Director of Engineering

Director Of Engineering

We're hiring a Director of Engineering to serve as the CTO's technical right hand—focusing on architecture, external communication, vendor management, and high-level technical strategy. You'll own technical research projects, architect complex features, manage vendor relationships, and communicate technical concepts to both customers and internal teams. This role bridges the gap between high-level architecture and execution. You'll design solutions, delegate implementation to engineering leads, and ensure technical decisions align with business objectives. You'll also provide critical backup to the CTO, stepping in to handle customer technical discussions, vendor negotiations, and architectural decisions when needed.

Meridian is the leading CRM and data intelligence platform for private market investors. We are trusted by top-tier firms across private equity, credit, hedge funds, and institutional LPs and today power over $500B in assets under management. Built by a team with deep investing and technology expertise — including alumni from Blackstone and Thoma Bravo — Meridian offers an integrated system of record that combines software, structured data, and proprietary AI to streamline how investment teams operate. Our customers no longer need to stitch together Salesforce, PitchBook, or spreadsheets. Meridian delivers a single, unified platform purpose-built for the full investment lifecycle — from sourcing and diligence to IC management, portfolio tracking, and reporting. We've raised $7M in seed funding from world-renowned VCs and are growing rapidly, with an exceptional inbound pipeline and consistently increasing contract values. Several firms have signed multi-year contracts exceeding $200K+, and demand continues to accelerate.

What You'll Do

• Own technical research and vendor selection. Lead evaluation of data enrichment providers, integration partners, and technical tools—including vendor outreach, requirements mapping, feature comparison, cost analysis, and recommendations.
• Architect technical solutions. Work in consultation with customer and product leaders to implement technical solutions and scale the application based on business requirements and UI/UX design.
• Prepare engineering documentation. Create a variety of resources, including research, vendor selection rubrics, metrics, profiling, and reporting, for the engineering team as well as for C-suite review and approval.
• Manage engineering leads. Provide technical direction and oversight to engineering leads, ensuring projects stay on track and align with architectural vision.
• Handle customer-facing technical communication. Join customer calls to discuss technical requirements, integrations, system architecture, and implementation details with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Translate technical complexity. Bridge the gap between engineering teams and business stakeholders, explaining technical concepts clearly to customers, product teams, and leadership.
• Leading and mentoring engineering teams. Provide architectural guidance and remove blockers that prevent engineering teams from moving forward on complex projects.
• Establish technical partnerships. Build relationships with key vendors and integration partners, negotiating pricing and ensuring technical alignment.

Who You Are

• Experienced engineer with strong architectural knowledge. You understand code (especially Python) and can speak the same language as engineers, but you're not expected to write code daily. At least 7 years of experience in technical roles with increasing responsibility required.
• Exceptional communicator. Comfortable presenting to customers, explaining complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences, and maintaining clear documentation.
• Research-driven problem solver. Skilled at evaluating technical options, comparing vendors, identifying requirements, and making data-informed recommendations.
• Experienced people manager. Comfortable managing managers and providing technical direction without micromanaging.
• Vendor negotiation experience. Comfortable managing vendor relationships and evaluating existing technical partnerships as well as selecting new vendors and negotiating partnerships.
• High agency and self-directed. Can own ambiguous projects from start to finish without constant oversight.
• Startup mentality. Excited about building processes and wearing multiple hats in a fast-paced, high-growth, self-directed environment.

Bonus Experience

• SaaS or enterprise software architecture experience
• Background in fintech, CRM platforms, or data-intensive applications
• Experience with Azure infrastructure, certificates are welcome
• Direct experience with Python, Django, API design, integrations, and/or AI infrastructure
• Familiarity with private equity or financial services workflows
• Previous experience as a Solutions Architect or Technical Architect

Why Join Us

• Be the CTO's strategic partner. Shape technical direction for a platform used by top-tier investment firms.
• Own meaningful technical decisions. Drive vendor strategy, integration architecture, and system design that directly impacts product success.
• Build what the best investors use. Work on technology that powers over $500B in assets under management.

Salary: $170,000 - $200,000 per year