Data Engineering Manager

Purple Wave is seeking an experienced and motivated Data Engineer Manager to lead and mentor a team of data engineers while driving the development and optimization of our modern data stack. This remote-work eligible position requires both technical expertise and leadership abilities to ensure the successful execution of data engineering projects that support business intelligence, analytics, and decision-making.

The Data Engineer Manager will oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of data pipelines, infrastructure, and analytics solutions. This role involves working closely with cross-functional teams, ensuring data integrity, optimizing data processes, and mentoring team members. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of data engineering principles and experience managing a team of technical professionals.

Responsibilities:

• Leadership: lead and manage a team of data engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement through strategy, priorities and feedback.
• Collaborate: collaborate with data engineers, stakeholders and other data teams to create and refine data models.
• Team Building: Oversee hiring, training, and development initiatives within the data engineering team.
• Data Governance: Establish and enforce data governance policies, ensuring data quality, consistency, and security.
• Data Pipelines: Oversee the design, development, and maintenance of efficient and scalable data pipelines.
• Define and prioritize data engineering projects, aligning with business goals and analytics needs.
• Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and career development support for the data engineering team.
• Ensure best practices are followed in data engineering, security, and governance.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide feedback to team members.
• Ensure seamless integration of data from various sources (CRM, marketing, operational systems) into the centralized data warehouse.
• Optimize and enhance data infrastructure for improved performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency.
• Review and optimize SQL queries and database performance to ensure efficient data retrieval.
• Help form and oversee our data governance initiative for the data engineering context.
• Partner with IT, product, and analytics teams to drive data-driven decision-making across the organization.
• Stay updated with emerging trends and technologies in data engineering to drive innovation.
• Undertake additional assigned duties as requested.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• The Data engineering team directly reports to the Data Engineering Manager.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 5 years of experience in data engineering, including SQL, data pipelines, and ETL processes.
• 2 years of managerial experience leading data engineering or analytics teams.
• Expertise in relational databases, SQL performance optimization, and data warehousing solutions.
• Strong understanding of data modeling, data integration, and governance best practices.
• Hands-on experience with cloud-based data technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP, or similar).
• Proficiency in at least one programming language commonly used in data engineering (Python preferred).
• Experience with Tableau or other data visualization tools is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a passion for leveraging data to drive business outcomes.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, balancing multiple priorities.
• Spanish speaking bi-lingual candidates are encouraged to apply.
• Candidates may be requested to complete position specific skills assessments.
• Applicants must be either a U.S. Citizen or eligible to work in the U.S.
• Requires the ability to satisfactorily complete a background check.

Working Settings:

• Full-time Salaried Exempt, not eligible for overtime.
• Office hours are 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday, Central Time zone, additional hours may be required depending on priorities.
• This position is remote work eligible within the United States. Please note: the first week of employment training is required to be in the Manhattan, KS headquarters.
• Minimal travel required up to 5% of the time.
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Compensation:

• The salary varies based on experience and qualifications, but typically ranges from $100,000 to $130,000 per year.
• Monthly Bonus Program - determined by the Company’s monthly revenue result and are paid on a “percent to plan” payout formula (90% = $300, 100% = $600, 110% = $900, 120% = $1,200).
• Health, Dental, and Vision starting the first of the month after 60 days of employment.
• 401(k) plan with an employer match up to 4% starting the first day of employment.
• Company-paid Life Insurance benefit of $25,000 with options to add more through employee contribution starting the first of the month after 60 days of employment.
• Personal Time Off (PTO) annual amount of 120 hours which is prorated based on the number of days between the 60th day of employment and the end of the calendar year.  May vary to comply with state requirements.
• Eligible to participate in the Company Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) after 90 days of employment, with enrollment opportunities each May and November.

Salary : $100,000 - $130,000