape our culture, influence our decisions, and define what it means to succeed on our team. Key Responsibilities: Customer Experience Vision & Strategy • Define and execute the customer service strategy to align with the company's long-term goals, driving customer satisfaction, retention, and engagement. • Partner with Marketing to understand the full customer journey to identify pain points, close gaps, and create seamless experiences from first contact through post-purchase support. • Lead innovation in service delivery through structured ideation sessions, introducing new approaches and strategies that elevate the customer experience. • Stay ahead of evolving customer expectations by monitoring trends in communication preferences and integrating new channels such as live chat, social platforms, and self-service tools. • Champion technology adoption by evaluating, recommending, and implementing tools that improve support capabilities, responsiveness, and efficiency. • Provide strong leadership and coaching to build a high-performance, accountable, and customer-focused support team. Operational Excellence & Execution • Document and maintain customer service processes to ensure consistency, scalability, and clarity across the organization. • Monitor and manage performance to key metrics including response times, resolution rates, CSAT, and other KPIs, ensuring targets are met or exceeded. • Implement continuous improvement initiatives that streamline workflows, remove friction points, and enhance service quality. Training & Development • Assess and address skill gaps through regular evaluation of team training needs. • Design and deliver targeted training programs that improve technical capabilities and customer interaction skills. • Evaluate program effectiveness via feedback, performance data, and observation, refining as necessary. Insights & Strategic Alignment • Report on customer service performance and initiatives with clarity and actionable recommendations. • Analyze service data to identify trends, strengths, and opportunities for improvement. • Share insights with stakeholders to drive cross-functional alignment and inform business decisions. • Recommend strategic adjustments to improve customer support processes and outcomes in line with evolving needs. The Outcome We Are Seeking: To succeed in this role, the Director of Customer Experience & Support Strategy should elevate every stage of the customer journey — from initial product inquiries to post-purchase support — while building systems and teams that deliver consistently exceptional service. They should lead the transformation of support operations into a strategic advantage, ensuring interactions are efficient, empathetic, and aligned with our three guarantees: Compatibility, Satisfaction, and No Hassle Returns. This role is about creating a customer experience function that is proactive, data-driven, and trusted across the organization as a source of insight and innovation. Success will require balancing day-to-day operational excellence with the vision to anticipate customer needs and shape our long-term support strategy. Performance will be measured by the quality and impact of customer experience initiatives, including: • Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) • First-Contact Resolution Rate (FCR) • Average Resolution Time • Guarantee Fulfillment Effectiveness — percentage of guarantee claims (Compatibility, Satisfaction, No Hassle Returns) resolved within target timeframes and with high customer satisfaction. • Process Documentation Coverage — percentage of key workflows fully documented • Customer Feedback-to-Action Rate — number and percentage of operational improvements, product changes, or process updates implemented as a direct result of customer feedback. • New Channel Adoption Rate — percentage of support interactions successfully shifted to new or optimized channels (e.g., live chat, self-service, social). • Product Feedback Loop Efficiency — speed and effectiveness of communicating customer feedback to product, procurement, and marketing teams, leading to tangible changes or enhancements. Why Choose Us? • Competitive salary and benefits designed to support your well-being. • A culture that's always striving to learn, improve, and grow — together. • Opportunities for professional development, mentorship, and career growth. • True work-life balance: we believe great work happens when people have the space to recharge and take care of themselves outside of work. • Direct access to leadership and decision-makers — your ideas won't get lost in layers of bureaucracy. • A role where your work will make a real, measurable impact — improving the online shopping experience for customers and driving meaningful growth for the business. • A collaborative environment where everyone's voice matters and innovative thinking is encouraged. Requirements: Experience & Expertise • 8+ years in customer experience, customer service, or support operations leadership, with at least 3 years in a senior management or director-level role. • Proven track record of building, scaling, and optimizing high-performing customer service operations in an e-commerce or omnichannel environment. • Experience leading a team with a focus on coaching, development, and performance accountability. • Deep understanding of customer journey mapping, service channel strategy, and support process design. • Experience implementing and optimizing customer service technologies, including Zendesk (ticketing platform) and Trustpilot (customer feedback platform), as well as live chat and self-service tools. • Strong background in using data and analytics to inform strategy, track performance, and drive continuous improvement. • Demonstrated ability to translate customer feedback into actionable operational and product improvements. Skills & Attributes • Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to inspire, coach, and develop teams. • Strategic thinker who can balance long-term vision with day-to-day operational demands. • Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization. • Comfortable navigating change and ambiguity while maintaining focus on results. • Committed to upholding and embodying the company's three guarantees and core values: Grit, Bias for Action, Critical Thinking, Self-Awareness, and Operational Excellence. Interview Process: We take hiring seriously because every person we add must have a meaningful impact on our culture, our work, and our team. As a small and growing company, we are intentional about who we bring on board, and we don't compromise on that standard for the sake of speed. Our interview process includes the following steps: • Online application (Predictive Index Behavioral and Cognitive assessments) • Phone screen • 1:1 Interview with VP of People, Culture & Customer Experience • Panel interview with cross-functional team members • Final offer As part of our hiring process, we ask candidates to complete Predictive Index (PI) behavioral and cognitive assessments. These tools help us better understand your natural work style, communication preferences, and problem-solving approaches. They're not used to “pass” or “fail” candidates — rather, they give us a more complete picture of how you might fit within the team and where you can thrive. We believe great hiring is about more than just skills; it's about setting people up for success from day one. Throughout the process, you'll meet with several people from across the organization — including senior leadership, members of the Marketing department, and internal stakeholders who will be key partners in this role. We believe that great hiring is a two-way street, and our process is designed to give you a real feel for who we are and how we work. We understand that this level of engagement won't be the right fit for everyone, and that's okay. Candidates who aren't comfortable with any part of the process may find a better fit elsewhere, and we genuinely wish them the best. For those who are excited to engage fully, we're just as excited to get to know you.