Director of Customer Service & Claims

Director, Customer Service & Warranty ClaimsMinneapolis, MN (Hybrid) - Confidential$160,000–$200,000 base+ 20% target bonusPLEASE READ FOR DETAILS ON WHAT THIS ROLE ENTAILS AND WHAT IT IS NOT TO AVOID CONFUSION. This does not relate to insurance claims. Please ensure when submitting your resume that you customize and highlight relevant experience so that we know there is alignment.The OpportunityAn established manufacturer in the Minneapolis area is hiring a Director to lead its warranty claims and customer service organization, sold through an independent dealer and retail partner network.At the center of the role is a distributed field service team that resolves issues on-site for customers. Leading a field workforce that isn't in one building, and getting everyone rowing in the same direction, is a real part of the job. The role also includes the customer service organization and a small inside sales group, and reports to the VP of Sales & Operations.The mandate is to modernize how claims and service work: build a rigorous, collaborative claims process, replace friction with responsiveness, and raise the experience to match a strong brand. The guiding belief is that a claim handled well builds more loyalty than a claim avoided, so the goal is to turn claims into a point of advocacy.The role also carries its own analytics agenda with a specific prize. At real volume, there is a strong opportunity to use analytics and AI to review claims at scale, find where and why issues occur, and surface anomalies. Just as valuable, the company wants to understand the true cost of a claim beyond the hard costs, including softer costs like brand impact, and use that to right-size quality standards. Someone who can pair service leadership with a practical, analytical, and financial mind will have an outsized impact.What You'd OwnThe claims and warranty operation end to end: intake, triage, resolution, field service coordination, and closure, with a focus on cycle time, quality, and customer satisfaction.A distributed field service team that resolves issues on-site, including the structure, standards, and culture that let a remote team perform consistently.The customer service organization and a small inside sales group, and the handoffs between customer service, claims, and the field.The metrics that matter: resolution time, first-contact resolution, claim cost, backlog health, and satisfaction, and the reporting that makes them visible to leadership.An analytics and AI capability for the function: reviewing claims at volume to find trends, anomalies, and root causes, and quantifying the true cost of a claim to help right-size quality standards.Process, playbooks, and quality standards across the groups, raising consistency without losing the human touch customers expect.Building, coaching, and developing the team, and partnering closely with the VP of Sales & Operations and the field organization.What We're Looking ForA leader who has run a claims, warranty, or customer service operation and made it measurably better, and who can come in and hit the ground running.If you bring most of the following, We'd like to hear from you, even if you don't check every box.Direct experience leading a claims, warranty, or customer service operation, ideally at meaningful volume and ideally including a field service or dispatched-technician workforce.Experience leading a distributed or remote team, and building structure, standards, and a collaborative culture across people who aren't in one location.A track record of improving service operations through clear metrics, process discipline, and root-cause problem solving.A genuine customer-service mindset, paired with the backbone to navigate difficult conversations and decisions.An analytical and financial mind: comfort turning operational data into decisions, and interest in quantifying the true cost of claims. A practical view of analytics and AI is a plus; deep expertise is not required.Strong people leadership: building teams, coaching managers, and raising accountability without losing empathy for the customer.Backgrounds that translate well include building products, manufacturing, consumer durables, home services, appliance or equipment warranty and field service, and brands where the customer experience carries the reputation.What This Role Is NotNot an insurance claims-adjusting or underwriting role. This is product warranty and customer service for a manufacturer.Not a pure contact-center supervisor role. The scope spans two functions and includes building an analytics and AI capability.Not a data science role, though comfort applying analytics and AI to real operational data matters.When You ApplyPlease tailor your resume so these are easy to find:A claims, warranty, or customer service operation you led, and what measurably changed under you.Any experience leading a field service, dispatched-technician, or distributed remote team.Specific metrics you moved: cycle time, first-contact resolution, claim cost, satisfaction, or backlog.Any experience applying analytics or AI to operational or service data, or quantifying the cost of claims or quality issues.Team size, scope, and who you reported to.Numbers help. Before-and-after results land far better than responsibilities.Compensation and Location$160,000 to $200,000 base plus a 20% target annual incentive. Hybrid schedule in the Twin Cities, so candidates should be local or open to relocating.ProcessThe is a confidential search. Applications that show a real fit are reviewed personally. Shortlisted candidates receive full company details under a confidentiality agreement as the process moves forward.