Head of Client Experience

About Zato

Zato is an agentic AI platform designed for accounting firms and created by experienced operators who have already handled more than one million jobs and ledgers. Instead of making the old compliance workflow slightly better, the company rebuilt it from the ground up.

Accounting firms have relied for years on manual work, disconnected systems, and conventional outsourcing. Zato replaces that model by bringing the full end-to-end process into one platform, covering questionnaires, GL review, workpapers, query handling, and sign-off.

The business is growing quickly across New Zealand and Australia, with tens of thousands of ledgers already active on the platform, and is moving toward becoming the defining system for how accounting firms get work done.

Role Overview

This position owns the client relationship, which is one of the most important responsibilities in the company. Many firms arrive through Connect, Zato’s subsidiary and one of the largest outsourced accounting providers in ANZ, and at present most of those clients interact primarily with delivery teams. The business now needs a local relationship owner who knows these firms, supports them closely, and grows with them.

You will be the first person Partners and Directors turn to. By taking excellent care of clients, you help deepen trust, expand the amount of work they place on Zato, and strengthen long-term growth. This role starts with direct ownership of key relationships and later expands into building and leading the client experience team as the function scales.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and expand Zato’s client relationships, beginning with the Connect base and widening from there.
• Serve as the trusted local contact for Partners and Directors across Australia and New Zealand.
• Improve retention and drive expansion by moving more of each firm’s work onto Zato and strengthening every account.
• Own commercial outcomes tied to retained and expanded ledgers.
• Oversee the full client journey, including onboarding transition, ongoing support, growth, renewals, and advocacy.
• Handle difficult or high-stakes client issues and resolve them effectively and diplomatically.
• Represent the client perspective internally and translate feedback into product and operational improvements.
• Build, manage, and develop the client experience team as the business grows.

Experience and Qualifications

• At least 7 years of experience in client relationship management, customer success, account management, partner success, or a comparable client-facing role.
• Background in accounting, business software, fintech, professional services, or work with and around accounting firms is preferred.
• A strong history of retaining clients and expanding accounts, supported by measurable results.
• Credibility with accountants; a CA or CPA, or direct experience in or alongside accounting firms, is a significant advantage.
• Ability to discuss how an accounting firm operates and delivers work in a meaningful way.
• Experience managing sensitive, complex, or high-pressure client situations successfully.
• Comfort with ownership of commercial targets, including both retention and expansion.
• Prepared to grow into team leadership as the function scales; previous people management experience is helpful but not essential.
• A relevant tertiary qualification is beneficial.
• Full working rights in New Zealand or Australia are required.

Personal Attributes

• Strong interpersonal instincts, with the ability to build trust quickly and connect naturally with clients.
• Very hands-on approach and willingness to stay close to the work rather than operate at a distance.
• Calm and tactful under pressure, especially when managing objections or difficult conversations.
• Commercially aware, with an understanding that exceptional client care drives account growth.
• Self-directed and proactive, with a strong sense of ownership over results.
• Warm, engaging, and energised by being the person clients rely on.
• Based locally and willing to travel across ANZ to meet firms in person.

What You’ll Get

The role offers high-value client relationships, a warm portfolio to develop, genuine ownership over what you build, and the chance to make people skills central to the job. Success in this role means helping firms stay longer, grow more, and recommend Zato to others. The opportunity is based in Auckland or Sydney.

Additional Information

This position is based in Auckland or Sydney and requires regular travel across Australia and New Zealand to meet clients in person.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should send their resume to team@zatohq.com and include a short paragraph describing a client who trusted them and how they responded to that trust.