Senior director, global customer operations

Location: Charlottesville, VA or approved East Coast locations (VA, NC, GA, FL)

Do you thrive leading a global service operation through real, active change? Can you bring both operational rigor and a genuine focus on the people you serve? Are you ready to own vendor strategy and shape how a global team delivers service, working closely with senior leadership?

CFA Institute is hiring a Senior Director, Global Customer Operations to lead our global contact center function, a hybrid team of internal staff and managed-service vendor partners supporting members and candidates worldwide. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will set functional strategy, own vendor performance, and lead the team through an active period of transformation.

What You'll Do

• Set and execute strategy for the global contact center function, partnering closely with the COO on wider Operations priorities.
• Protect and elevate the member and candidate experience as the team drives operational efficiency, partnering across Membership, Education, Marketing, and Technology to keep that experience consistent.
• Lead day-to-day delivery across the hybrid model, leading a multi-layered leadership team of managers and senior managers, each responsible for their own teams, across internal staff and managed-service partners.
• Own vendor performance: manage the relationship, hold partners to SLAs and KPIs, and lead contract and commercial discussions with Procurement, Legal, and Finance.
• Build and manage the function's annual budget, and set the policies, procedures, and quality standards that govern service delivery.
• Lead the team through active transformation, assessing the current model, driving meaningful change to how service is delivered, and developing the leadership bench beneath you.

What We're Looking For

• Proven, senior-level experience leading a contact center, customer service, or operations function, including within a hybrid or vendor-managed delivery environment.
• Proven experience operating in a global or multi-region service environment, ideally supporting international growth markets outside the US.
• Proven change management experience, leading a team through significant, sustained change to how it operates.
• Proven experience managing outsourced or managed-service vendor relationships, including SLA/KPI governance.
• Hands-on experience with contact center technology platforms, such as CRM and workforce management (WFM) systems.
• Substantial experience owning or managing a budget for a department or functional area.
• Bachelor's degree; advanced degree (e.g., MBA) or equivalent experience.

You'll Thrive in This Role If...

• You bring both operational discipline and genuine care for the people you serve. This isn't a role for someone motivated purely by cost and volume metrics.
• You're energized by leading change, not just maintaining a steady state.
• You've supported a global business and are comfortable working with teams and customers across different regions and time zones, not just a domestic base.

Nice to Have

• Background in a member-driven, mission-driven, or brand-sensitive organization.
• Awareness of multilingual or localization considerations in service delivery.

Why Join Us

• Lead a global, mission-driven service function during a period of meaningful transformation.
• Play a meaningful role in shaping the member and candidate experience at global scale.
• Partner directly with senior leadership and cross-functional teams across the organization.
• Travel: some travel required (up to approximately 10%), including occasional vendor-site visits and travel between U.S. and U.K. locations.

At CFA Institute, we are committed to transparency and equity in our hiring process. In compliance with wage transparency laws in many of the jurisdictions in which we recruit, we provide the following information regarding compensation for this position.

Expected salary range: US National Locations (VA, NC, GA, FL): $150,000 - $190,000 per year

Actual salary within the stated ranges will depend on the individual's experience, qualifications, skills, location, and other job-related factors. Additional benefits include eligibility for an annual discretionary incentive bonus, a 12% employer contribution to a 401(k) or pension plan, and a comprehensive medical benefits package.

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We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees, including health coverage, generous time off, competitive retirement plans, flexible work options, and wellbeing and development programs. You can learn more on our careers site: Working at CFA Institute | Comprehensive Benefits

About CFA Institute

CFA Institute is the global leader in investment excellence and ethics. With nearly 200,000 charterholders across 160 markets, we promote professional growth, uphold ethical standards, and help advance better financial markets. Join a global organization committed to putting investors first.

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Important Message: Your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirements as CFA Institute cannot make assumptions about your education, experience, or location. We thank all those who apply.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. CFA Institute prohibits both discrimination and harassment with regard to all identifying characteristics: any individual employee, group of employees, or prospective employee on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion, creed or belief, age, marital or partnership status, marital or family status, care giver status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, physical abilities/qualities, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, predisposing genetic characteristic, military or veteran status, status as a victim or witness of domestic violence or sex offense or stalking, unemployment status, infectious disease carrier status, migrant worker status, educational background, socio-economic status, geographic location and culture or any other basis protected by applicable law. This policy impacts all aspects of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, development, promotion, demotion, layoff, recall, furlough, transfer, leave of absence, and dismissal. This is a global policy that applies to all CFA Institute employees, regardless of location.

If, due to a disability or current medical condition, you need an accommodation or assistance to complete a job application, you can request one at any stage of the recruitment process. Please send an email to TAHelpdesk@cfainstitute.org noting the accommodations or assistance you are requesting. Please do not include any medical or health information in this email. We will review your request and contact you to discuss the possible options and arrangements. We will try our best to provide you with an accommodation or assistance that meets your needs and respects your preferences.