Senior Data Engineering Manager

Senior Manager, Data Engineering

Location: Chicago
Compensation: $180,000-$190,000 base, plus eligibility to earn discretionary bonus 

About the Role

We’re building out our data engineering function from the ground up and looking for a hands-on technical leader to help us scale. This is a newly created leadership role for someone who wants to stay close to the technical work while also building and managing a team. You’ll be joining a fast-paced, well-funded startup environment with real intensity and speed, so this role is best suited for someone excited by that pace rather than surprised by it.

What You’ll Do

• Lead data engineering work from ingestion through the silver layer, including fact and dimension modeling, data cleansing, and pipeline architecture
• Operate in a hands-on capacity (targeting a 50/50 technical to managerial split initially, shifting toward more management as the team matures)
• Manage and coordinate with engineering leads across multiple contracting teams, serving as the final technical decision-maker while collaborating closely with those teams
• Weigh in on Master Data Management strategy, including build vs. buy decisions, golden record creation, and governance approaches
• Partner with the data governance function to ensure alignment, without owning governance directly
• Balance short, medium, and long-term priorities while managing a substantial backlog of in-flight projects
• Communicate proactively around timelines, risks, and unexpected issues across multiple stakeholder groups

What We’re Looking For

Must-Haves

• Strong hands-on experience with the Microsoft Azure stack (Data Factory, Synapse, and similar tools)
• Solid data ingestion and pipeline development background
• Strong fact and dimension modeling experience
• Familiarity with Master Data Management principles (specific platform experience not required, e.g. Informatica, Tibco, or similar all welcome)
• Excellent communication skills, particularly around setting expectations and navigating changing priorities

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience with Databricks (Snowflake or similar platforms also considered if you can demonstrate the ability to flex)
• Experience with DBT or similar data transformation tooling
• Experience managing or mentoring contractors, particularly in a remote setting
• Background working in a startup or fast-paced technology environment
• Exposure to data governance practices and collaboration with governance teams

Leadership

• Open to candidates transitioning from a strong individual contributor or lead role into people management for the first time, as long as management is a path you’re intentionally pursuing
• Comfortable ramping quickly in a growing, evolving environment

Team & Structure

You’ll manage a senior data engineer, with an additional engineering hire planned, and will work closely with engineering leads across multiple contracting partners.