Now Brewing – senior manager, Customer Advocacy! #tobeapartner
From the beginning, Starbucks set out to be a different kind of company. One that not only celebrated coffee and the rich tradition, but that also brought a feeling of connection. We are known for developing extraordinary leaders who share this passion and are guided by their service to others.
The senior manager, Customer Advocacy, is responsible for leading a team of senior program managers that identify, prioritize, and drive solutions that meaningfully improve the end-to-end customer experience. This strategic role serves as a critical bridge between customer insights and enterprise action —translating signals from across the customer journey into clear opportunities, influencing strategic decisions, and ensuring that when issues occur, they are resolved in a way that restores customer trust in the Starbucks brand.
As a senior manager, Customer Advocacy, you will…
• Lead and develop a team of senior program managers responsible for identifying, prioritizing, and driving resolution of the most critical customer experience defects across the end-to-end journey.
• Own the intake and synthesis of customer signals (contacts, refunds, feedback, in-store experiences, and operational data), translating them into clear problem statements, root causes, and enterprise-level opportunities.
• Drive root cause resolution at scale by influencing cross-functional partners (Product, Technology, Operations, Policy, Store Ops) to address systemic issues—not just symptoms—impacting the customer experience.
• Build and champion data-driven business cases that quantify customer and financial impact, enabling prioritization of high-value initiatives across the enterprise.
• Ensure customer issue remediation restores trust by shaping the policies, tools, and processes used across all service channels (self-service, automated, and human-assisted).
• Establish mechanisms to prevent recurrence, including standardized processes, feedback loops, and defect tracking that drive continuous improvement over time.
• Partner cross-functionally to redesign experiences and improve programs, ensuring solutions are scalable, sustainable, and aligned to the broader customer journey.
• Create closed-loop feedback systems that connect Customer Care insights back into product, operations, and store teams—ensuring learnings translate into action.
• Drive alignment and prioritization across competing stakeholders, effectively influencing without direct authority to deliver meaningful customer experience improvements.
• Lead strategic planning for the Customer Advocacy function, including defining priorities, allocating resources, and measuring impact through customer and operational metrics (e.g., CSAT, defect reduction, contact rate).
We’d love to hear from people with:
• Bachelor’s degree or significant relevant experience.
• 8-10+ years managing successful teams.
• 8-10+ years in customer support operations with progressively increasing responsibility.
• 8-10+ years general business experience in large, matrixed organizations.
• 8-10+ years leading cross-functional initiatives.
• 5+ years change management.
• 5+ years of project or program management.
• A creative and analytical mind that thrives in a data-driven environment.
• Expert in building and establishing relationships across all levels both within and external to the organization.
• Skilled in influencing and managing change.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and changing environment.
• Ability to analyze and diagnose problems and to gain buy-in for complex cross-departmental solutions.
• Ability to think and act both strategically and tactically.
• Demonstrated passion for delivering a positive customer and partner experience and maintain composure in difficult situations.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Master's degree in Business, Data Analytics, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in one or more of the following: Quality Management, Product Management, Program Management, Vendor Management, or Operations Management.
• Proven hands-on experience applying Lean / Six Sigma methodologies, preferably within Customer Service or customer-facing operations.
• Experience designing, implementing, and continuously improving policies, processes, and technologies that enhance customer support and experience.
• Strong track record of leading root cause analysis efforts, translating insights into scalable solutions, and establishing standards to prevent recurrence.
As a Starbucks partner, you (and your family) will have access to medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and other voluntary insurance benefits. Partners have access to short-term and long-term disability, paid parental leave, family expansion reimbursement, paid vacation from date of hire*, sick time (accrued at 1 hour for every 25 hours worked), eight paid holidays, and two personal days per year. Starbucks also offers eligible partners participation in a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, a discounted company stock program (S.I.P.), Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock), incentivized emergency savings, and financial well-being tools. Additionally, Starbucks offers 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, student loan management resources, and access to other educational opportunities. You will also have access to backup care and DACA reimbursement. Starbucks will comply with any applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, and in accordance with its plans and policies. This list is subject to change depending on collective bargaining in locations where partners have a certified bargaining representative. For additional information regarding partner perks and more detailed information about benefits, go to starbucksbenefits.com.
*If you are working in CA, CO, IL, LA, ME, MA, NE, ND or RI, you will accrue vacation up to a maximum of 120 hours (190 in CA) for roles below director and 200 hours (316 in CA) for roles at director or above. For roles in other states, you will be granted vacation time starting at 120 hours annually for roles below director and 200 hours annually for roles director and above.
The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity. At Starbucks, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.
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Join us and inspire with every cup. Apply today!
Starbucks Coffee Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.
Starbucks Coffee Company is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at [email protected] or 1(888) 611-2258.