📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Senior Product Marketing Manager
🔹 Company: Zendesk
🔹 Location: US - SF Bay Area - Fully Flexible (Remote, California, United States of America, Remote, Washington, United States of America, Remote, Texas, United States of America)
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time
🔹 Category: Software Development
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-04-07
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: Hybrid (Flexible)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Driving product, sales, and adoption initiatives for Zendesk’s fast-growing employee service business
- Defining and executing go-to-market (GTM) strategies to achieve company goals
- Collaborating cross-functionally with product, marketing, sales, and senior leadership teams
- Evangelizing Zendesk for Employee Service through public speaking engagements and analyst briefings
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high degree of collaboration and cross-functional teamwork, with a focus on driving strategic initiatives and executing tactical plans.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Develop and maintain a deep understanding of the employee service market, particularly HR Service Management (HRSM) and IT Service Management (ITSM), including buyer personas, industry trends, and competitive landscape
✅ Craft compelling product narratives and solution messaging that communicate core use cases and the value of our employee service solution
✅ Lead cross-functional sales, marketing, and customer initiatives
✅ Collaborate with Product, Marketing, and Sales teams to develop and execute GTM strategies, including assets for campaigns, webinars, analyst briefings, and more
✅ Enable GTM teams and develop materials to support customer-facing interactions, such as sales pitch decks, one pagers, case studies, demos, and more
✅ Support deals and customer engagements as a subject matter expert
✅ Evangelize Zendesk for Employee Service through public speaking engagements and analyst briefings
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a mix of strategic planning, tactical execution, and customer-facing interactions, requiring strong communication and collaboration skills.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field
Experience: 5-7+ years of product marketing experience in software and technology. Experience with HR or IT tech preferred.
Required Skills:
- Exceptional storytelling ability with a talent for articulating complex ideas simply and effectively
- Superior analytical and problem-solving skills with keen attention to detail and pattern recognition
- Executive presence with the ability to engage and collaborate effectively with senior leadership
- Strong project management skills with excellent execution, follow-through, and attention to detail
- Comfortable operating independently in a startup-like environment to build and execute new programs and initiatives and deliver on tight deadlines
- Customer-first mentality with a passion for understanding and addressing customer needs
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with HR or IT tech
- Fluency in multiple languages
ASSUMPTION: Given the hybrid nature of this role, strong communication and collaboration skills are essential for success.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $148,000.00 - $222,000.00 per year (US annualized base salary range)
Benefits:
- Bonus, benefits, or related incentives (details may vary based on location and role)
- Flexible hybrid work arrangement
- Global diversity, equity, & inclusion initiatives
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week), with flexible remote work options
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for similar roles and experience levels. Actual compensation may vary based on location, skills, and other factors.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Software Development, specifically customer and employee service software
Company Size: 5,001-10,000 employees (Large enterprise)
Founded: 2007, with a strong focus on customer experience and exceptional service
Company Description:
- Zendesk started the customer experience revolution in 2007 by enabling any business around the world to take their customer service online
- Today, Zendesk is the champion of great service everywhere for everyone, powering billions of conversations
- Zendesk products are built with love to be loved, with a customer-first mentality and a passion for understanding and addressing customer needs
Company Specialties:
- Help Desks
- Customer Support
- SaaS
- Customer Community
- Customer Service
Company Website: https://www.zendesk.com
ASSUMPTION: Zendesk is a well-established company in the customer service software industry, with a strong focus on customer experience and employee engagement.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior-level role, reporting to the Director of Employee Service Product Marketing
Reporting Structure: This role will work closely with the broader Product Marketing team and collaborate cross-functionally with product, marketing, sales, and senior leadership teams
Work Arrangement: Hybrid work arrangement, with flexible remote work options
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential career progression into management or leadership roles within the Product Marketing team
- Opportunities to work on high-impact projects and drive strategic initiatives
- Exposure to various aspects of the business, including product, marketing, sales, and customer success
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, with exposure to various aspects of the business and potential career progression.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Hybrid work environment, with offices in San Francisco, California, and other global locations
Office Location(s): 989 Market St, San Francisco, California 94103, US (Headquarters), with additional offices in Madison, Wisconsin; Copenhagen, Denmark; London, England; Taguig City, Philippines; Singapore; São Paulo, Brazil; Melbourne, Australia; Montreal, Canada; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Kraków, Poland
Geographic Context:
- San Francisco Bay Area: Known for its vibrant tech industry, diverse culture, and high cost of living
- Remote work: Offers flexibility and the ability to work from various locations within the United States
Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week), with flexible remote work options and the possibility of occasional travel for events and meetings
ASSUMPTION: The hybrid work environment offers a balance between in-person collaboration and remote flexibility, with opportunities for occasional travel.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application submission
- Phone or video screen with a member of the HR team
- Behavioral and skills-based interviews with hiring managers and team members
- Final interview with the Director of Employee Service Product Marketing
- Background check and offer extension
Key Assessment Areas:
- Product marketing skills and experience
- Storytelling and communication abilities
- Analytical and problem-solving skills
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Alignment with company values and culture
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant product marketing experience and skills
- Prepare examples of your storytelling and communication abilities, as well as your analytical and problem-solving skills
- Research Zendesk's products, market position, and company culture to demonstrate your enthusiasm and alignment with the company's mission
- Prepare questions to ask during the interview to showcase your interest in the role and company
ATS Keywords: Product Marketing, Employee Service, HR Service Management, IT Service Management, Go-To-Market Strategies, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Customer Engagement, Public Speaking, Analyst Briefings
ASSUMPTION: The interview process will focus on assessing the candidate's product marketing skills, storytelling abilities, and cultural fit within the company.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Marketing automation tools (e.g., Marketo, Pardot)
- Customer relationship management (CRM) software (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
- Presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides)
- Analyst and market research tools (e.g., Gartner, Forrester)
ASSUMPTION: The specific tools and technologies used may vary based on the team's preferences and the company's standard software stack.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Customers First
- Innovation
- Integrity
- Fun
- Together
Work Style:
- Collaborative and cross-functional
- Data-driven and analytical
- Agile and adaptable
- Customer-focused and empathetic
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do I have a strong passion for understanding and addressing customer needs?
- Am I comfortable operating independently and driving initiatives to completion?
- Do I thrive in a collaborative, cross-functional environment?
- Am I able to articulate complex ideas simply and effectively?
- Do I have a customer-first mindset and a commitment to exceptional service?
ASSUMPTION: Zendesk values a customer-first mindset, collaboration, and a commitment to exceptional service, with a work style that is data-driven, agile, and adaptable.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- Collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders
- Keeping up with industry trends and market changes in the employee service space
- Occasional travel for events and meetings
ASSUMPTION: The role may present challenges in managing multiple priorities, collaborating effectively, and keeping up with industry trends, but offers significant growth opportunities and the chance to make a meaningful impact on the company's employee service business.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to other product marketing roles, this position focuses more on employee service and less on customer-facing consumer products
- Industry-specific context: Employee service is a growing market with increasing demand for HR Service Management (HRSM) and IT Service Management (ITSM) solutions
- Career path comparison: This role offers potential progression into management or leadership positions within the Product Marketing team
ASSUMPTION: This role differs from other product marketing positions in its focus on employee service and offers unique growth opportunities within the Product Marketing team.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a go-to-market strategy for a new employee service product launch
- Conducting market research and competitive analysis to inform product positioning and messaging
- Creating sales enablement materials, such as pitch decks, one pagers, and case studies, to support customer-facing interactions
- Evangelizing Zendesk for Employee Service through public speaking engagements and analyst briefings
ASSUMPTION: Sample projects for this role may include go-to-market strategies, market research, sales enablement materials, and public speaking engagements.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the top priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
- How does this role collaborate with other teams, such as product, marketing, sales, and customer success?
- What are the most challenging aspects of this role, and how can I best prepare to succeed in them?
- What opportunities are there for growth and development within the Product Marketing team and the broader organization?
- How does Zendesk support work-life balance and employee well-being in a hybrid work environment?
ASSUMPTION: Asking these questions will help you better understand the role's expectations, challenges, and growth opportunities, as well as Zendesk's work-life balance and employee support initiatives.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant product marketing experience and skills
- Prepare examples of your storytelling and communication abilities, as well as your analytical and problem-solving skills
- Research Zendesk's products, market position, and company culture to demonstrate your enthusiasm and alignment with the company's mission
- Prepare questions to ask during the interview to showcase your interest in the role and company
- Follow up with the hiring manager or HR representative after your interview to express your appreciation and reiterate your interest in the role
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
