Forward Deployed Engineering Manager

Gradial helps marketers and creatives move from idea to execution faster. Our platform turns intent into action, automating website updates, design system migrations, and ongoing content optimization while preserving brand integrity across every touchpoint. Backed by leading investors, we’re building software that adapts to the user, not the other way around. We move with urgency, operate with ownership, and solve hard problems from first principles. If you want to do ambitious work, take real responsibility, and help define the future of AI-native content operations, you’ll do your best work here. The Role As Forward Deployed Engineering Manager at Gradial, you will lead a team deploying our platform in complex enterprise environments. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who can manage engineers, drive delivery, and go deep technically when needed. You will sit at the intersection of customer complexity, product insight, and execution quality, helping the team deliver exceptional outcomes while shaping how Gradial scales in the field. You’ll own strategic deployments across Gradial’s platform, lead custom projects for key enterprise customers, and support rollout of new capabilities in real-world environments. You’ll partner closely with Engineering, Forward Deployed Product Managers, and GTM to solve hard problems quickly, turn field learnings into product leverage, and ensure our most important customer work is executed with speed, rigor, and sound judgment. This role is for a leader who has strong technical instincts, knows how to push hard for customers without creating internal chaos, and can raise the bar for a team working at the edge of product and deployment. What You’ll Own Lead and develop a team of Forward Deployed Engineers, setting a high bar for execution, judgment, and ownership Own delivery across strategic enterprise deployments, custom implementations, and new feature rollouts Stay hands-on in solution design, scoping, architecture, debugging, and implementation when needed Partner with Engineering and Forward Deployed Product Managers to turn customer complexity into scalable systems, product improvements, and repeatable delivery patterns Work directly with enterprise stakeholders to clarify requirements, navigate ambiguity, unblock decisions, and drive outcomes Improve team operations across planning, prioritization, communication, and delivery quality without slowing pace Collaborate with GTM on strategic accounts to shape solutions that are technically credible and commercially effective Identify patterns across customer work and turn them into playbooks, reusable components, and stronger execution models Help the team balance speed and quality in high-stakes environments with evolving requirements Act as a force multiplier across customers, product, and engineering by bringing clarity to messy problems and momentum to critical work What We Need 5+ years of experience in software engineering, technical delivery, solutions engineering, forward deployed work, or similar customer-facing technical roles Experience directly managing technical teams in fast-moving, high-accountability environments Strong technical fluency and the ability to stay hands-on with implementation and problem-solving Proven success delivering complex work for enterprise customers in ambiguous, evolving environments Strong cross-functional leadership skills across Engineering, Product, GTM, and customer stakeholders Excellent customer-facing communication and the ability to build trust with technical and non-technical audiences High autonomy, strong judgment, and a bias for action Experience improving team operations, delivery rigor, and execution quality at scale Comfort operating across a full platform surface area, including custom projects, enterprise rollouts, and highly visible customer work Strong AI tooling experience and fluency with modern AI-native workflows, products, or implementation patterns Nice to Have Experience in enterprise SaaS delivery, technical consulting, or systems integrator environments Experience in MarTech, CMS, DAM, content operations, digital experience, or workflow-heavy enterprise environments Familiarity with deploying AI-powered workflows into production customer environments and turning bespoke work into reusable product leverage The salary range for this position is $190,000 - $235,000 annually. Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, and qualifications. In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for performance-based bonuses and equity awards. Gradial offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), paid time off, paid sick leave, and other employee wellness programs You'll thrive here if you... Embrace AI as a core tool for problem-solving, creativity and scale. Show a strong work ethic, high ownership and bias toward action. Communicate with clarity and curiosity. Thrive in fast-paced, hyper-growth environments; where building is always better than maintaining the status quo. What we offer Meaningful equity and competitive salary Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage Fast-paced environment with autonomy and ownership Real impact, zero bureaucracy A front-row seat to building category-defining AI infrastructure AI Literacy & Interviewing Tools As an AI-first company, we prioritize AI literacy as a core competency in our hiring decisions. We’re excited by candidates who thoughtfully apply AI tools in their work, but during interviews we’re focused on you. This is your opportunity to show how you think, communicate, and solve problems. Over-reliance on AI-generated responses during the interview process (especially when it obscures your own voice) will result in disqualification. We want to understand your unique perspective and how you approach challenges, both with and without AI. Privacy Policy By submitting your application to Gradial, you acknowledge that any personal data you provide will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy. This includes the collection, use, and storage of your information for the purposes of evaluating your qualifications and communicating with you about your candidacy. We handle applicant data with care and in compliance with applicable data protection laws. If you have any questions about how your information is used, please refer to our Privacy Policy or contact us directly. Applicants who require reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process should contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io to request assistance.