Senior Operations Manager, Customer Experience

Role: Senior Operations Manager, Customer Experience

Team: Customer Experience

Scope: People Manager, M4

Years of Experience: 10+ years

Location: Reno, NV / Hybrid

General Summary

The Patagonia North American Contact Center supports our Direct-to-Customer business across Phone, Chat, Email, and Digital channels. As the Senior Operations Manager, Customer Experience, you are accountable for setting and executing operational customer service strategy that enables exceptional, mission-aligned service at scale.

In this role, you work on complex operational and organizational issues where problems are not clearly defined and lack strategic direction. You apply conceptual thinking and a deep understanding of organizational objectives to assess situations, analyze data, and determine appropriate paths forward. Your work drives the strategy and success of large, cross-functional initiatives that contribute to multiple areas of the organization.

You establish operational objectives, policies, procedures, and work plans, and delegate ownership through layers of leadership. You develop, modify, and execute policies that affect immediate operations and may also have broader, company-wide impact.

People are at the heart of Patagonia's customer experience. As a Senior Operations Manager, you lead multiple teams or functional areas through subordinate managers and senior supervisors, build leadership capability, and create an environment grounded in trust, accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement. Above all, you embody Patagonia's purpose and integrate our environmental and social values into daily decisions.

What You'll Do

Set strategy and solve complex problems

• Work on ambiguous, high-impact operational challenges where analysis requires conceptual thinking, judgment, and deep business context
• Define success for complex initiatives that lack clear precedent or direction
• Select methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria to obtain results aligned to CX and enterprise goals
• Drive the strategy and successful delivery of large-scale projects that impact multiple CX teams and business partners

Establish operational objectives, policies, and oversight

• Establish operational objectives, policies, procedures, and multi-quarter work plans for your areas of responsibility
• Develop, adapt, and execute company policies that affect immediate CX operations and may have broader organizational reach
• Ensure operational practices align with Patagonia values, regulatory requirements, and business priorities

Lead through managers and scale impact

• Manage the activities of multiple sections or disciplines through subordinate managers, senior supervisors, and/or professional roles
• Guide leaders using functional best practices and well-defined management precedents while adapting approach as needed
• Build leadership pipelines through coaching, feedback, and succession planning
• Set and sustain healthy operating rhythm, pace, and energy across teams-especially through peak periods, ambiguity, and change-so work is sustainable, focused, and effective over time.

Manage performance, budgets, and accountability

• Accountable for department specific budget lines
• Balance customer experience, people experience, and financial stewardship in decision-making
• Use metrics and insights to monitor outcomes, anticipate risk, and drive continuous improvement

Partner and influence at scale

• Partner across Customer Experience, Technology, Workforce Management, Training, Finance, and adjacent business teams
• Check in Influence without direct authority to drive alignment, resolve tradeoffs, and deliver outcomes
• Represent CX operations in enterprise initiatives and decision forums
• Actively steward team morale and engagement by modeling presence, clarity, and calm under pressure, and by addressing workload balance, stress signals, and burnout risks before they impact people or performance.

Who You Are

• A strategic, systems-level operator who navigates ambiguity and defines direction where it's missing
• A leader of leaders with experience managing through managers and senior supervisors
• Strong in business and organizational acumen, understanding how policy, budget, systems, and people decisions interact
• Data-informed and customer-centered, using metrics to guide strategy and improvement
• An inclusive, collaborative leader who builds trust and accountability
• A pacesetter and stabilizing presence who brings clarity, calm, and momentum-especially during high‑pressure or high‑volume periods.
• A people-first leader attuned to team energy and morale, who knows when to push, when to pause, and how to help leaders and teams perform sustainably at their best.
• Mission-aligned and values-driven, committed to Patagonia's purpose

Experience You Bring

• 10+ years of related customer service experience, including a minimum of 5 years as a people leader.
• Progresses leadership experience, overseeing a large and multi-tiered organization (i.e. managing a team of manager each with their own set of direct reports)
• Proven success motivating, coaching, and orchestrating teams to navigate ambiguity, embrace change, overcome obstacles and implement systems and processes that enable the operation to scale.
• Demonstrated ownership of complex operations, policies, or programs with cross-functional impact
• Experience managing to a budget and making trade-off decisions with broad organizational consequences
• Strong understanding of CX performance metrics, forecasting, reporting, and budgeting
• Proficiency with Microsoft tools, contact center platforms, and analytics systems
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Proven experience leading teams in inclusive, respectful, and equitable ways

Workplace Location and Home Office Requirements

This is a hybrid role. You will be expected to work in-office from our Reno, NV location Tue-Thurs every week, with other days offering flexibility to work from home. Additional in-office days may be required during peak periods or for participation in important company meetings or events.

Home Network Connection/Internet Access

• Minimum internet connection speed of 100Mbps
• Patagonia provided computers must be connected directly to the firewall and have the latest firmware installed

Physical Workspace Requirements

• Workspace must be able to accommodate Patagonia supplied IT equipment: Two, 24" monitors and associated cables (power strip/surge protector)
• Work must be done in a private space where others cannot listen to phone calls or observe computer screens

Other Technology Considerations

• Personal smart phone required to support 2nd factor authentication
• Shared internet access with other residents could impact customer experience. This should be taken into consideration when determining internet connection speed and should not compromise the minimum 100Mbps requirements.

Work Hours

• CX's operating hours are generally:

• Monday through Friday, 5:45am to 6:00pm PT

• Saturday and Sunday, 6:45am to 3:00pm PT

• You may be required to log in during these hours to assist with issues.

• You may be required to attend onsite trainings or meetings or to travel for work outside of your normal shift or normal operating hours.

Peak Periods and All-Hands-On-Deck Days

• The department will have limited opportunities to take paid time off during Peak Weeks and All-Hands-on-Deck-Days, as determined by the business.

• Tentative FY27 Peak Periods:

• August Summer Sale

• early November to early January Holiday Peak

• January to February Winter Sale

• Tentative FY27 All-Hands-on-Deck-Days:

• August Start of Summer Sale

• November Cyber Monday

• December Post-Holiday

• January Post-New Year's

Physical Requirements

Interface with Patagonia provided technology (computer screens, software programs, headset, keyboard) to receive and input information to execute customer support actions.

Compensation

Hiring Range: $130,000 to $150,000 USD

At Patagonia, pay ranges are assigned to a job based on the location specific market median of similar jobs according to 3rd party salary benchmark surveys. Individual pay within that range can vary for several reasons including skills/capabilities, experience, and available budget. Note the full pay-range for this role ranges from: $102,800.00 - $154,220.00 USD annually. The Hiring Range reflects where in the range we intend to hire for this role.

Benefits

Patagonia offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, retirement and leave of absence plans. Benefit plans may vary slightly depending on the nature of your employment.

Employee Conduct

It is the responsibility of every employee to contribute to a positive, inclusive work environment through cooperative and professional interactions with co-workers, customers and vendors.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.