Director, Digital Customer Experience

Virgin Galactic is currently seeking a highly skilled Director, Digital Customer Experience to join the IT leadership team to help lead the development and evolution of our digital customer platform to enable a bespoke and exclusive customer journey.  Reporting directly to the Chief Information Office, the Director, Digital Customer Experience will lead the delivery of a seamless, sustainable, and innovative digital platform that engages the customer and supports their journey from prospect to astronaut, driving trust and brand affinity. The Director, Digital Customer Experience will be responsible for planning, secure development, integrations, testing and support of the digital customer platform for the enterprise.

With responsibility for the end-to-end solution, the ideal candidate will have a strong background in developing digital business to consumer solutions for a luxury brand(s).  The platform will require multiple integrations, including SalesForce, credit card/bank payment processing systems, and content/document management systems. This role will collaborate closely with our Customer Experience and Sales teams as well as our third-party design and development agencies, requiring strong communication, interpersonal, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and leadership to a development and support team consisting of individual contributors, in-house and outsourced teams to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and meet functional and security requirements.

• Maintain robust development processes and ensure that requirements are defined, tracked and communicated in a consistent and effective manner, incorporating effective release, change and risk management controls.

• Build and manage relationships with senior leaders within the IT organization and the business/ functional teams.

• Create IT and business cross-functional teams optimized for successful delivery of programs. 

• Build and execute platform roadmaps to support corporate strategy and goals/timelines. 

• Manage vendor relationships and third-party service providers, ensuring adherence to SLAs and contractual agreements.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize processes, enhance efficiency, and deliver maximum value to the organization.

• Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies, providing recommendations and insights for future initiatives.

• Work with Customer Service, Information Security, and Infrastructure & Operations teams to ensure seamless, rapid response and resolution of platform related service support cases.

• Identify gaps & issues in technical requirements, processes, or projects, and actively address in collaboration with the business solutions and project delivery teams.

• Recognize and identify potential areas where existing policies and procedures require change, or where new ones need to be developed.

• Manage the Digital Customer Experience budget and provide input on the administration of related operating and project related budgets.

• Author reports, documents, and present analyses, project status, risks and issues, as well as provide remediation plans.

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Management or a related field, or equivalent work experience.

• Minimum ten (10) years of Software and Application Development experience in a leadership role with a proven track record of developing enterprise grade web-based applications.

• Strong understanding of secure, web-based application architecture and infrastructure.

• Proven experience with software development project methodologies (SDLC, Agile, PMP, Scrum).

• Proven experience in complex digital customer experience platforms with SalesForce integrations, preferably with luxury consumer brands.

• Five (5) or more years of work within complex manufacturing and high-technology business processes and deep understanding of CRM business flows.

• Proven experience in Microsoft Cloud services and related cloud technologies. 

• The ability to motivate, inspire, counsel, and facilitate individuals and teams to take responsibility and accountability for goals.

• Requires a blend of business, technical, financial, analytical, and communication skills and the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.

• Excellent critical/structured analysis, strategic planning, and project execution skills.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in Aerospace and Defense industries a plus.

• Strong interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to make effective decisions while working through complex issues.

• Must be able to utilize and effectively communicate functional and technical components of an initiative to applicable parties both verbally and through documentation.

• Able to define activity roadmaps considering limited and scarce resources.

• Experience recognizing and implementing improved efficiencies and productivity.

• Able to mediate issues between users, team members or other personnel and subordinates.

• Strong mentorship abilities and approach for direct and indirect reports.

• Possessing a proactive, agile and strategic mindset is a must.

• Able to cope with adversity and handle urgent system issues under pressure.

• Able to embrace and adapt to change while demonstrating flexibility, and the ability to develop and follow new processes.

• Must be a team player with a passion for building relationships and providing exceptional service.

The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $126,900.00–$203,075.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits, please visit https://vgcareers.virgingalactic.com/global/en/benefits

Who We Are

Virgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. We are making the dream of space travel a reality, delivering spaceflight at an unprecedented frequency, with the development of next generation space vehicles. 

Export Requirements 
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list here.

EEO Statement
Virgin Galactic is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Galactic is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status. 

DRUG FREE WORKPLACE
Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace.  All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing. 

PHOENIX EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
For individuals seeking employment at our Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport facility, employment is contingent upon you obtaining and maintaining a TSA authorized security badge.  This includes initial and annual mandatory background checks that are governed by TSA, and conducted by the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport badging office.