Manager, Data Engineering
📍 Washington, DC Metropolitan Area | 💼 Engineering Leadership

A fast-growing, AI-powered data and technology company is seeking a Manager of Data Engineering to lead and grow a high-performing team of data engineers. This role is ideal for a people-first leader who thrives on developing talent, removing obstacles, and fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence.

You’ll partner closely with a seasoned technical lead who drives architectural decisions, allowing you to focus on team development, delivery, and strategic alignment. If you're passionate about building careers and scaling engineering teams in a dynamic environment, this is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact.

Key Responsibilities

People Leadership (60%)

• Lead, mentor, and retain a team of 5–7 data engineers.
• Conduct regular 1:1s, career planning, and performance reviews.
• Create clear growth paths and development opportunities.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, learning, and operational excellence.
• Manage hiring, onboarding, and team composition.
• Remove roadblocks and protect the team from distractions.
• Address team dynamics and resolve conflicts constructively.

Technical Partnership (20%)

• Collaborate with the technical lead to ensure architectural decisions align with strategy and scalability.
• Stay informed on emerging data engineering trends.
• Promote high standards for code quality and operational practices.
• Help the team balance technical trade-offs with business needs.

Delivery & Process Management (20%)

• Partner with Product Managers to ensure realistic commitments and timely delivery.
• Lead incident response and post-mortem processes.
• Maintain adherence to engineering standards and agile practices.
• Monitor team health, velocity, and delivery risks.
• Facilitate sprint ceremonies and cross-team coordination.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years in engineering, including 5+ years in people management.
• Proven success building and scaling engineering teams.
• Solid understanding of data engineering concepts and challenges.
• Agile/Scrum leadership experience.
• Strong communication skills and emotional intelligence.
• Demonstrated ability to grow engineering talent and foster career progression.

Technical Familiarity (You Understand, Not Implement)

• Big data technologies (e.g., Spark, EMR, data pipelines).
• Cloud infrastructure and cost considerations.
• Technical risk assessment and critical questioning.

Preferred

• Experience in data-first or analytics-driven organizations.
• Track record of improving retention and team satisfaction.
• Success scaling teams from ~5 to 10+ engineers.
• Background in fast-paced, resource-constrained environments.
• History of thriving in partnership with strong technical leads.