Global Head of Customer Success – Aviation AI Solutions Leadership, Commercial Growth & Global Team Development

About brighthush

brighthush is a fast‑growing Series B vertical SaaS pioneer that delivers AI‑powered turnaround intelligence to the aviation ecosystem. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Zurich with a strong presence across Germany, Spain, and the United States, brighthush now employs roughly 125 professionals spread across Europe and North America. Our flagship solutions—brighthush AI (formerly ApronAI) and brighthush RMS—transform live video streams and operational data from airport aprons into real‑time insights, alerts, and predictive analytics. These tools enable airports, airlines, and ground‑handling operators to run safer, more punctual, and more efficient turnarounds.

Our technology is trusted by more than 25 leading aviation partners worldwide, including major hubs and carriers. By turning complex operational data into actionable intelligence, brighthush helps the industry improve on‑time performance, safety, sustainability, and overall passenger experience.

Why This Role Matters

In the tightly knit aviation community, reputation and reliability are everything. From day one, the Customer Success organization at brighthush has been the engine that turns new contracts into long‑term, high‑value partnerships. As we scale, the function is evolving into a strategic, revenue‑generating pillar with clear ownership of expansion, renewals, and reference building. The Global Head of Customer Success will be the champion of this transformation, leading a distributed team, stewarding our most strategic accounts, and shaping the playbooks that drive customer value worldwide.

Role Overview

We are seeking a seasoned aviation professional with a strong commercial mindset to join brighthush as the Global Head of Customer Success. Reporting to the executive leadership team, you will:

• Lead and coach a global team of Customer Success Managers (CSMs) across North America and Europe.
• Own a portfolio of the company’s most strategic accounts, spending roughly 50 % of your time directly with customers.
• Design, implement, and continuously improve the end‑to‑end Customer Success operating model, including onboarding, adoption, health monitoring, executive reviews, and renewal processes.
• Partner closely with Sales, Delivery, and Product to ensure a seamless customer journey from pre‑sale to post‑implementation.
• Act as the senior customer‑facing owner of outcomes, turning proven value into references, renewals, and expansion opportunities.

The position is remote‑first, but you must be based on the East Coast of North America and be willing to travel extensively across North America, Europe, and occasionally other regions.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Coach and mentor a global team of four CSMs, establishing clear performance goals, career paths, and a culture of accountability.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive playbooks for onboarding, adoption, health monitoring, executive business reviews, and renewal cycles.
• Define, track, and report on core KPIs such as time‑to‑value, product adoption, customer health scores, net revenue retention (NRR), and referenceability.
• Scale the team in line with company growth, overseeing hiring, onboarding, and capability‑building initiatives.
• Represent Customer Success in the senior leadership team, ensuring the voice of the customer influences strategic decisions.

Strategic Account Ownership (≈ 50 % of time)

• Build deep, operational knowledge of each assigned airport, airline, or ground‑handling partner, translating that insight into concrete use‑case roadmaps.
• Lead workshops with Delivery and Product teams to configure brighthush AI and brighthush RMS to match each customer’s unique workflows.
• Design and execute tailored training, onboarding, and adoption programs that embed brighthush solutions into daily Standard Operating Procedures.
• Monitor usage metrics, proactively identify adoption challenges, and intervene early to safeguard value realization.
• Produce regular impact reports that quantify operational and financial benefits for senior customer leadership.
• Maintain trusted relationships at both frontline and executive levels, staying engaged even when no immediate project is active.

Revenue Growth & Expansion

• Develop and own a health‑and‑growth plan for each account, identifying expansion opportunities and building compelling business cases.
• Collaborate with Sales to hand off qualified expansion opportunities, ensuring smooth transition and joint ownership.
• Lead renewal and contract‑extension processes well in advance of expiration dates.
• Transform satisfied customers into reference assets—case studies, joint conference presentations, peer‑to‑peer introductions, and site visits for prospects.

Customer Advocacy & Product Influence

• Act as the primary conduit for customer feedback, translating operational insights into prioritized product roadmap items.
• Facilitate best‑practice sharing across the customer base to amplify collective value.
• Support pre‑sales engagements by delivering real‑world use‑case examples, success metrics, and workshop facilitation.

What Success Looks Like in the First 12 Months

• Strategic accounts under your direct ownership demonstrate high adoption, measurable operational impact, and secured renewals.
• Every customer in the portfolio has a dedicated CSM, a documented success plan, and an up‑to‑date health score.
• Time‑to‑value for new deployments is reduced by at least 20 % compared to the previous baseline.
• A robust, qualified pipeline of expansions and renewals is visible and jointly managed with Sales, driving an upward trend in NRR.
• A growing library of referenceable customers actively participates in brighthush’s sales enablement activities.

Essential Qualifications

• Extensive experience in the aviation sector, preferably in ground operations, APOC, or OCC environments, with the ability to speak the language of airport and airline stakeholders.
• Several years of proven success in Customer Success, account management, consulting, or operational leadership within B2B SaaS or aviation‑focused technology firms.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a global, distributed team in a player‑coach capacity.
• Strong commercial acumen: comfortable building business cases, negotiating scope and pricing, and driving revenue through renewals and expansions.
• Expertise in change‑management methodologies, capable of energizing both frontline staff and senior leadership around new ways of working.
• Deep understanding of complex matrix organizations and the political savvy to navigate corporate hierarchies.
• Advanced analytical skills with a passion for turning data into actionable insights.
• Exceptional communication, empathy, and relationship‑building abilities.
• Proven track record of working independently in a remote environment while leading cross‑cultural teams.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally on a regular basis.
• Fluent English; additional language skills are a plus.

Preferred Qualifications & Attributes

• Prior experience with AI‑driven computer‑vision or predictive analytics solutions in aviation or related industries.
• Background in SaaS subscription economics, including familiarity with metrics such as ARR, NRR, and churn.
• Experience delivering large‑scale digital transformation programs at airports or airlines.
• Certification in customer success frameworks (e.g., Gainsight, SuccessHACKER) or change‑management (e.g., Prosci).
• Demonstrated ability to influence product roadmaps through structured customer feedback loops.

Core Skills & Competencies

• Strategic Vision: Ability to see the big picture while executing detailed operational plans.
• Leadership Presence: Inspire confidence across geographically dispersed teams and senior customer executives.
• Data‑Driven Decision Making: Proficiency with analytics tools and dashboards to monitor health, adoption, and revenue metrics.
• Negotiation & Influence: Comfortable discussing commercial terms and value propositions with C‑suite stakeholders.
• Customer‑Centric Mindset: Passion for delivering tangible outcomes that improve safety, punctuality, and efficiency.
• Adaptability: Thrive in a fast‑moving startup environment with evolving priorities.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Seamlessly partner with Sales, Delivery, Product, and Engineering.

Career Growth & Learning Opportunities

At brighthush, the Global Head of Customer Success sits on the extended leadership team, providing direct influence over company strategy and product direction. You will have the chance to:

• Shape the global Customer Success function from a tactical support role into a strategic growth engine.
• Mentor emerging leaders and build a high‑performance, culturally diverse team.
• Participate in executive decision‑making, influencing product roadmap and go‑to‑market strategies.
• Access a budget for professional development, including industry conferences, certifications, and executive coaching.
• Benefit from a clear promotion pathway toward senior executive roles such as VP of Customer Success or Chief Customer Officer.

Culture, Work Environment & Benefits

brighthush prides itself on a culture built on honesty, mutual respect, and relentless curiosity. We foster an environment where ideas are heard, tested, and implemented quickly. Our remote‑first policy gives you flexibility, while regular virtual and in‑person team events keep the global community connected.

• Flexible Remote Work: Choose your home office setup; we provide a stipend for ergonomic equipment.
• International Travel: Opportunities to visit flagship airports and partner sites worldwide.
• Competitive Compensation: Market‑aligned salary, performance‑based bonuses, and equity participation.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Health, dental, vision, retirement plans, and generous paid time off.
• Learning & Development: Paid conferences, online courses, and internal knowledge‑sharing sessions.
• Team Events: Quarterly virtual gatherings, annual off‑site retreats, and informal “coffee‑chat” meet‑ups.

Compensation & Perks (General Overview)

While exact figures will be discussed during the interview process, candidates can expect a total rewards package that includes:

• Base salary competitive for senior leadership roles in the SaaS aviation space.
• Annual performance bonus tied to customer health, renewal rates, and expansion targets.
• Equity grants that align your success with brighthush’s long‑term growth.
• Health, dental, and vision coverage for you and eligible dependents.
• Retirement savings plan with company matching.
• Generous vacation policy plus additional days for personal development.
• Technology allowance for home‑office setup and mobile devices.
• Professional development budget for certifications, workshops, and industry events.

How to Apply

If you are ready to lead a high‑impact, globally distributed Customer Success organization at a cutting‑edge AI company reshaping aviation operations, we want to hear from you. Bring your aviation expertise, commercial savvy, and passion for customer advocacy to brighthush and help us turn every airport turnaround into a story of safety, punctuality, and efficiency.