Senior Customer Success Manager

About the role

You will manage the operational health and growth of Tier 1 partners within the EMEA region, overseeing a portfolio that generates over 10M GBP in annual revenue. This role is defined by a strategic mandate to scale complex integrations while positioning you as a primary advisor to executive stakeholders across the United Kingdom and Germany. You will own the end-to-end success of high-value partnerships, ensuring that operational performance directly aligns with ambitious revenue targets. The position demands a proactive approach to identifying and resolving barriers that impede adoption and expansion. You will translate intricate product capabilities into clear narratives that resonate with C-level audiences. Ultimately, your work will drive sustainable growth by fostering deep, trust-based relationships with the most critical partners in the ecosystem.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Serve as the primary operational contact for major partners, driving performance through quarterly business reviews and strategic planning sessions that align on shared objectives.
• Identify and resolve operational bottlenecks to unlock revenue growth, such as increasing card adoption in specific regions or expanding into new currency markets that were previously blocked by technical constraints.
• Influence internal product and engineering roadmaps by presenting data-backed business cases that highlight the financial impact of systemic improvements for partner ecosystems.
• Lead incident response efforts during high-severity technical issues, managing internal and external communication flows while coordinating post-mortem remediation to prevent future recurrence.
• Develop and document scalable playbooks and frameworks for new products and markets to support the broader CSM organization, ensuring consistency and efficiency in execution.
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to the overall operational strategy of the CSM department, fostering a culture of continuous learning and performance excellence.
• Monitor and improve key performance indicators including payment success rates, contact rates, and partner health scores, taking immediate action when metrics deviate from target ranges.
• Analyze complex datasets to forecast partner revenue potential and identify areas for intervention, using advanced analytical methods to support strategic decision-making.
• Collaborate closely with sales and engineering teams to define and manage the partner lifecycle, from initial onboarding through to long-term maturity and expansion.
• Act as a compliance champion, ensuring that all partner interactions adhere to internal policies and external regulatory requirements governing financial services operations.
• Translate partner feedback into actionable insights for product development, helping to prioritize features that will have the greatest impact on partner success and retention.
• Build and maintain a high level of credibility with executive stakeholders by demonstrating deep expertise in payments infrastructure and a clear understanding of their business challenges.
• Drive the creation of business reviews and strategic workshops, preparing comprehensive analyses that highlight value realization and identify new growth opportunities.
• Own the documentation of standard operating procedures for partner management, creating resources that enable other team members to operate at a high level of effectiveness.

Requirements

• Professional fluency in German is mandatory for this role, as you will be the key point of contact for significant stakeholders based in Germany.
• Proven experience managing Tier 1 enterprise clients with at least 5M USD in annual recurring revenue, demonstrating the ability to handle complex, high-stakes relationships.
• Background in customer success, account management, or operational leadership within fintech, payments, or financial services is essential for navigating the industry landscape.
• Technical proficiency in discussing APIs, webhooks, and payment infrastructure with engineering teams is required to effectively collaborate on technical solutions.
• Experience managing crisis communications and incident response for external partners is a critical component of the role, requiring calm and clear decision-making under pressure.
• Advanced data analysis capabilities using tools such as SQL, Looker, or Lightdash are necessary to build robust business cases and measure the impact of initiatives.
• Strong negotiation and presentation skills for engaging with senior executive stakeholders, articulating value and aligning on strategic priorities.
• A demonstrated history of working with cross-functional teams to solve complex problems, requiring the ability to synthesize information from various domains.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with cross-border payment regulatory frameworks, including AML, KYC, sanctions screening, and PEP/COAF reporting, providing context for compliance discussions.
• Prior experience managing Tier 1 bank or major fintech relationships specifically in the EMEA market, understanding the nuances of regional dynamics.
• Proficiency in French or Portuguese, which could expand your ability to support partners in additional territories.
• Professional background in business operations, offering a holistic view of how strategic initiatives impact the broader organization.

Skills & tools

• SQL
• Looker
• Lightdash
• API and webhook integration knowledge
• Payment rail infrastructure
• Incident command and crisis management

Practical notes

Wise encourages applications from under-represented demographics to ensure a diverse and inclusive workplace. You can learn more about the company culture and mission at Wise.Jobs.