Director, Customer Success

About Appian

Appian builds process automation software for large organizations and public sector customers. The company has spent 25 years helping enterprises run complex operations with reliability and scale, and it is known for a platform designed for demanding business environments.

Appian’s culture is grounded in intensity and excellence. Team members are expected to work with high standards, strong ownership, and a shared commitment to delivering great results together.

About the Team

The Chennai Shared Services Center supports Appian’s worldwide Customer Success delivery. It is a fast-growing, high-performing center made up of consultants and specialists who help enterprise customers get strong value from the Appian platform. The team culture emphasizes operational rigor, collaboration, and measurable customer impact.

Role Overview

The Director, Customer Success (Regional Leader) is responsible for the overall health, performance, and scalability of the Chennai center. This is a leadership role focused on operations and people management rather than hands-on technical delivery. Success in this position depends on keeping the organization healthy, appropriately staffed, motivated, and aligned with both local needs and global business expectations.

The role acts as a key link between the India-based team and Appian’s US headquarters. It requires someone who can manage a matrixed environment, build a strong team culture, and scale a regional hub while maintaining operational discipline.

Key Responsibilities

• Design hiring plans with Capability Leaders and Talent Management, support interview activity, and manage workforce growth so staffing keeps pace with the SSC’s expanding services.
• Build a strong performance culture by setting clear expectations for quality, accountability, and professional conduct, while addressing issues promptly and visibly.
• Maintain full visibility into available capacity across resource pools and make final assignment decisions in partnership with Chennai leadership, engagement managers, and US headquarters.
• Track billable utilization closely, identify capacity risks early, close staffing gaps quickly, and ensure theater leaders provide reliable pipeline visibility.
• Work with operations and finance to monitor costs, manage charge-backs for non-billable work, and keep the SSC operating within a clear and defensible financial model.
• Lead operational governance processes, including BAU steering meetings, staffing conflict resolution, and enforcement of forecasting and lead-time expectations.
• Manage the full people lifecycle for the Chennai team, including performance reviews, career discussions, compensation inputs, and HR-related matters.

Required Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience is required.
• At least 10 years of professional experience leading operations, resource management, or regional delivery in a global enterprise software company or top consulting firm.
• Prior experience in a US-headquartered organization and the ability to operate effectively in a US-based matrix structure.
• Strong command of resource management measures such as utilization, capacity planning, and forecasting.
• Proven people leadership experience, including performance development, compensation planning, and team scaling.
• Solid financial understanding, including experience with budgets and internal charge-back mechanisms.
• Ability to work from the Chennai office five days per week.

Preferred Qualifications

• An MBA or another advanced degree in operations or management is preferred.
• Experience building or scaling a Global Capability Center or Shared Services Center during rapid growth would be an advantage.
• Strong stakeholder management and conflict resolution skills, especially with executive partners across multiple time zones, are highly valued.

Tools, Training, and Community

• New hires receive onboarding support through department-specific training, mentorship, and a First-Friend program.
• Appian offers learning and career development resources such as leadership programs, Appian University, skills-based training, and tuition reimbursement.
• Employees are welcomed into an inclusive community supported by eight employee-led affinity groups that organize social, educational, and outreach activities.

Benefits

The benefits package may include health coverage, employee assistance support with free mental health resources, life and disability insurance, an employee stock purchase program, a retirement or pension plan, wellness dollars, tuition reimbursement, family-forming benefits, and other country-specific offerings. Exact benefits depend on location.

Equal Opportunity and Accommodation

Appian is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants without discrimination under applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available during the hiring process in accordance with legal requirements.