Vice President, Customer Success

Rich Products Corporation•Buffalo, NY

About The Position

Rich’s, also known as Rich Products Corporation, is a family-owned food company dedicated to inspiring possibilities. From cakes and icings to pizza, appetizers and specialty toppings, our products are used in homes, restaurants and bakeries around the world. Beyond great food, our customers also gain insights to help them stay competitive, no matter their size. Our portfolio includes creative solutions geared at helping food industry professionals compete in foodservice, retail, in-store bakery, deli, and prepared foods, among others. Working in 100 locations globally, with annual sales exceeding $4 billion, Rich’s is a global leader with a focus on everything that family makes possible. Rich’s®—Infinite Possibilities. One Family. Purpose StatementThe Vice President of Customer Success is responsible for setting the global strategy and operational direction for customer success across all channels and regions, with a strong emphasis on leveraging artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and digital enablement to drive productivity, efficiency, and differentiated customer experiences. This role leads both internal and ESO-managed customer success teams to deliver consistent, high-quality service while continuously modernizing how customer interactions, insights, and workflows are managed. This leader will champion the use of AI-driven tools and data to proactively manage customer health, reduce manual effort, improve speed-to-resolution, and enable scalable growth. By combining customer-centric leadership with digital and analytical acumen, the role is pivotal in improving customer satisfaction, loyalty, and lifetime value while optimizing cost-to-serve and operational efficiency.Key Accountabilities and OutcomesCustomer Success Leadership & Transformation• Lead and mentor global customer success teams, including internal and ESO-managed teams supporting Foodservice, Bakery, Consumer Brands, DSD, and Ecommerce.• Drive the transformation of customer success through AI-enabled workflows, automation, and self-service capabilities that improve associate productivity and customer responsiveness.• Establish a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and data-driven decision-making across customer success teams.• Spearhead the development and execution of comprehensive customer success strategies to maximize customer satisfaction, retention, and expansion. AI, Analytics, and Digital Enablement• Champion the adoption of AI and advanced analytics to proactively manage customer health, predict service issues, and drive accuracy and efficiency by automating decision making.• Partner with Technology, Data & Analytics, and CS&L leadership to deploy AI-driven tools such as intelligent case management, demand pattern recognition, sentiment analysis, and predictive insights.• Leverage automation and digital solutions to reduce manual touchpoints, streamline case resolution, and improve first-contact resolution and cycle times. Channel-Specific Strategy• Design and execute tailored customer success strategies by channel, enabled by data segmentation and AI-driven insights.• Continuously monitor channel performance using advanced dashboards and predictive metrics to dynamically adjust service models and resource allocation. Customer Insights & Voice of Customer• Implement scalable, technology-enabled methods to capture and analyze customer feedback across all touchpoints.• Use AI-powered insights (e.g., sentiment analysis, trend detection) to inform process improvements, service design, and cross-functional priorities.• Translate customer data into actionable recommendations that improve experience, retention, and profitability. Performance Management, Productivity & Financial Stewardship• Define and monitor KPIs including NPS, CSAT, CLV, cost-to-serve, productivity per associate, and automation adoption.• Drive measurable productivity gains through AI, automation, and standardized global processes.• Lead departmental budgeting with a focus on reinvesting efficiency gains into higher-value customer engagement and growth initiatives. ESO Vendor Partnership & Influence• Build and sustain strategic partnerships with ESO providers, ensuring alignment on AI adoption, digital tools, service standards, and performance metrics.• Collaborate with vendors to continuously improve service delivery through shared analytics, automation, and best practices. Global Standardization & Scalability• Partner with regional leaders to deploy consistent, scalable customer success standards supported by common technology platforms and AI-enabled processes.• Ensure solutions are globally deployable while remaining sensitive to regional customer and market needs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Supply Chain, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
10–15 years of progressive leadership experience in customer success, customer service, or related functions.
Demonstrated experience leveraging AI, automation, and advanced analytics to drive operational efficiency and improved customer outcomes.
Strong understanding of Foodservice, Ecommerce, Consumer Brands, DSD, and Lead Generation business models.
Proven success managing and influencing external service providers and strategic partners.
Strategic, customer-centric mindset with the ability to balance experience, cost, and scalability.
Strong analytical capabilities with comfort translating complex data into actionable insights.
Experience leading large, diverse, and geographically distributed teams.
Excellent communication, change leadership, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Proficiency with customer success platforms, CRM systems, analytics tools, and digital workflow solutions.

Responsibilities

Lead and mentor global customer success teams, including internal and ESO-managed teams supporting Foodservice, Bakery, Consumer Brands, DSD, and Ecommerce.
Drive the transformation of customer success through AI-enabled workflows, automation, and self-service capabilities that improve associate productivity and customer responsiveness.
Establish a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and data-driven decision-making across customer success teams.
Spearhead the development and execution of comprehensive customer success strategies to maximize customer satisfaction, retention, and expansion.
Champion the adoption of AI and advanced analytics to proactively manage customer health, predict service issues, and drive accuracy and efficiency by automating decision making.
Partner with Technology, Data & Analytics, and CS&L leadership to deploy AI-driven tools such as intelligent case management, demand pattern recognition, sentiment analysis, and predictive insights.
Leverage automation and digital solutions to reduce manual touchpoints, streamline case resolution, and improve first-contact resolution and cycle times.
Design and execute tailored customer success strategies by channel, enabled by data segmentation and AI-driven insights.
Continuously monitor channel performance using advanced dashboards and predictive metrics to dynamically adjust service models and resource allocation.
Implement scalable, technology-enabled methods to capture and analyze customer feedback across all touchpoints.
Use AI-powered insights (e.g., sentiment analysis, trend detection) to inform process improvements, service design, and cross-functional priorities.
Translate customer data into actionable recommendations that improve experience, retention, and profitability.
Define and monitor KPIs including NPS, CSAT, CLV, cost-to-serve, productivity per associate, and automation adoption.
Drive measurable productivity gains through AI, automation, and standardized global processes.
Lead departmental budgeting with a focus on reinvesting efficiency gains into higher-value customer engagement and growth initiatives.
Build and sustain strategic partnerships with ESO providers, ensuring alignment on AI adoption, digital tools, service standards, and performance metrics.
Collaborate with vendors to continuously improve service delivery through shared analytics, automation, and best practices.
Partner with regional leaders to deploy consistent, scalable customer success standards supported by common technology platforms and AI-enabled processes.
Ensure solutions are globally deployable while remaining sensitive to regional customer and market needs.