Technical Support Team Manager

Propeller is on a mission to take the guesswork out of moving dirt - reducing wasted fuel, time, and money. We do this through the power of maps. 

Our customers use Propeller’s integrated hardware and software products to capture accurate 3D versions of their worksites. With over 50,000 worksites worldwide using Propeller’s smart survey technology, we empower project teams to map, measure, and manage site activity.

Propeller empowers everyone to approach, own, and solve problems creatively. We’re data nerds who care about impact, honesty, and each other. We take pride in being a great place to work. We are proud to be recipients of BI Group's Excellence in Customer Experience award and Inspiring Workplaces of Australasia, being recognized as a Fast Company and BuiltIn Best Place to Work. You can learn more about us on Glassdoor.

As the Technical Support Team Manager, you will be the strategic leader responsible for the success, efficiency, and performance of Propeller’s Technical Support Team within the Customer Support function. Your mission is to ensure every team member is delivering fast, practical, and effective support across Propeller’s integrated hardware (drones, DirtMate, and Aeropoints) and cloud-based software, driving customer outcomes and protecting the customer experience at every stage. This role is centered on team enablement, process innovation, and cross-functional leadership, guaranteeing that the Technical Support team operates as a highly effective, metrics-driven function that resolves customer issues with speed and quality while serving as the voice of the customer inside Propeller.

Team Leadership:

• Manage team capacity, queue coverage, and case assignment strategies to optimize utilization and ensure timely, high-quality resolution across all customer segments and channels (phone, email, chat).
• Manage, coach, and mentor a team of Technical Support Specialists, Technical Support Engineers, and Senior Technical Support Engineers, conducting regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and career development planning across all 3 IC levels.
• Drive continuous improvement in the team’s technical troubleshooting expertise, customer communication, and product knowledge, leveraging Senior Technical Support Engineers as key technical mentors and escalation points.
• Own onboarding and ramp plans for new hires, ensuring entry-level Specialists reach autonomy on basic hardware and software tickets within their first 90 days.

Technical Support Strategy & Execution:

• Define and execute the overall Technical Support strategy, focusing on scalability, efficiency, and consistent customer outcomes across hardware and software issues.
• Maintain a hands-on understanding of customer challenges by directly engaging with complex or escalated cases when necessary, including data discrepancies, photogrammetry issues, and hardware troubleshooting.
• Continuously analyze support metrics (e.g., CSAT, Resolution Time, Response Time, Ticket Productivity, First Contact Resolution, and others) to identify bottlenecks and implement process improvements that reduce customer effort and increase resolution speed.
• Establish standards and mechanisms for quality control across all customer interactions, troubleshooting workflows, and escalation paths, ensuring adherence to best practices defined in team playbooks.
• Oversee the creation, maintenance, and adoption of the team’s knowledge base and internal troubleshooting documentation, ensuring resources stay current with product changes.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Alignment:

• Act as the primary liaison between the Technical Support team and stakeholders across Engineering, Product, Implementation, Geospatial, Customer Success, Sales, and Logistics.
• Partner closely with Engineering and Product to escalate recurring issues, surface customer pain points, and influence the roadmap based on frontline insights.
• Partner with Customer Success and Implementation leadership to ensure a seamless handoff of customer issues and a consistent experience across the customer lifecycle.
• Aggregate customer insights and recurring technical issues from the team and translate them into actionable feedback for Product, Engineering, and Logistics teams.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for high-priority customer escalations, working directly with team members to resolution.

• 3+ years of experience managing a technical support, customer support, or technical services team, ideally in a SaaS or hardware-plus-software environment.
• Deep understanding of technical troubleshooting across both hardware and software, with the ability to coach others on complex technical concepts including data capture, photogrammetry, GPS, or geospatial workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to define and measure KPIs (CSAT, resolution time, response time, productivity), use data to drive process improvements, and forecast team capacity needs based on ticket volume and customer growth.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills, with the ability to represent the team effectively in internal leadership meetings and in customer escalations.
• Experience designing, implementing, and measuring scalable customer support methodologies, including escalation paths and tiered support models.
• Proven ability to build strong, productive relationships with Engineering, Product, Customer Success, and Sales teams to ensure organizational alignment on customer experience.
• You set the standard for going above-and-beyond, taking ownership of problems, and displaying empathy in every customer interaction.

Nice-to-haves:

• Experience in the construction, mining, aggregates, or civil engineering sectors.
• Familiarity with geospatial tools, survey data, drone-based mapping workflows, GPS technologies, photogrammetry, radio modems, or machine control.
• Experience managing support teams that combine hardware troubleshooting with SaaS platform support.
• Prior experience with Zendesk or another support ticketing platform at the admin or team-lead level.
• Remote pilot license (Part 107).

• Fully paid employee United Platinum PPO medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 20 day paid vacation time per year with no accrual or carryover cap
• 3% non-elective employer contribution to 401(k)
• Employee share options
• Professional development budget and leave
• The opportunity to take part in our mentorship program
• $100 USD monthly telephone and/or internet allowance
• Paid primary & secondary parental leave policies
• $275 USD one time work from home set up budget, and we'll also send you a laptop, monitor, mouse, and keyboard

The estimated salary range offered for this role is $100,000 - $120,000. This range is tied to the market for this job in Colorado. Any salary offer extended will be based on skills, knowledge and experience.