Director of Customer Experience (Avon Lake)

Hinkley is a fourth-generation, family-owned lighting company with over 100 years of experience creating innovative, design-driven products. Guided by our mission, Life Aglow, we are committed to delivering exceptional products, meaningful experiences, and lasting relationships.

We are seeking a Director of Customer Experience to define and lead a best-in-class customer experience strategy that strengthens loyalty, retention, and meaningful interactions across the entire customer journey. This strategic leadership role oversees our Customer Care and Tech Support teams and partners with leaders across Sales, Marketing, Product Development, IT, Operations, and Supply Chain to ensure our culture, policies, and practices put the customer first.

This role reports to the EVP of Sales & Marketing and is based on-site at our headquarters in Avon Lake, Ohio.

The ideal candidate is an experienced customer experience leader who has led multi-channel customer operations in a wholesale, dealer, or similarly complex B2B2C environment and has a proven record of turning strategy into action. You understand that Hinkley serves a diverse range of customers with different needs, and you design the experience to meet them, ensuring Hinkley is a seamless, responsive partner at every touchpoint. You’re a collaborative leader who uses data and customer insights to drive measurable results, and you’re equally comfortable setting direction and rolling up your sleeves.

What You Will Do:

• Map and continuously refine the end-to-end customer journey in partnership with Marketing, using voice-of-the-customer data to reduce customer effort and build loyalty.
• Develop customer experience standards, policies, and procedures that reflect the quality of Hinkley’s premium products.
• Define a consistent omnichannel experience across phone, email, chat, web, showrooms, sales representatives, and e-commerce.
• Own the new customer onboarding experience, ensuring every new customer has a positive, welcoming start and the information and support they need from day one.
• Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Product Quality, and Sales to improve order accuracy, delivery communication, warranty, returns, and parts availability.
• Build and lead the customer experience roadmap, setting priorities, driving cross-functional execution, and measuring results.
• Manage and help shape customer programs and promotions.
• Analyze customer interactions and track key metrics, including customer satisfaction, retention, and Net Promoter Score (NPS).
• Lead the adoption and optimization of CX technology, including CRM, and evaluate responsible uses of AI such as chatbots, self-service, and agent-assist tools.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Customer Care and Tech Support teams, including hiring, performance management, and succession planning.
• Set operating goals and performance measures for Customer Care and Tech Support, and ensure the teams are staffed, equipped, and supported to deliver consistent, high-quality service.
• Expand and continuously improve customer-facing resources, including our online knowledge base, so customers can quickly find the information they need anytime.

This description reflects the key responsibilities of the role and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties.

What You Will Bring:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a business-related field required.

Experience

• Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible experience in customer experience, customer care, customer success, operations, sales, or marketing leadership roles.
• Experience leading multi-channel customer operations in consumer-durable, wholesale/dealer, B2B2C, or similarly complex environments.
• Experience leading cross-functional change management and driving adoption of new processes and technology.
• Experience evaluating and implementing AI tools in customer support operations preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong knowledge of customer experience strategy, service design, and customer journey mapping.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence leadership and technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with CRM, analytics, and reporting platforms, including Qlik, Google Analytics, and Microsoft Excel.

Travel

• Approximately 4 or more domestic trips per year, including industry shows such as Lightovation and HighPoint Market.

Why Join Hinkley?

We offer a competitive total rewards package that includes:

• Annual performance bonus opportunity
• 401(k) with company match
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off and 10 paid holidays
• Life insurance and short-term disability coverage
• Wellness and flexible spending programs
• Generous employee product discount program
• Community volunteer opportunities

Equal Opportunity Employer

Hinkley is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Hinkley does not sponsor employment visas.

Tagged as: Change Management, Excel, Google Analytics