CSO — role definition
Purpose: The Client Success Owner (CSO) is the single accountable owner for the client’s success on the engagement: relationship, outcomes narrative, and plan defensibility—not every technical task.
Mission
- Own the client partnership, sentiment, and renewal posture for assigned accounts.
- Lead preparation and delivery of the Project Review Meeting with Head of Delivery (see project ownership guide).
- Partner with the Service Lead so technical approach, timelines, and resourcing are accurate before plans are presented for approval.
- Translate internal delivery into client-ready value stories (weekly touchpoints, exec conversations).
Accountability
- RACI “A” for client success outcomes on the account, within SOW.
- Responsible for client communication cadence and escalation first—before founders, except per Head of Delivery escalation policy.
- Not the owner of every engineering task—ICs and SL own build execution; CSO ensures milestones and client-visible outcomes are clear and tracked.
Handoffs
| To / From | Expectation |
|---|---|
| SL | CSO gets estimates, risks, and technical sign-off on plan sections; SL does not replace CSO in client narrative ownership. |
| Head of Delivery | CSO brings a defensible plan to Project Review Meeting; incorporates feedback before execution lock-in. |
| ICs | Work through SL for technical execution; CSO clarifies priority and client context when needed. |
Related
Last updated: 2026-03-23