Software Engineering Manager, Data Solutions & Initiatives

Apple•Austin, TX

About The Position

The people here at Apple don't just create products — they create the kind of wonder that's revolutionized entire industries. It's the diversity of those people and their ideas that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do, from amazing technology to industry-leading environmental efforts. Join Apple, and help us leave the world better than we found it. We operate in a startup-like environment within Apple's Worldwide Sales organization, where Data Solutions & Initiatives (DSI) drives innovation through product design, engineering, and portfolio management for our internal Apple customers. We move quickly, experiment boldly, and expect our team members to take full ownership of what they deliver. We are seeking an experienced Software Engineering Manager to lead a high-performing, full-stack engineering team building the internal platforms, data systems, and increasingly AI-driven applications that power critical business decisions across Apple's global sales organization. In this senior leadership role, you will establish operational objectives, drive technical strategy, and deliver high-quality, scalable solutions across a complex and fast-moving environment. You will manage a blended team of full-time engineers and variable workforce — including tech leads who provide functional oversight within their areas — while regularly engaging with senior and executive leadership across multiple functional areas. Your decisions will directly shape the pace and direction of our technology roadmap, and your ability to influence across teams and organizations will be as important as your technical depth.

Requirements

8+ years of professional software engineering experience, with hands-on expertise across full-stack development (frontend, backend, and data layers)
4+ years of engineering management experience, with demonstrated success leading and growing teams of 8 or more engineers across multiple workstreams or functional areas
Track record of leading your team's adoption of AI-assisted development practices — setting clear standards for when and how to leverage AI effectively while maintaining engineering rigor
Experience owning and managing team budgets, headcount plans, and resource allocation across both FTE and variable/contractor workforce
Proven track record of establishing operational objectives, setting performance expectations, and holding teams accountable to schedules and quality standards
Deep, practical knowledge of distributed systems design, RESTful APIs, and service-oriented architectures
Experience with relational and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL or equivalent)
Strong proficiency in at least two modern programming languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Go or equivalent)
Track record of delivering high-quality software in an agile environment using CI/CD, automated testing, and source code management best practices
Demonstrated ability to engage regularly with senior and executive leadership — translating technical strategy into business impact and navigating sensitive cross-functional situations with diplomacy and poise
Experience collaborating with multi-functional teams across product, design, data, and business stakeholders
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience

Nice To Haves

Experience building or managing internal tooling, business platforms, or enterprise-grade applications at scale
Familiarity with cloud-native architecture and modern infrastructure practices (e.g., Kubernetes, containerization, observability stacks, cloud platforms)
Background in data engineering or managing teams building data pipelines, analytics platforms, or reporting infrastructure
Experience working in a high-growth or startup-like environment within a large enterprise organization
Experience building or integrating AI/ML-powered features into production applications (e.g., predictive analytics, intelligent automation, LLM-based tooling)
Track record of leading platform modernization efforts — such as service migrations, API standardization, or developer experience improvements
Experience developing or influencing engineering policies and operational standards with broad organizational impact
Demonstrated ability to influence technical direction and build alignment across peer engineering teams and divisions without formal authority
Passion for building inclusive engineering culture, cultivating psychological safety, and investing in the development of every team member

Responsibilities

Establish operational objectives, work plans, and delivery milestones across multiple engineering sections; delegate execution to tech leads and senior engineers while maintaining full accountability for outcomes
Define and implement engineering policies, standards, and practices that govern your teams and may have broader effect across related organizations
Drive end-to-end technical strategy and execution across multiple concurrent initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and long-term platform goals
Own and manage headcount, budget, and resource plans across your team — including both FTE and variable workforce engagements — ensuring adherence to schedules, cost, and performance requirements
Conduct and contribute to architecture and design reviews, setting the technical bar for quality, scalability, observability, and security
Regularly engage with senior management and executive stakeholders across multiple functional areas and divisions — communicating progress, risks, and strategic direction with clarity and confidence
Navigate complex cross-functional situations with the ability to change perspectives and gain alignment without damaging relationships
Actively recruit, hire, mentor, and grow engineers at all levels — building a culture of ownership, curiosity, and inclusion
Collaborate cross-functionally with product, design, data science, and business stakeholders to translate requirements into robust engineering plans
Champion engineering best practices including CI/CD, test automation, code review standards, and operational readiness
Evaluate and integrate AI-powered tools and approaches to accelerate developer productivity, improve code quality, and enhance the platforms your teams deliver
Partner with peer engineering managers and senior leadership to align technical investments, manage dependencies, and drive platform-wide consistency