Learning Innovation Specialist

Job Description Zendesk’s Digital CX team is transforming customer education by pioneering the strategic innovation and evolution of Zendesk Academy. The Learning Innovation Specialist will reimagine the customer education playbook through AI-powered personalization, learner segmentation, gamification, cohort models, community collaboration, localization, and data-driven experimentation. The Specialist will curate and orchestrate tailored, engaging, adaptive learning experiences that accelerate adoption and retention for prospects, customers, and partners worldwide. This role focuses on innovation and learner engagement and does not involve direct content creation. Partnering cross-functionally with Product, Marketing, Partners, Enablement, UX, Instructional Design, Customer Experience, and Community teams, this role ensures education innovations align with learner needs and business goals, maintaining close alignment with cross-functional roadmaps so education remains a core driver of business growth. This role offers a rare and unique opportunity to shape the future of Zendesk Academy and customer education by driving innovation and experimentation that empower learners worldwide, accelerate product adoption, and unlock significant business growth. What you’ll own Cross-functional roadmap alignment Lead strategic planning and prioritization with Product, Marketing, Partners, Enablement, Instructional Design, and Success teams to embed education as a core driver of business growth. Learner and content segmentation Own and refine segmentation strategies to deliver personalized, relevant learning journeys for diverse global audiences, maximizing learner engagement. AI-powered personalization Design and implement advanced personalization and adaptive learning frameworks that dynamically tailor educational experiences to individual learner needs. Gamification strategy Develop and oversee gamification initiatives to boost learner motivation, engagement, and skill mastery across learner segments, collaborating closely with the Community team to integrate social and peer-driven engagement elements. Cohort learning and community collaboration Design, pilot, and scale cohort-based learning models that foster peer collaboration and integrate community engagement to deepen learning outcomes. Experimental pilot leadership Architect and manage data-driven pilot programs leveraging automation and AI insights to continuously optimize educational effectiveness and relevance. Cross-disciplinary collaboration Work closely with UX, Instructional Design, Subject Matter Experts, Knowledge Center of Excellence, and partner teams to ensure innovations align with learner expectations and business goals. Global education localization strategy Plan and execute comprehensive localization strategies to ensure learning content is accessible, culturally relevant, and effective across global regions. Continuous feedback and Improvement Collect and analyze learner feedback and performance data to iteratively improve Zendesk Academy’s content and experiences. Standards compliance Ensure all learning innovations comply with adult learning principles, certification requirements, and organization-wide education standards. What you bring Experience: 4 years in customer education, learning innovation, or enablement roles within B2B SaaS or enterprise technology sectors. Innovation mindset: Proven ability to design and scale learning programs using AI, gamification, and emerging modalities. Data fluency: Skilled in leveraging analytics and learner insights to drive experimentation and continuous program optimization. Cross-functional leadership: Demonstrated success working effectively with diverse teams including Product, Marketing, Enablement, and Instructional Design. Global perspective: Experience leading learning programs that serve multilingual and multicultural audiences, with strong localization sensibility. Learner-centric: ... (truncated, view full listing at source)