Engineering Manager - Data Platform & Architecture

Xero; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Xero is seeking an Engineering Manager - Data to lead the Dataverse team building core models on our data platform. You will balance strategic leadership with hands-on delivery, shaping platform architecture while ensuring delivery, stability, and quality standards.

You will coach senior engineers, drive DataOps practices, and partner with product, platform, and security to deliver scalable data products that solve real customer problems.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering data platform solutions and data modelling capabilities.
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (AWS, Snowflake) and understanding of real-time streaming.
• Leadership style balancing delivery focus with hands-on architectural guidance.
• Proven coaching of senior engineers and support for career progression.
• Experience managing platform health and defining service level objectives.

Responsibilities

• Design and build core models on the data platform using AWS and Snowflake.
• Streamline real-time data flows and streaming architecture across platform services.
• Lead delivery for complex data platform initiatives while managing dependencies and risks.
• Coach senior engineers, raise engineering standards, and promote DataOps practices.

Skills

Data platform delivery

Data engineering

Data modelling

Leadership

Coaching senior engineers

Cross-team collaboration

Streaming architectures

Tools

AWS

Snowflake

Job description

The role / impact

As our 'Engineering Manager - Data', you will lead the engineering team responsible for creating and maintaining core models on our data platform. In this role, you will balance strategic leadership with technical delivery, shaping platform architecture while staying close enough to execution to ensure delivery, stability, and quality standards are met.

The role / impact

As our 'Engineering Manager - Data', you will lead the engineering team responsible for creating and maintaining core models on our data platform. In this role, you will balance strategic leadership with technical delivery, shaping platform architecture while staying close enough to execution to ensure delivery, stability, and quality standards are met.

You will empower and grow senior engineering talent, establish operational standards, and manage risk and dependencies across key quarterly initiatives. Partnering closely with product, platform, and security teams, you will ensure high-quality, scalable data products are delivered to solve meaningful customer problems.

The Team & How They Connect

The 'Dataverse' team consists of nine engineers located across Australia, New Zealand, and Canada who build and maintain the core models in our data platform. Working across remote locations, the team collaborates closely to manage cross-team dependencies and maintain continuous alignment. They foster an environment grounded in knowledge sharing, constructive feedback, and empathy for stakeholders.

Initially, the role may focus

• Designing and building core models on the data platform using AWS and Snowflake infrastructure.
• Streamlining real-time data flows and streaming architecture across platform services.
• Leading delivery execution for complex data platform initiatives while managing dependencies and risks.
• Coaching senior engineers, elevating engineering standards, and supporting team adoption of DataOps practices.

Where And How You Can Work

This role offers flexible hybrid working arrangements based out of our Sydney or Melbourne offices. You can balance remote work with designated office boost days to connect, whiteboard, and collaborate in person with your team.

Here are some of the things we're looking for, for this role

• A background in data platform delivery alongside data engineering expertise and data modelling capability.
• Practical familiarity with cloud infrastructure like AWS and Snowflake, along with an understanding of real-time streaming technologies and data flows.
• Your leadership style combines delivery focus with the technical breadth required to guide architectural decisions and step in hands-on when required.
• Proven capability in coaching senior engineers, setting clear expectations, and supporting individual career progression.
• Demonstrated proficiency managing platform health, establishing Service Level Objectives, and leading operational performance.
• Strong collaborative skills to build trusted relationships across product, platform, and security teams.