Senior Director, Software Engineering & Data

AWC Career•Houston, TX

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

AWC is seeking a Senior Director of Software Engineering & Data to lead its Enterprise Applications organization as the company grows and invests in technology. This strategic, hands-on technology leader will provide leadership across software engineering, enterprise applications, data engineering, and the modern data platform. The role partners with business leaders, Digital Transformation, Infrastructure and Operations, and ERP leadership to set priorities, strengthen delivery capabilities, and guide technology modernization. It balances maintaining critical business systems with developing capabilities and solutions that support future growth. The position provides strategic and operational leadership for software engineering, data engineering, and application delivery; establishes scalable engineering practices and operating models; and owns the software delivery lifecycle from solution design through production support. It also advances data platform maturity, supports ERP transformation and systems integration, promotes practical AI-assisted engineering, and develops high-performing teams. The position is hybrid and requires commuting distance to Baton Rouge, Houston, Dallas, or Austin, as well as regular travel to AWC locations. It reports to the Chief Information Officer.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience leading software engineering organizations, including responsibility for engineering practices, delivery processes, talent development, and performance management.
Proven ability to establish or transform software engineering operating models, development standards, and team capabilities.
Strong technical understanding of enterprise applications, software architecture, integration strategies, and modern development practices.
Experience supporting established legacy applications while developing and implementing modern systems.
Demonstrated ownership of enterprise data platforms, data engineering capabilities, or data products, including data quality and governance.
Practical experience implementing AI-assisted software development tools and driving adoption across engineering teams while maintaining quality and security standards.
Experience managing engineering leaders and technical professionals, including hiring, coaching, performance management, and succession planning.
Strong business acumen and ability to evaluate priorities, communicate tradeoffs, and align technology investments with organizational objectives.
Excellent communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills, with ability to influence technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
Ability and willingness to travel regularly to AWC locations.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting a major ERP implementation or replacement, particularly systems integration and data migration.
Background in industrial distribution, manufacturing, automation, energy, or related industries.
Experience establishing governance and production-readiness practices for applications or prototypes developed outside traditional IT teams.
Experience leading technology organizations in a mid-sized, growing business environment.
Demonstrated success introducing modern engineering practices while maintaining operational stability and supporting organizational change.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Enterprise Applications organization, including software engineering, data engineering, and application delivery.
Establish scalable processes for project intake, prioritization, capacity planning, development standards, deployment, and ongoing support.
Guide technical direction and solution design with the software architect and engineering teams, supporting reliability and maintainability.
Balance support for established business-critical applications with development and implementation of modern technology solutions.
Own the software delivery lifecycle from solution design and development through testing, deployment, and production support.
Partner with business stakeholders and Digital Transformation leadership to evaluate opportunities, set priorities, and translate business needs into scalable technology solutions.
Develop portfolio visibility, resource planning, and delivery accountability aligned with high-value initiatives.
Establish a structured process for transitioning business-developed prototypes and innovative solutions into secure, supported production applications.
Evaluate build-versus-buy decisions, balancing business value, speed, cost, security, and long-term sustainability.
Lead the continued development and maturity of AWC's enterprise data platform.
Establish scalable practices for data engineering, integration, accessibility, quality, and governance.
Partner with business data owners to strengthen data definitions, accuracy, accountability, and trust.
Support enterprise analytics and enable business teams to use reliable data for decision-making.
Collaborate with ERP leadership on the transition to a new ERP environment, providing engineering leadership for integrations, application modernization, custom development, and system decoupling.
Support data migration and integration strategies that protect business continuity and enable future scalability.
Help determine which capabilities belong in the ERP platform versus enterprise applications.
Advance practical adoption of AI-assisted software engineering tools and methodologies while establishing standards for code review, testing, security, and maintainability.
Identify opportunities to improve engineering efficiency, reduce technical debt, and strengthen system reliability.
Lead, coach, and develop software engineering and data professionals, fostering accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and innovation.
Assess organizational capabilities, identify talent needs, and create development plans for current and future business requirements.
Set performance expectations, encourage ownership, recognize results, and build strong partnerships across technology and business functions.