Job Description

As a pivotal senior individual contributor, the Senior Marketing Operations Manager, Martech & AI Transformation will architect a modern, intelligent marketing ecosystem. You aren't just managing tools; you are driving the shift from traditional automation to AI-driven orchestration.

Reporting to the Director of Marketing Operations, you will be the cross-functional lead responsible for Martech cohesion, AI-readiness, and the adoption of high-impact technologies. You will bridge the gap between "AI-curious" and "AI-native," piloting cutting-edge tools (GenAI, agentic workflows, predictive modeling) while ensuring our core stack remains secure, integrated, and optimized for revenue.

What you’ll be doing

Architect an AI-Ready Ecosystem

• Define and evolve an organization-level Martech architecture that prioritizes data fluidity and AI accessibility.

• Lead the Unified Data Layer initiative: ensure our CDP and Data Warehouse are structured to feed LLM-based applications and predictive models accurately.

• Build and maintain a multi-quarter roadmap that balances legacy stack debt with high-growth AI innovation.

Drive AI Transformation & Rapid Prototyping

• Own the AI Sandbox: Design and lead structured proofs-of-concept (POCs) for GenAI use cases, such as automated content localization, autonomous SDR agents, and hyper-personalized journey mapping.

• Scale Intelligence: De-risk major technology bets by running pilot programs and successfully transitioning them into full-scale production workflows.

• Lead Vendor Innovation: Own the evaluation (RFPs, scoring, pilots) of emerging AI vendors, ensuring they meet enterprise standards for security and performance.

Modernize, Audit, and Rationalize the Stack

• Conduct regular audits to identify redundancy and capability gaps, producing consolidation recommendations.

• Streamline the stack by decommissioning underperforming tools to reallocate budget toward high-impact AI and automation infrastructure.

AI Governance, Measurement, and Change Management

• Define AI Efficiency: Establish KPIs that measure not just conversion lift, but the reduction of manual work and increased speed-to-market.

• Codify Governance: Develop the framework for ethical AI use, data privacy, and brand consistency across all automated and generated outputs.

• Enable the Team: Act as the internal evangelist for AI adoption, creating runbooks, prompt-engineering guides, and integration diagrams to upskill the broader marketing organization.

Strategic Partner & Business Liaison

• Align marketing leaders on resources and dependencies; translate technical AI capabilities into business outcomes (e.g., MQL conversion, pipeline velocity).

• Facilitate working agreements with IT/CIO to ensure Martech-led AI initiatives align with broader corporate data security policies.

What you bring to the role

• AI-First Systems Thinker: You look beyond simple integrations to architect cross-functional solutions that leverage machine learning and agentic workflows to simplify decision-making.

• Business‑oriented marketer: Solid understanding of the full marketing funnel and how technology, processes, and data drive conversion and pipeline. You can link platform capabilities to tangible business outcomes (lead quality, conversion lift, pipeline contribution).

• Technical Translator: The ability to explain complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders in a way that gains buy-in.

• Bias for Action: Proven experience driving large, multi-quarter programs from a "wild idea" to a measured, scalable business reality.

• Data-Obsessed: You don't just "want data"; you understand how to structure it for model training and predictive accuracy.

• Strong stakeholder influence: Proven ability to align senior leaders, run workshops, and codify governance that drives adoption.

Qualifications

Must-have

• 8+ years of professional experience in Marketing Operations, Martech, or RevOps.

• Demonstrated AI Experience: Proven track record of operationalizing AI/ML tools - moving beyond basic ChatGPT prompts to building automated, AI-driven workflows within a production environment.

• Platform Expertise: Deep familiarity with the classic Martech stack (Salesforce, Marketo/HubSpot, Segment/Adobe RTCDP, GA4) and how they interface with modern AI layers.

• Program Management: Experience leading stack rationalization, vendor selection, and large-scale transformation initiatives.

• Governance Guru: Solid understanding of data privacy (GDPR/CCPA) and the specific security risks associated with feeding customer data into LLMs.

Nice-to-have

• Hands-on experience with Integration/Middleware (Workato, Zapier, Tray.io) to build automated agentic workflows.

• Familiarity with Prompt Engineering, RAG architectures, or scripting (Python/SQL) for data manipulation.

• Experience in a high-growth B2B SaaS environment.

• Advanced certifications in Salesforce, Marketo, or specialized AI/Data Science credentials.

#LI-WO1

The US annualized base salary range for this position is $158,000.00-$238,000.00. This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives. While this range reflects the minimum and maximum value for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations, the offer for the successful candidate for this position will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other factors such as work location. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only (or OTE for commissions based roles), and do not include bonus, benefits, or related incentives.

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 peopleandplaces@zendesk.com with your specific accommodation request.