Customer Experience Specialist (Contract)

Harvard Business Publishing (HBP) – the leading destination for innovative management thinking. We reach lifelong learners to improve the practice of management in a changing world. This mission inspires each of us to unlock the leader in everyone – including you!

The opportunity

The Customer Experience Specialist (Contract) will play an important role in supporting customer outcomes across HBI’s higher education portfolio through the execution of operational deliverables and customer-facing activities that directly impact customer experiences. This role helps ensure the seamless delivery of customer support operations, day-to-day deliverables, and select customer engagement activities, including product demonstrations for a limited set of HBI offerings.

This role requires a sharp focus on operational excellence and proactive management of customer deliverables and support. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, technically curious, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment. Success in this role requires strong execution, proactive problem-solving, and the ability to navigate systems, data, and customer support workflows with minimal oversight.

What you’ll do: 

• Develop basic knowledge of HBI’s active learning pedagogy and product suite—including digital products, Admin tooling, partner LMS platforms, and more

• Support the implementation and maintenance of B2B customers and partners, including system configurations, usage reporting oversight, and content management. 

• Support delivery – in person and virtually -- of strategic programs and workshops that drive scalability, efficiency, product innovation, and growth. Experience with the Canvas LMS platform (or other LMS platforms) is a plus.

• Provide responsive support to customers, managing Zendesk and JIRA case resolution in alignment with HBI’s service standards and SLAs. Escalate and document issues through established channels to ensure timely resolution by Product and Engineering teams.

• Lead targeted product demonstrations and training sessions for individuals and groups of customers to support their educational goals.

• Leverage tools such as Tableau, Salesforce, Zendesk, and AI-powered platforms to streamline workflows and enhance efficiency.

What you’ll bring:

• 3+ years of experience in customer service, customer success, customer support, customer operations, or implementation roles – ideally within SaaS, EdTech, or B2B2C environments.  Experience working with academic institution, educators, or in the education sector is a plus

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present confidently

• Highly organized and self-directed, with a track record of owning outcomes and deliverables

• Passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences and creating measurable impact through proactive engagement and personalized support

• Intellectual curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning, demonstrated by proactively seeking out resources and studying documentation to develop deep product expertise

• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and solving problems proactively in a fast-paced, evolving environment

• Proficient with tools such as Salesforce, Zendesk, Microsoft Office, and virtual collaboration platforms like Webex or Zoom

• Ability to quickly learn and become a power user of new technologies, with a curiosity for digital learning tools and platforms. Familiarity with LMS platforms and integration standards (e.g., LTI 1.3) is highly desirable

• Collaborative and flexible team player with the ability to work across matrixed, cross-functional team

• Growth-oriented mindset with a desire to stay informed about emerging technologies, educational trends, and customer success best practices

HBP is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Individuals based in the Boston area will be prioritized due to onsite collaboration needs. This position follows a hybrid schedule, with an expectation to work onsite once per week on Wednesdays. This is a 6-month, part-time contract opportunity averaging 25-30 hours per week, with some flexibility based on workload and business requirements. The anticipated pay range is $28-$32 per hour, depending on experience and skills.