Job Description
As an Associate Renewals Manager, you will own and optimize the contract renewal process for a strategic SMB book of business, managing customers with annual contract values over $100K. This role requires strong relationship-building skills, a customer-first mindset, and the ability to leverage data, product insights, and value-based positioning to drive successful renewal outcomes.
You’ll partner closely with Sales, Customer Success, and Revenue Operations to ensure customers continue to see value in Zendesk and choose to renew their partnership. The ideal candidate has experience managing strategic or complex renewals, understands how to navigate executive-level conversations, and can balance both commercial and relationship priorities.
Key Responsibilities:
- Manage the full renewal lifecycle for a portfolio of high-value SMB accounts, ensuring timely, accurate, and high-retention outcomes
- Partner with Customer Success Managers and Account Executives to strategize renewal approaches based on customer health, usage, and sentiment
- Proactively engage customers through scheduled check-ins and tailored outreach to reinforce value and anticipate objections
- Analyze account history and product usage data to craft compelling renewal narratives and forecast renewal risk
- Support quote creation, pricing validation, and contract management in collaboration with Legal and Finance
- Maintain CRM data accuracy in Salesforce and contribute to renewal forecasting and reporting
- Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities, routing them appropriately to Sales or Success partners
- Contribute to ongoing process improvements, best practices, and playbook development
Core Competencies:
Business Knowledge
Maintains a strong understanding of Zendesk’s product portfolio and competitive landscape. Maps customer use cases to Zendesk solutions—including less common products—to support renewal success.
Relationship Management
Builds trust with decision-makers and key stakeholders through proactive, collaborative engagement. Knows when to escalate and effectively gathers the right audience to resolve issues quickly.
Communication & Conflict Resolution
Communicates Zendesk’s value clearly and persuasively while addressing concerns with empathy and professionalism. Adapts style and approach to navigate challenging conversations and achieve positive outcomes.
Analytical Skills
Interprets customer data to support forecasting and decision-making, with guidance from senior team members.
Negotiation
Understands the role of negotiation in renewals and is developing the ability to communicate value, handle objections, and present win-win options aligned with customer needs.
Qualifications:
- 0–2 years of experience in SaaS renewals, account management, customer success, or sales support
- Experience working strategic or complex deals within a SaaS SMB segment (customers >$100K ARR)
- Proficiency in Salesforce or similar CRM tools; CPQ experience preferred
- Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple renewals simultaneously
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret customer data and drive insights
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
The US hourly OTE (On Target Earnings) range for this position is $44.23-$66.35 with a pay mix of 70/30 (base/commission). This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives. While this range reflects the minimum and maximum value for new hire rates for the position across all US locations, the offer for the successful candidate for this position will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other factors such as work location. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base rate only (or OTE for commissions based roles), and do not include bonus, benefits, or related incentives.
Hybrid: In this role, our hybrid experience is designed at the team level to give you a rich onsite experience packed with connection, collaboration, learning, and celebration - while also giving you flexibility to work remotely for part of the week. This role must attend our local office for part of the week. The specific in-office schedule is to be determined by the hiring manager.
The intelligent heart of customer experience
Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.
Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.
As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.
Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.
Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to peopleandplaces@zendesk.com with your specific accommodation request.