Manager, Technical Architecture (SaaS & AI Professional Services)

Why This Role Why Now

Zendesk is the intelligent heart of customer experience. As the Manager of Technical Architecture, you will lead the Technical Architecture team within our Global Managed & Professional Services organization. You aren't just managing people; you are leading a team that crafts the technical engines powering billions of conversations for the brands people love.

Who we're looking for

We are seeking an established leader who thrives on mentoring, coaching, and monitoring high-performance project goals. You are an energetic, creative, and analytical leader who is eager to inspire new skills across a diverse team while setting repeatable standards for success. This is a highly customer-centric role, and you should be passionate about daily customer interfacing and handling technical escalations with ease.

What you'll be doing

• Strategic Leadership: Plan and direct all aspects of the Technical Architecture function within the Professional Services organization.
• Mentorship & Growth: Lead and mentor team members to achieve period-over-period improvement in billable utilization, productivity, and quality targets.
• Portfolio Accountability: Take overall responsibility for billable deliverables and projects, including staffing, scheduling, design, quality, and execution.
• Global Expansion: Lead recruiting and hiring efforts to grow our presence in Pune and integrate with our global team.
• Business Impact: Contribute to the positioning and definition of offerings and methodology improvements, while meeting bookings and revenue targets.
• Change Management: Proficiency in leading teams through organizational pivots, new team launches, or shifts in service delivery methodology.

What you bring to the role

• Technical Breadth: Deep understanding of web development, RESTful APIs, and backend/mobile development concepts.
• C-Suite Presence: Excellent instincts and the ability to interface at the executive level with ease.
• Operational Agility: Willingness to roll up your sleeves to support team members and customers tactically.
• Global Collaboration: Ability to design and manage workflows that transition seamlessly between global regions (AMER, APAC, EMEA).

Basic Qualifications

• 3+ years of team management experience (Direct people management; not a first-time manager).
• 6+ years of experience delivering consulting services of commercial software products.
• Proven leadership in business and process transformation.
• Bachelor's Degree (MBA preferred).
• Currently living in or willing to relocate to Pune (self-funded) with a commitment to a 3x weekly in-office hybrid schedule.
• Ability to work shifting schedules to support AMER, APAC, and EMEA time zones.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a SaaS Professional Services environment.
• Expert-level project management and negotiation skills.
• Experience with Zendesk products (Admin or Developer level) or similar CRM platforms (Salesforce, ServiceNow, Freshdesk).
• Acumen in AI and AI platforms (e.g., Decagon, Forethought, Ada).

Please note that Zendesk can only hire candidates who are physically located and plan to work from Pune Maharashtra. Please refer to the location posted on the requisition for where this role is based.

Hybrid: In this role, our hybrid experience is designed at the team level to give you a rich onsite experience packed with connection, collaboration, learning, and celebration - while also giving you flexibility to work remotely for part of the week. This role must attend our local office for part of the week. The specific in-office schedule is to be determined by the hiring manager.

The Intelligent Heart Of Customer Experience

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we're proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to [Confidential Information] with your specific accommodation request.