Customer Success Manager, Public Sector & Defence

• Own the success, adoption, and growth of Cohere's Canadian public sector and defence customers, ensuring they realize maximum value from our AI solutions

• Build deep, trusted relationships with senior government stakeholders, including Deputy Ministers, CIOs, ADMs, digital transformation leads, and departmental executives

• Develop comprehensive success plans tailored to each organization's mission, digital strategy, budget cycles, and unique constraints

• Serve as the primary point of contact and executive sponsor for your accounts, managing escalations and ensuring customer satisfaction

• Define and track success metrics aligned with public sector priorities: citizen satisfaction, service delivery improvements, cost savings, operational efficiency, accessibility outcomes

• Guide customers through the full lifecycle of AI adoption - from use case identification and pilot design through production deployment and scaling

• Lead secure AI implementation projects in complex government environments, including air-gapped systems, Protected B/C environments, and on-premises deployments

• Navigate the unique challenges of public sector AI adoption: legacy system integration, data sensitivity, lengthy approval processes, and risk-averse organizational cultures

• Create and execute change management strategies to drive user adoption and value realization across diverse government workforces

• Conduct regular executive business reviews with senior stakeholders, demonstrating ROI, impact, and strategic value

• Drive contract renewals and account growth by consistently delivering value and building trusted relationships

• Ensure all implementations meet Canadian government security protocols, including PBMM standards, security assessments, and authority-to-operate requirements

• Navigate privacy and compliance requirements: Privacy Act, PIPEDA, PHIPA, Access to Information Act, Official Languages Act, accessibility standards

• Lead or support Algorithmic Impact Assessments and responsible AI governance processes as required by Treasury Board directives

• Develop risk mitigation strategies for AI deployments in high-security, mission-critical, and citizen-facing contexts

• Coordinate with customer security teams, privacy officers, legal counsel, and compliance functions

• Serve as the voice of public sector and defence customers within Cohere, advocating for features and capabilities that address government-specific needs

• Provide strategic feedback to Product and Engineering teams on requirements related to security, explainability, accessibility, bilingualism, and ethical AI

• Contribute to the development of public sector-specific offerings, implementation playbooks, documentation, and best practices

• Share customer insights to inform Cohere's public sector go-to-market strategy and positioning

• Represent Cohere at government forums, working groups, roundtables, and industry events

• Partner with Sales to support expansion opportunities, renewals, and new customer acquisition

• Coordinate with Solutions Architects and Forward Deployed Engineers on technical implementation and optimization

• Work with Legal, Security, and Compliance teams to navigate complex procurement, contracting, and regulatory requirements

• Collaborate with Marketing on thought leadership content, case studies, and public sector community building

• 8+ years of experience in customer success, account management, strategic consulting, or technology delivery roles within enterprise or government contexts

• At least 3-5 years working directly with the

in a technology, digital transformation, or consulting capacity

• Proven track record of managing complex, strategic accounts with multiple stakeholders, long sales cycles, and multi-year implementation timelines

• Experience leading AI/ML, cloud, or enterprise software implementations in secure or highly regulated environments

• Deep understanding of how government organizations evaluate, procure, implement, and govern technology solutions

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• Demonstrated success driving customer adoption, expansion, and retention in complex enterprise or government accounts

• Experience developing and executing customer success strategies, QBRs, and executive engagement programs

• Track record of identifying and closing expansion opportunities within existing accounts

• Ability to manage multiple strategic accounts simultaneously while maintaining high-touch, personalized engagement

• Experience navigating organizational politics and building coalitions across siloed government departments

• Comprehensive knowledge of the Canadian public sector ecosystem: federal departments, provincial ministries, Crown corporations, defence, intelligence, critical infrastructure, and healthcare

• Deep familiarity with government digital strategies, service delivery transformation, and citizen-centric design principles

• Understanding of public sector budget cycles, Treasury Board processes, government procurement frameworks, and contract vehicles

• Knowledge of relevant legislation and frameworks: Privacy Act, PIPEDA, PHIPA, Directive on Automated Decision-Making, Algorithmic Impact Assessments, accessibility requirements

• Experience with government cloud strategies and security frameworks: GC Cloud, PBMM, Protected environments, CCCS guidelines

• Proven ability to work with classified information and operate effectively in secure, compartmented environments

• Bilingual (English/French) proficiency - a strong asset for working across the federal government

• 3+ years specifically managing GenAI, LLM, or conversational AI implementations

• Experience with specific Canadian public sector digital transformation initiatives: Canada.ca modernization, healthcare AI projects, Canadian Digital Service programs, or provincial digital government initiatives

• Direct experience working with Canadian defence, intelligence, public safety, or national security organizations

• Professional certifications: CSM, PMP, ITIL, or Canadian government-specific security training

• Experience with government collaboration platforms: GCdocs, GCworkspace, Protected collaboration tools

• Background in management consulting, systems integration, or digital transformation consulting for public sector clients

• Experience with any modern programming language (C++, C#, JavaScript, Python, etc.)

• A weekly lunch stipend of $75/£75 or equivalent in your local currency for lunch.

• Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget for mental health.

• RRSP matching, 401K, Pension Scheme.

• 100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months, for either parent.

• Annual enrichment benefits:

Arts & culture, fitness/wellness, quality time, and a workspace improvement credit. Education & learning stipend for conferences, courses, and coaching.

• 6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days!)

• Budget for traveling to other offices if you are remote, plus an annual company offsite.

• Cohere is remote-friendly, but we also have offices in Toronto, London, New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, Paris, Berlin and Seoul with more opening soon.

• For those in the office: a daily lunch program, plenty of snacks, and regular community and social events.

• For those not near an office: a co-working benefit so you can work alongside others in your city.

• Everyone receives a $500 home office stipend to set up your workspace properly.

If any of the above doesn't line up exactly with your experience, we still encourage you to apply.

We strive to create an inclusive work environment for all; we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal opportunities. Should you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please submit an Accommodations Request Form , and we will work together to meet your needs.

We may use AI-enabled tools to screen and assess applicants against the criteria for this position. This helps our recruiters identify potentially qualified candidates, but it doesn't limit the applications our recruiters may review or consider.

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