We are looking for a Director of Customer Success with deep experience in the life sciences industry to lead and scale our customer success function. In this role, you will drive strategy, lead a team of Customer Success Directors/Managers, and serve as an executive-level partner to our most strategic accounts.
About YouAs Director of Customer Success at Science Exchange, you will be responsible for the overall health, retention, and growth of our customer base. You will set the vision and strategy for the customer success organization, build and mentor a high-performing team, and serve as a trusted executive advisor to key accounts. By collaborating closely with sales, product, and R&D stakeholders, you will ensure our customers achieve measurable outcomes and maximize the value of our platform. Your leadership will directly contribute to growing gross marketplace volume (GMV), driving high account retention, and enabling our customers to advance scientific discovery.
About the RoleTeam Leadership & Strategy
- Lead, mentor, and grow a team of Customer Success Managers, establishing clear goals, performance standards, and career development pathways.
- Define and execute the overall customer success strategy, aligning team priorities with company revenue and retention goals.
- Build scalable processes, playbooks, and frameworks to drive consistency and efficiency across the customer success organization.
Account Management & Executive Engagement
- Serve as an executive sponsor for strategic accounts, building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders including VP and C-suite level contacts.
- Partner with Account Directors and Sales leadership to identify expansion opportunities and drive net revenue retention.
Growth & Retention
- Own key metrics including gross marketplace volume (GMV), net revenue retention (NRR), and customer health scores.
- Monitor and analyze account trends across the portfolio to proactively identify risks and opportunities at scale.
- Develop and implement strategies to increase platform adoption, engagement, and long-term customer loyalty.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Product, Marketing, and Sales teams to serve as the voice of the customer and drive product improvements based on customer feedback and market insights.
- Collaborate with the Customer Enablement team to oversee large-scale onboarding, training, and launch initiatives.
Feedback & Advocacy
- Champion customer stories, testimonials, and references to support marketing and sales efforts.
- Escalate and resolve complex customer issues, ensuring a seamless and high-touch customer experience.
Experience / Education
- 7+ years of experience in customer success, account management, or a related customer-facing role, with at least 3 years in a leadership capacity.
- 3+ years working directly with life sciences, biotech, and/or pharmaceutical companies — ideally supporting R&D, External Innovation, or Procurement organizations.
- Familiarity with R&D outsourcing and the CRO/CDMO supplier landscape; experience working with or alongside pharma R&D procurement teams strongly preferred.
- Experience managing relationships with enterprise pharma stakeholders at the VP and C-suite level.
- An advanced degree in a life science discipline (biology, chemistry, or related field) is a plus, but not required.
Skills & Attributes
- Proven track record of building and scaling customer success teams in a SaaS, marketplace, or managed services environment serving enterprise customers.
- Understanding of how pharma sources and contracts external research services, including the procurement, legal, and scientific stakeholders involved in vendor selection.
- Exceptional relationship-building and executive communication skills, with the gravitas to serve as a trusted advisor to senior pharma leaders.
- Strong analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and drive strategic decisions; comfort with metrics like GMV, NRR, and customer health.
- Demonstrated ability to drive user engagement, satisfaction, revenue retention, and growth at scale.
- Proficiency with CRM and customer success tools (Salesforce preferred).
- Passion for scientific innovation and the ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
The US-based salary range for this full-time position is $150,000–$185,000. Our salary ranges are determined by role and seniority level. Within the range, individual pay is determined by additional factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education and/or training. Incentive compensation and health, dental, and vision benefits are also offered for all US-based roles.
Ready to Join Us?Science Exchange is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
Similar Jobs
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory


.png)
