Director, Data Engineering

Rackspace Technology

1d•$185,709 - $272,373•Hybrid

About The Position

Practice Directors are expected to be visionary leaders and credible practitioners, capable of driving success across Palantir-centric engagements. You will define how we deliver ontology-driven, operational solutions to clients, lead forward-deployed pods embedded directly with customers, and help build the commercial engine — pipeline, partnership, and finances behind the practice. As an experienced Practice Director with a proven ability to manage and execute professional services engagements, you will lead initiatives spanning platform implementation, operational AI, and rapid application development on Palantir. Successful candidates will demonstrate strategic thinking, align complex technical objectives with business goals, and deliver measurable outcomes in high-stakes, mission-critical environments. You will inspire and mobilize resources, provide technical guidance, and cultivate our strategic relationship and joint go-to-market with Palantir. As a director, you will lead a team of Forward Deployed Engineers, Forward Deployed Strategists, Software Engineers, Machine learning Enginers mentoring and guiding their development. Beyond team leadership, you will champion practice goals, ensure high-quality and efficient delivery, support sales efforts, shape project opportunities, and manage operational priorities such as resource allocation, hiring, and Palantir certification/enablement. Strong communication skills, a collaborative mindset, and the ability to inspire trust and innovation are essential to succeeding in this role.

Requirements

Extensive Leadership Experience: 12+ years of leadership, with a strong track record of 10+ years in consulting/professional services.
Business Line Oversight: Proven experience managing a business line and P&L, ideally including the launch or scaling of a new practice or platform-centric service line.
Palantir Depth: Demonstrated experience delivering client engagements on Foundry, Gotham, and/or AIP — including ontology design, pipeline and application development, and operational deployment. Experience with other enterprise data or AI platforms is a plus but not a substitute.
Forward-Deployed Delivery Model: Familiarity with embedded, pod-based delivery — working side-by-side with client teams to rapidly prototype and ship production solutions rather than traditional waterfall consulting.
Team Management: Skilled in managing senior-level teams — including Forward Deployed Engineers, Forward Deployed Strategists, and Software Engineers — and driving their development and performance.
Strategic Advisor: Strong ability to act as a trusted advisor to clients and stakeholders, including government, defense, or regulated commercial clients typical of Palantir engagements.
Financial Acumen: Proven experience in financial management and successfully operating a business.
Engagement Leadership: Proficiency in leading transformation projects involving change management, organizational design, process mapping, and platform implementation.
Executive Presence: Exceptional communication skills and the ability to establish trusted relationships with C-level executives and mission owners.
High-Stakes Engagements: Experience leading strategic pursuits for key accounts and capability-focused deals, including partner-led opportunities.
Partner Ecosystem Experience: Prior experience building or scaling a practice around a strategic software partner (Palantir or a comparable ISV/platform partnership) is strongly preferred.
Delivery Leadership: Ability to shape and lead delivery pods from technical design through go-live, ensuring alignment with client objectives and high-quality outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Experience with other enterprise data or AI platforms is a plus but not a substitute.
Prior experience building or scaling a practice around a strategic software partner (Palantir or a comparable ISV/platform partnership) is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Spearhead the growth of the Palantir practice by developing strategies for business development, talent management, and delivery. Build reusable accelerators, reference architectures, and case studies that differentiate the practice with Palantir and in the market.
Define and communicate a compelling vision for the practice, aligned to the Palantir partnership roadmap and broader organizational goals.
Own practice growth end-to-end — help driving sales, recruiting talent, managing client accounts, overseeing engagements, and ensuring operational excellence.
Build a team of high-performing leaders and practitioners by mentoring individuals to grow their skills, take on greater responsibility, and pursue Palantir certifications.
Create a collaborative, inclusive culture of trust and continuous learning. Lead recruiting to attract and retain top forward-deployed talent, and support onboarding.
Provide thought leadership on the Palantir platform and delivery model, ensuring the team stays current with product releases, patterns, and best practices.
Manage engagement risk and economics — planning, budgeting, and monitoring accounts receivable. Define clear deliverables aligned to client objectives.
Maintain high client satisfaction by delivering impactful, production-grade solutions and building trust at the highest levels of client organizations.
Oversee execution across the Palantir portfolio, ensuring alignment with the practice's quality and delivery standards.
Identify growth opportunities by analyzing market trends, client needs, and competitive dynamics; shape offerings that extend the value of the Palantir platform.
Cultivate strong relationships with C-suite executives and mission owners, positioning the organization as a trusted delivery partner.
Guide the design of ontologies, pipelines, and applications on the Palantir platform to solve complex, mission-critical client challenges.
Lead exploration of emerging Palantir capabilities (including AIP and agentic workflows) and adjacent technologies, pushing the boundaries of what's deliverable for clients.
Develop and share thought leadership — whitepapers, talks, workshops — that positions the organization as a leading Palantir delivery partner.
Work directly with clients to understand mission needs, shape objectives, and define delivery roadmaps using an agile, pod-based approach.
Partner with internal teams, Palantir, and clients to deliver cohesive solutions addressing both technical and mission requirements.
Support sales teams through the pre-sales process with technical insight and solution shaping.
Organize and participate in knowledge-sharing, technical meetups, and workshops; encourage contribution to Palantir and industry communities of practice.
Capture and share learnings from engagements to build a collective repository of practice insight.