Customer Success Manager

About the role

Role: (Senior) Customer Success Manager
Location: Stuttgart
Language: German (native), English
WFH policy: Hybrid — office-first culture; frequent on-site presence required
Industry: DeepTech / Manufacturing SaaS
Product: AI-driven enterprise solution for assembly process planning and optimisation; complex, deep-tech software developed at Fraunhofer Institute
Size and functions of local team: 
20 people today - 15 in R&D - rest in GTM!

Growing GTM function led by CSO

Role description
Own and manage a customer portfolio end-to-end from onboarding to expansion

Lead structured onboarding for complex enterprise clients

Run regular check-ins, milestone reviews, product feedback loops

Drive product adoption and quantify customer value creation

Troubleshoot issues and coordinate with internal teams for resolution

Prepare and run internal and external QBRs (roadmap, success measurement, expansion opportunities)

Develop strategic account plans with the CSO to increase NRR and expand customer footprint

Engage with diverse stakeholders (shop floor, system integrators, management, C-level)

Translate customer insights into structured input for Product

Support creation of reference customers including business cases

Unique about the company (that you don’t read online):
Deep-tech product built on Fraunhofer research — not a typical SaaS tool

Solving multi-million-euro production inefficiencies for enterprise manufacturers

Land-and-expand motion with expansion potential of €500K–€5M ACV

Strong inbound pull from DAX/MDAX industrial clients despite market slowdown

Early-stage high-performance environment with direct exposure to founders

Career-defining opportunity: one of the first CS hires shaping the function from scratch

Growth perspective:
Team Lead CS

Head of CS

Account Management Lead

High level of autonomy and ownership in a fast-scaling deeptech company

Must haves:
Experience:

Experience in SaaS Account Management / Customer Success in a start-up or scale-up with complex product

OR management consulting background (Senior Consultant+), ideally lean/operations/manufacturing

2+ years relevant experience (3+ for Senior role)

Passion or interest in manufacturing/production environments

Language:

Native German

Nice to haves:
Mechanical engineering degree with business coursework

Mechanical engineering + relevant practical experience

Business administration degree (target university)

Consulting background (Staufen, Lean/OPEX consulting, etc.)

Salary range & secondary benefits:
100K € OTE

70/30 split (30K € variable at 100% attainment)

Quarterly payout based on NRR

Accelerators:

Up to 45K € variable at 130% goal

Up to 75K € variable at 160% goal

Max 2.5× OTE payout cap

Floor conditions: GRR <80% = no payout; Logo retention <80% = no payout