VP, Operations & Customer Support

Betterment
Full_time$230k-250k/year (USD)

📍 Job Overview

  • Job Title: VP, Operations & Customer Support
  • Company: Betterment
  • Location: Betterment HQ - New York City
  • Job Type: Hybrid (3 days/week in-office)
  • Category: Operations & Customer Support
  • Date Posted: 2025-06-26
  • Experience Level: 10+ years
  • Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

The VP of Operations & Customer Support at Betterment will lead and integrate the Customer Operations and Support teams, driving process improvements, and enhancing customer outcomes. This role requires a seasoned leader with a proven track record in operations and customer support within a financial services environment.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

📝 Enhancement Note: The role involves strategic planning, team leadership, and cross-functional collaboration to improve customer experiences and operational efficiency.

  • Team Leadership: Manage and mentor operational and customer service leaders, overseeing day-to-day processing of customer interactions, account openings, risk reviews, fraud prevention, transaction monitoring, transfer processing, and money movement.
  • Process Optimization: Optimize workflows and systems for scale, accuracy, and efficiency, collaborating cross-functionally with product, technology, compliance, legal, and executive leadership to drive improvements.
  • Performance Tracking: Enhance performance tracking metrics, SLAs, and governance frameworks across both Operations and Support teams.
  • Customer Experience: Continuously improve all aspects of customer communications across phone, email, and chat to deliver a best-in-class customer experience.
  • Vendor Management: Oversee ongoing management of third-party service providers and outsourcing partners, and lead selection of new partners as necessary.
  • Budgeting & Staffing: Develop and manage departmental budgets, staffing plans, and key performance indicators.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or a related field. An MBA is a plus.

Experience: 10+ years of leadership experience in operations and customer support, ideally within a financial services environment (RIA, broker/dealer, or fintech).

Required Skills:

  • Proven track record of scaling both support and operations teams from small to large team sizes.
  • Experience merging or reorganizing teams with differing processes and tools, and aligning them on shared KPIs.
  • Experience managing third-party vendors, offshoring/outsourcing partners, and service agreements.
  • Excellent analytical, project management, and process improvement skills.
  • Strong leadership and communication abilities with a customer-first mindset.
  • Familiarity with support and operations platforms like Zendesk.
  • Series 7, 24, and/or 99 licenses.

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience in the financial services industry.
  • Familiarity with Betterment's products and services.
  • Proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Looker).

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Demonstrate experience in leading and integrating customer operations and support teams.
  • Showcase successful process improvement initiatives and customer experience enhancements.
  • Highlight experience managing third-party vendors and service agreements.
  • Provide examples of performance metric tracking and governance frameworks.

Technical Documentation:

  • Prepare a detailed project plan outlining the integration of Customer Operations and Support teams.
  • Include a process flow diagram illustrating the current state and proposed future state of the combined teams.
  • Provide a list of key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs) for the integrated teams.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $230,000 - $250,000 (New York City)

Benefits:

  • Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
  • Life and AD&D insurance
  • Short-term and long-term disability insurance
  • EAP
  • Commuter and parking benefits
  • FSA/HSA
  • 401(k) with employer match
  • Flexible PTO
  • Equity package
  • Company incentive bonus (variable compensation)

Working Hours: Full-time, hybrid role with in-office attendance Tuesday through Thursday.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Fintech)

Company Size: Medium (201-500 employees)

Founded: 2008

Team Structure:

  • Lead a team of operational and customer service leaders.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with product, technology, compliance, legal, and executive leadership.
  • Work closely with other department heads to drive company-wide initiatives.

Development Methodology:

  • Agile/Scrum methodologies for sprint planning and continuous improvement.
  • Regular code reviews, testing, and quality assurance practices.
  • Deployment strategies, CI/CD pipelines, and server management.

Company Website: Betterment

📝 Enhancement Note: Betterment's culture emphasizes customer-centricity, innovation, and continuous improvement. The company values data-driven decision-making, collaboration, and a growth mindset.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Senior leadership role with significant impact on company operations and customer experiences.

Reporting Structure: Direct report to the Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Technical Impact: Responsible for defining and driving operational strategies that enhance customer outcomes and improve overall business performance.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Team Expansion: Oversee the growth and development of the combined Customer Operations and Support teams.
  • Process Automation: Lead the automation and optimization of operational processes to improve efficiency and accuracy.
  • Technical Leadership: Provide technical guidance and mentorship to team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid (3 days/week in-office)

Office Location(s): Betterment HQ - New York City

Workspace Context:

  • Collaborative workspace with dedicated areas for team meetings and training sessions.
  • Access to necessary tools and resources for effective remote work.
  • Opportunities for professional development and growth within the organization.

Work Schedule: Full-time, hybrid role with in-office attendance Tuesday through Thursday. Flexible hours to accommodate team meetings and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Betterment's hybrid work arrangement offers a balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility, fostering a productive and engaging work environment.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

  1. Phone Screen: A brief call to discuss your background, experience, and interest in the role.
  2. On-site Meetings: In-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including team members, department heads, and the COO.
    • Team Fit: Assess cultural alignment and team dynamics.
    • Technical Assessment: Evaluate problem-solving skills, process improvement experience, and leadership capabilities.
    • Case Study: Present a real-life scenario and outline your approach to integrating Customer Operations and Support teams.
  3. Final Round: A meeting with the CEO to discuss your vision for the role and the company's future.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Highlight successful process improvement initiatives and customer experience enhancements.
  • Showcase experience managing third-party vendors and service agreements.
  • Prepare a detailed project plan and process flow diagram for the integration of Customer Operations and Support teams.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

  • Brush up on your knowledge of Betterment's products and services.
  • Familiarize yourself with the financial services industry and relevant regulations.
  • Practice problem-solving and leadership exercises to demonstrate your skills and experience.

ATS Keywords: Operations, Customer Support, Process Improvement, Team Leadership, Agile, Scrum, Fintech, Financial Services, Hybrid Work, New York City

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Operations & Support Platforms:

  • Zendesk (Customer Support)
  • Other proprietary tools for Customer Operations and Support processes

Collaboration & Productivity Tools:

  • Slack (Communication)
  • Google Workspace (Documentation and Collaboration)
  • Microsoft Office (Office Suite)

Data & Analytics Tools:

  • Tableau (Data Visualization)
  • Looker (Business Intelligence)
  • SQL (Database Querying)

📝 Enhancement Note: Betterment's technology stack includes industry-standard tools for operations, customer support, collaboration, and data analysis. Familiarity with these tools is essential for success in this role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Web Development Values:

  • Customer-Centric: Prioritize customer needs and experiences in all aspects of operations and support.
  • Data-Driven: Use data to inform decision-making and continuously improve processes.
  • Collaborative: Work closely with cross-functional teams to drive company-wide initiatives.
  • Innovative: Embrace a growth mindset and explore new solutions to challenges.
  • Accountable: Take ownership of your responsibilities and strive for excellence.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-Functional: Work closely with product, technology, compliance, legal, and executive leadership teams to drive company-wide initiatives.
  • Agile: Adopt an iterative and incremental approach to process improvement and team development.
  • Mentoring: Foster a culture of continuous learning and growth by providing guidance and support to team members.

🌐 Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

  • Team Integration: Merge Customer Operations and Support teams, aligning processes, tools, and KPIs.
  • Process Optimization: Automate and streamline operational workflows to improve efficiency and accuracy.
  • Customer Experience: Enhance customer communications and interactions across phone, email, and chat channels.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensure operational processes adhere to relevant financial services regulations and industry standards.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Leadership Development: Hone your leadership skills through mentoring, coaching, and workshops.
  • Industry Expertise: Deepen your understanding of the financial services industry, emerging trends, and best practices.
  • Technical Skills: Expand your knowledge of operations and support platforms, data analysis tools, and industry-specific regulations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

  • Team Dynamics: Describe your approach to integrating teams with differing processes and tools, and aligning them on shared KPIs.
  • Process Improvement: Walk through a real-life example of a successful process improvement initiative you've led.
  • Customer Experience: Explain how you've enhanced customer communications and interactions to deliver a best-in-class customer experience.
  • Vendor Management: Discuss your experience managing third-party service providers and offshoring/outsourcing partners.

Company & Culture Questions:

  • Company Culture: Explain how you've contributed to a positive and collaborative work environment in previous roles.
  • Agile Methodologies: Describe your experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies and how you've applied them to drive continuous improvement.
  • Customer-Centric Mindset: Provide examples of how you've prioritized customer needs and experiences in your previous roles.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Case Study: Present a detailed project plan and process flow diagram for the integration of Customer Operations and Support teams.
  • Success Stories: Highlight successful process improvement initiatives and customer experience enhancements from your previous roles.
  • Leadership Approach: Outline your leadership style and how you've fostered a culture of continuous learning and improvement within your teams.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this VP, Operations & Customer Support position at Betterment:

  1. Submit Your Application: Visit the Betterment careers page and apply for the role.
  2. Prepare Your Portfolio: Highlight successful process improvement initiatives, customer experience enhancements, and experience managing third-party vendors and service agreements.
  3. Research the Company: Familiarize yourself with Betterment's products, services, and company culture.
  4. Prepare for Interviews: Brush up on your knowledge of Betterment's products and services, and practice problem-solving and leadership exercises to demonstrate your skills and experience.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with Betterment before making application decisions.

Application Requirements

Candidates should have over 10 years of leadership experience in operations and customer support, preferably in a fintech environment. A proven track record of scaling teams and managing third-party vendors is essential.