Lead Data Engineer

Lead Data Engineer

Samba is a media intelligence company. We know what the world is watching, reading, and thinking about — in real time, at scale, across every screen. Our data exists with the consent of over a billion people, organized into the most complete picture of consumer attention ever built. The biggest brands in the world use that picture to make smarter decisions. We think it's the most interesting data asset on the planet, because it's the most culturally relevant.

We are looking for a Lead Data Engineer to join our Revenue Operations team. This role sits at the intersection of data infrastructure and business impact - building and owning the systems that power reliable reporting, as well as leading a small team of analysts.

You'll report directly to the Director of Business Intelligence and work closely with stakeholders across Sales, Finance, and Operations. This is a high-ownership role suited for someone who is comfortable being the subject matter expert on our data infrastructure while also thinking about how to present insights to executives.

What You'll Do

• Infrastructure & Data Engineering
  • Own and maintain our Azure-based data infrastructure, including data ingestion, transformation, and delivery
  • Oversee data ingestion of 100+ upstream raw data sources (Salesforce, DSPs, ad platforms) into our data warehouse
  • Manage our data transformation pipelines and implement best-in-class systems design - includes writing complex SQL/ Python queries, stored procedures, and pipeline logic
  • Implement data governance best practices and champion these across the organization
  • Ensure data quality, pipeline reliability, and documentation standards across the team - quality assurance is a key cornerstone of the role
• Reporting & Analytics
  • Translate business questions from stakeholders into data models and reporting solutions
  • Support revenue analytics - including advertiser performance, DSP reporting, and product-level breakdowns
  • Own ad hoc analysis and deep-dives as needed
  • Cross-Team Collaboration to build and maintain a platform that serves the needs of constituents across Sales, Sales Support, Finance, Marketing and Product
• Team Leadership
  • Manage and mentor a team of BI analysts across the globe, supporting their growth and day-to-day execution
  • Triage and prioritize incoming data requests alongside the Director of BI
  • Set and uphold standards for data governance, code quality, documentation, and project delivery
  • Serve as the subject matter expert for our data engineering infrastructure

Who You Are

• Ownership-driven: You treat the systems you build and the team you lead as your own, and you care about getting things right. Accuracy is paramount
• Technically rigorous: You go deep on infrastructure problems and don't stop at surface-level fixes
• Clear communicator: You can translate complex data concepts into language that resonates with business stakeholders
• Collaborative: You work well across time zones and functions, and you make your teammates better
• 5+ years of experience in data analytics or data engineering, owning pipelines from raw data collection to data delivery and reporting
• Strong SQL skills, including window functions, complex joins, stored procedures, and performance tuning
• Hands-on experience with Azure cloud services or equivalent (Synapse Analytics, Data Factory, Blob Storage)
• Experience managing or mentoring junior analysts or engineers
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders
• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with a high degree of ownership
• Experience in ad tech, media intelligence, or programmatic advertising (DSPs, SSPs, audience data)
• Familiarity with Salesforce as a revenue source of truth
• Experience working with international teams across multiple time zones
• Prior exposure to Microsoft Fabric or awareness of the Azure/Fabric roadmap

$155,000 - $180,000 a year

Samba is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We strive to empower connection with one another, reflect the communities we serve, and tackle meaningful projects that make a real impact.