Data Engineering Manager

Blend360•St. Louis, MO

About The Position

BLEND360 is seeking a Data Engineering Manager to lead execution delivery for a large-scale Marketing Data Layer initiative supporting a major telecommunications customer. This role will oversee a 16-person nearshore engineering organization responsible for building and scaling enterprise data ingestion and transformation capabilities within a modern AWS-based ecosystem. The ideal candidate combines strong engineering leadership with deep delivery management experience in distributed data engineering environments. This role requires someone who can drive execution excellence, establish engineering rigor, and lead teams through modern AI-assisted development practices while maintaining high standards for quality, velocity, and operational reliability.

Requirements

Strong engineering management and technical delivery leadership experience
Deep understanding of Agile delivery methodologies and sprint execution management
Experience leading distributed, nearshore, or offshore engineering teams
Strong code review and engineering governance capabilities
Hands-on background in modern data engineering and cloud data platforms
Experience managing engineering performance metrics and operational KPIs
Familiarity with AI-assisted software development workflows and governance practices
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills in client-facing environments
Experience with modern data engineering frameworks and cloud ecosystems
Strong understanding of ETL/ELT pipelines, orchestration, and large-scale data processing
Familiarity with technologies such as: Python, SQL, Spark / PySpark, Cloud data platforms (AWS preferred), CI/CD and DevOps engineering practices
Understanding of enterprise data platform delivery and operational reliability best practices
7+ years of experience in data engineering or related engineering disciplines
3+ years managing engineering teams of 10+ resources
Proven experience leading distributed engineering organizations in fast-paced delivery environments
Experience managing enterprise-scale data initiatives and cross-functional delivery programs
Consulting or client-facing delivery experience strongly preferred

Nice To Haves

You lead with accountability, clarity, and operational discipline
You are highly organized and execution-focused while maintaining strong technical credibility
You know how to scale engineering teams and improve delivery performance in complex enterprise environments
You balance speed and quality while creating sustainable engineering practices
You are passionate about mentoring engineers, improving team effectiveness, and driving continuous improvement

Responsibilities

Own day-to-day leadership and operational management of a 16-person nearshore Data Engineering execution pod
Drive delivery accountability across engineering squads, ensuring high-quality, scalable, and reliable implementations
Manage sprint planning, execution, and delivery coordination across distributed nearshore teams
Lead daily standups and establish strong communication rhythms that effectively bridge timezone and cross-functional collaboration gaps
Conduct code reviews and enforce engineering best practices, development standards, and quality controls
Oversee onboarding, ramp-up, and ongoing enablement of nearshore contractors and engineering resources
Establish and manage AI-assisted development governance, including: Prompt engineering patterns and usage standards, Review processes for AI-generated code, Productivity measurement and engineering adoption practices
Track and improve engineering delivery metrics, including: Pull request cycle time, Deployment frequency, Pipeline reliability, Test coverage, Delivery throughput and quality
Partner closely with architects, product stakeholders, and client leadership to ensure successful execution against business priorities
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and engineering excellence