Sr Manager, Data Engineering

The Walt Disney Company•Lake Buena Vista, FL

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Disney Decision Science and Integration (DDSI) team leverages advanced technologies, data analytics, and scientific approaches to build innovative tools that shape business decisions across The Walt Disney Company, supporting Disney Entertainment, ESPN, Disney Experiences, and Corporate Finance. The Data Engineering team within DDSI leads the acquisition and processing of all data needed for projects. The Senior Manager, Data Engineering role is responsible for managing a team that conducts research, development, and delivery of advanced analytic data solutions, with a strong emphasis on leveraging Generative AI (GenAI). The team's activities include data acquisition and validation, designing and implementing ETL/ELT data pipelines, designing databases and knowledge graphs, integrating with enterprise data platforms, and performing ad-hoc analytics. The Senior Manager will also drive GenAI adoption and the use of advanced tools and updated processes within the DDSI Data Engineering organization, ensuring the team efficiently utilizes GenAI development tools to design, build, and operate intelligent agentic systems for large-scale, data-intensive applications. This role involves partnering with business and technology leaders to understand business scope and data across the Disney company to create a strategic roadmap for development. Additional responsibilities include estimating and managing work assignments, ensuring design consistency, removing roadblocks, making hiring decisions, establishing career goals, providing performance evaluations, and ensuring proper team staffing and skill alignment.

Requirements

10+ years experience in technology roles, preferably in data engineering, software engineering, and/or architecture.
3+ years prior experience in a technology management capacity.
Ability to identify, evaluate, and implement new technology platforms, tools and solutions to meet upcoming business needs.
Experience leveraging generative AI tools for efficient development and deployment of data solutions.
Understanding of Generative AI tools and concepts such as LLMs, RAG, Knowledge Graphs and Agents.
Proven experience defining and leading strategic initiatives.
Ability to bridge the business and technical world, and demonstrate business and domain knowledge.
Experience establishing and leading large teams.
Ability to drive comprehensive solutions from scoping through implementation, meet deadlines, and balance multiple priorities.
Prior focus on designing and developing reusable tools to benefit projects across the department.
Demonstrated ability to communicate at all levels and influence up to executives.
Experience managing large data platforms, supporting one or multiple applications.
Experience with both structured and unstructured data.
Experience leading efforts in designing, building and maintaining ETL/ELT data pipelines.
Strong understanding of relational database design and proficiency utilizing tools such as PostgreSQL, Snowflake, Aurora or similar.
Deep understanding in the differences and uses between application databases, data warehouses, and data lakes.
Broad experience across technologies and tools related to data, applications, infrastructure, and architecture.
Experience with modern cloud-based tools, both licensed and open-source, preferably AWS.
Experience managing and deploying code using a source control product such as GitLab/GitHub.
Experience leveraging containerization technologies such as Docker or Kubernetes.
Passion for driving standards, processes, and consistency.
Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, Software, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or comparable field of study and/or equivalent work experience.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience using GenAI models and related tools.
Experience building agents and creating agentic orchestration.
Prior experience with Theme Park, Hospitality, or Entertainment industries.
Prior experience in a DBA capacity and with performance tuning.
Knowledgeable with Architecture Principles and Design.
Experience leveraging Snowflake in an OLTP and OLAP capacity.
Multiple years of experience with Python and SQL.
Familiarity with data streaming and batch data processing.
Knowledgeable knowing how to leverage job scheduling software like Apache Airflow.
Master's degree.

Responsibilities

Managing a team that does research, development, and delivery related to advanced analytic data solutions, leveraging GenAI.
Helping to drive the DDSI Data Engineering organization forward with generative AI adoption and advanced tools, as well as updated processes.
Designing, building, and operating intelligent agentic systems that power largescale, data intensive applications.
Partnering with business and technology leaders to understand the business scope and data from across the Disney company in order to create a strategic roadmap for development.
Estimating and managing work assignments across the team.
Ensuring consistency of design patterns/principles across the portfolio of projects.
Working to remove technical, business and organizational roadblocks for the team.
Hiring decisions.
Establishing career goals for cast.
Providing performance evaluations.
Ensuring the team is staffed properly and has the right skills necessary for the job.