Manager, Strategic Implementations

Position Description:

The Manager, Strategic Implementations leads a team of Implementation Managers responsible for delivering smooth, efficient, and customer-focused onboarding experiences for Novara’s strategic customers. This leader helps customers reach value quickly by keeping projects focused on their intended outcomes, preparing teams for activation, and ensuring a high-quality experience throughout implementation. The manager provides hands-on direction, resolves roadblocks, coaches the team, manages workload, and tracks performance against KPIs.

• Oversee day-to-day delivery across the team, ensuring strategic implementations progress on time, meet quality standards, and prepare customers to activate and use their solutions.
• Keep project plans tied to each customer’s desired outcomes, with clear milestones that support time to value.
• Step in quickly on customer escalations and blockers, guide decisions, and maintain clear, timely communication and a positive customer experience.
• Coach and develop Implementation Managers through practical guidance, empathetic leadership, and ongoing feedback.
• Monitor team KPIs, including time to value, activation readiness, on-time delivery, CSAT, utilization, and escalation trends; use findings to improve delivery.
• Reinforce consistent use of project plans, RAID logs, documentation standards, and status reporting.
• Balance assignments and proactively manage capacity constraints to meet customer needs and support the team.
• Partner with Product, Support, Customer Success, Content, and Sales to remove blockers and complete effective handoffs.
• Help the team adopt evolving tools, processes, and expectations through clear communication and practical support.

• 3+ years in SaaS implementation, delivery management, onboarding, or professional services, including experience leading teams.
• Proven success managing customer implementations or programs with multiple stakeholders.
• Demonstrated strength in coaching, performance development, and culture building.
• Strong customer-facing and executive-level communication skills, including the ability to navigate difficult conversations.
• Proficiency with project plans, RAID logs, CRM/PSA systems (Salesforce preferred), and implementation frameworks.
• Experience managing KPIs and turning performance trends into operational improvements.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience; leadership or project management certification is a plus.

• Strategic customers experience predictable, high-quality implementations, activate successfully, and make timely progress toward their desired outcomes and early value.
• The team achieves strong customer satisfaction and on-time delivery while addressing risks early and minimizing avoidable escalations.
• The manager builds an engaged, high-performing team through clear expectations, hands-on coaching, and development aligned with proficiency standards.
• Delivery practices are consistent and repeatable, with KPI insights driving improvements in time to value, customer experience, and business outcomes.
• Cross-functional partners work together effectively to resolve blockers and complete smooth customer handoffs.