Manager, Software Engineering - AI and Data Platform

Blackbaud•Charleston, SC

8h•Remote

About The Position

The Engineering Manager, Data & AI Platform is responsible for leading teams that build, operate, and evolve Blackbaud’s enterprise Data & AI platform—the foundation that powers analytics, data products, machine learning, and agent‑based experiences across the company. This role blends people leadership, platform ownership, and technical strategy. You will manage engineers working across modern data and AI infrastructure (Lakehouse, pipelines, feature services, ML enablement, observability, and governance), while ensuring the platform is scalable, secure, cost‑efficient, and product‑oriented. Success in this role requires strong engineering judgment, the ability to operate in ambiguity, and a passion for building platforms that accelerate teams and unlock business outcomes for the nonprofit sector.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in software, data, or platform engineering.
3+ years of experience managing and developing engineering teams.
Hands‑on experience with modern data platforms (cloud data lakes/lakehouses, distributed processing, streaming, APIs).
Strong understanding of platform engineering principles and operating production systems at scale.
Proven ability to lead through ambiguity and influence without authority.

Responsibilities

Own and evolve core Data & AI platform capabilities, including ingestion, transformation, lakehouse architecture, feature services, and AI/ML enablement layers.
Drive platform decisions aligned with Blackbaud’s Unified Data & AI Platform Strategy (modularity, interoperability, AI‑first design)
Partner with Architecture, Governance, and Security to ensure the platform meets trust, compliance, and Responsible AI standards.
Balance build vs. buy decisions, prioritizing core competencies while reducing operational complexity.
Lead teams to deliver high‑impact platform initiatives aligned to AOP priorities (legacy modernization, cloud migration, cost optimization, agent enablement).
Ensure platform reliability through operational excellence, including monitoring, incident management, and performance optimization.
Establish clear roadmaps, milestones, and success metrics for platform initiatives.
Hire, mentor, and grow high‑performing platform engineers across geographies.
Provide regular feedback, coaching, and career development aligned with Blackbaud’s people strategy.
Ensure every team member has clear goals, an active IDP, and opportunities to grow in modern Data & AI skills.
Collaborate closely with Product, Data Science, Analytics, and Product Engineering teams to ensure the platform accelerates—not blocks—delivery.
Influence standards and best practices across the Data Intelligence COE.