Mentoring & Scaling the JSA Program at Shopify

Length of Project: 1 year, 2020

The Problem

In response to an influx of new immigrants and fresh graduates struggling to enter the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, Shopify partnered with the Canadian government to launch the Junior Support Advisor (JSA) program. The goal was to provide these individuals with an entry point into tech support while gradually ramping up their skills in a structured environment.

However, the challenge was twofold:

1. Onboarding & Training: JSAs were entirely new to Shopify, support work, and in many cases, tech itself. A standard onboarding process wouldn’t be enough—they needed an intensive, phased training approach.
2. Quality & Performance Scaling: With hundreds of new hires, ensuring they met Shopify’s high support standards was critical. The program needed structured mentorship, quality assurance (QA), and leadership to ensure JSAs could transition into full-fledged Support Advisors (Core).

The Approach

As one of 20 top-performing Support Advisors selected for the mentorship team, my role was to ensure these advisors were not only trained but also set up for long-term success. My contributions included:

1. Quality Assurance & Skill Development

• Conducted 90+ QA reviews per month, evaluating chat interactions for accuracy, problem-solving, and customer experience.
• Provided real-time coaching based on QA feedback to refine troubleshooting techniques and communication skills.
• Ran Slack support shifts where JSAs could get immediate guidance, reducing dependency on escalated support teams.

2. Live Mentorship & Hands-On Support

• Hosted interactive team workshops on core skills like call control, local troubleshooting, and problem de-escalation.
• Conducted one-on-one coaching sessions to build confidence and improve technical proficiency.
• Shadowed JSA chat and call interactions, offering real-time feedback and intervention in sensitive or complex cases.

3. Leadership & Process Improvement

• Promoted to Team Lead within months, overseeing my own group of JSAs. Managed their scheduling, performance reviews, and skill development.
• Developed the JSA North Star guiding principles with two other team leads, creating a structured framework to define program success, KPIs, and long-term viability.
• Partnered with leadership to advocate for program longevity, emphasizing its measurable impact on new hire success rates.

The Impact

• Faster Ramp-Up: JSAs successfully moved through phased training, reducing time-to-proficiency.
• Improved Retention & Performance: Structured mentorship ensured new hires had the skills and confidence to transition into core support roles.
• Scalability of the Program: The North Star framework provided long-term direction, helping solidify the JSA program’s place within Shopify’s support structure.
• Leadership Progression: My success in this role led to a promotion into escalated technical support leadership, overseeing a team of Support Engineers.