Lead, Center of Excellence

The Pendo Center of Excellence (CoE) sets the standard for how Pendo uses Pendo. We bring together in-app and email engagement Product Operations and growth strategy to ensure every team maximizes the value of the platform and every customer receives a consistent contextual and high-quality experience. The CoE is a small high-leverage team: the Head of CoE sets direction and strategic priorities a Specialist drives day-to-day execution and Product Operations partners on system foundations. This Lead role sits at the center of that system.

Were hiring a Lead Center of Excellence to scale the teams impact. Youll evolve the CoE from a team that launches guides and emails into a system-driven operating model that drives measurable outcomes across onboarding retention support deflection and customer lifecycle. Youll translate strategy into scalable processes partner closely with the Head of CoE and Specialist to improve throughput without sacrificing quality and serve as the CoEs point of collaboration for Fin-related initiatives. This is a systems-focused impact-driven role for someone who understands not just how to use Pendo but how to use it to move the needle.

This role is based in Raleigh NC or US remote and follows Pendos hybrid model: in-office 3 days per week where applicable.

• Expand CoE support into high-impact lifecycle areas onboarding and adoption retention and churn prevention and support deflection partnering with Design Product PMM Customer Success Content Design and Marketing to connect engagement strategy to measurable business outcomes.
• Own the Pendo-side strategy and execution for guide delivery triggered through Fins chat interface: determine which guides are eligible for conversational launch how theyre structured for that context and how theyre tagged and maintained for reliable delivery.
• Lead the CoEs approach to proactive Fin messaging tied to Pendo Workflows and Funnels enabling Fin to detect when users stall and deliver contextual timely support nudges at the right moment.
• Improve intake quality workflow efficiency and CoE throughput identify and resolve bottlenecks evolve governance standards and ensure consistency across all customer-facing experiences before theyre published.
• Support the exploration and implementation of AI-driven CoE capabilities (e.g. CoE Companion) to improve intake quality guide decision-making and reduce manual effort at scale.
• Lead cross-functional alignment across Adoption Product PMM Customer Success and Marketing present CoE strategy and recommendations to stakeholders and push back confidently when work doesnt meet the bar.
• Partner with Product Operations to strengthen the systems that underpin engagement: segmentation tagging metadata permissions and governance workflows.

Beyond the qualifications we hire through a specific lens. These arent buzzwords; theyre the things well actually look for in how you talk about your work.

Youre a builder not a maintainer.

Youre most energized when there isnt a clear path yet and you get to define it. You dont wait for direction; you identify gaps shape solutions and drive them forward. At Pendo great CoE leads dont just run the system they improve it. They see where throughput breaks down where standards slip and where the team is solving the wrong problem and they fix all three without waiting to be asked.

Youre AI-curious genuinely.

Youre not using AI tools occasionally. Youre rewiring how you work around them. Youre faster sharper and more prolific because of it and you bring that energy to everything: how you design engagement strategies how you think about Fin and in-app guidance working together how you build systems that scale without adding headcount. We want someone who sees AI as a multiplier not a shortcut and who is excited about defining what that looks like in a CoE context.

• Hands-on experience building guides and journeys in Pendo youve done the work not just managed it.
• Experience using Pendo (or similar tools) to drive measurable outcomes in adoption retention or engagement; you can answer what value are we getting from this with data.
• Experience in program management lifecycle operations product operations or a similar systems-oriented role.
• Strong systems thinking you see how work flows through a team where friction lives and how to fix it structurally rather than reactively.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally and influence without authority; stakeholders trust your recommendations because theyre grounded and specific.
• Strong communication skills including presenting strategy and recommendations to stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to think across engagement channels in-app email and conversational AI and design connected experiences that meet users where they are.

• Familiarity with Intercom and Fin particularly proactive messaging configuration conversation routing and how Fin surfaces external content.
• Experience designing connected experiences across in-app and conversational channels including chatbot-to-guide handoff patterns.
• SaaS onboarding or lifecycle experience with a focus on measurable outcomes like adoption rates retention or support ticket deflection.
• Experience with CoE or governance models youve operated inside a system designed to maintain quality at scale.
• Familiarity with workflow and funnel analytics and how to use behavioral signals to trigger timely contextual interventions.
• Product growth or product ops background with a track record of improving team throughput through better systems and processes.

Pendo was founded in 2013 by former product managers who combined their heads and hearts to build something they wanted but never had as product managers: a simple way to understand and attack what truly drives product success. Our mission is to improve societys experience with software. Come join one of the fastest-growing startups supported by best-in-class institutions like Battery Ventures Salesforce Ventures Spark Capital and Meritech.

Pendo core values: Bias to Act Hone Your Craft The Team is Pendo and Maniacal Focus.

Location: Pendo is a hybrid -office 3 days per week unless designated remote.

Benefits: Highly competitive employer-heavy coverage (including $0 premium options) strong 401(k) match equity and flexible time off.

Compensation: Our salary ranges are based on paying competitively for our size and industry and are one part of many compensation benefits and other reward opportunities we provide.

The expected salary range for this role to be performed in North Carolina is USD $150000 USD $170000

EEOC: We are an equal opportunity employer and believe having diverse teams where everyone brings their whole self to Pendo is key to our success. We welcome all people of different backgrounds experiences abilities and perspectives.

Accessibility: Pendo is committed to working with and providing access and reasonable accommodation to applicants with mental and/or physical disabilities. If you think you may require an accommodation for any part of the recruitment process please send a request to: All requests for accommodations are treated discreetly and confidentially as practical and permitted by law.