Senior Engineering Manager, Ad Performance Recommendation

Smartly; Helsinki; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Ownership culture

Industry collaboration

Professional development

Wellbeing & balance

Equity & grants

Hybrid / travel option

Job summary

Smartly is seeking a Senior Engineering Manager to lead the Ad Performance Recommendation team within the AI Platform organization, guiding Data Scientists, ML Engineers, and Software Engineers to accelerate AI adoption across Smartly’s product suite. You will define vision and strategy for ML applications, drive execution, ensure privacy and security, and mentor engineers.

This role offers a collaborative environment and opportunities to influence cutting-edge advertising technology.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience building services and products.
• 5+ years applying machine learning to real-life problems.
• 3+ years leading teams.
• Excellent communication in English.
• MSc or PhD in a relevant field.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Ad Performance Recommendation team with technical direction and strategy.
• Drive development of ML models and production-ready AI capabilities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to deliver AI-driven features.
• Ensure privacy, security, and ethical AI standards.
• Mentor team members and drive career development.
• Partner with recruiting to scale the team.
• Shape Smartly's long-term AI strategy and architecture.

Skills

Machine learning

Leadership

Mentoring

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Python

SQL

Education

MSc or PhD in a relevant field (Math, CS, AI, Physics)

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Python

SQL

Git

Job description

Senior Engineering Manager, Ad Performance Recommendation

We are seeking a Senior Engineering Manager to join our 200+ product development organization and lead our Ad Performance Recommendation team. The team is responsible for developing an innovative AI-powered system that leverages marketing ad tech data and various data sources to identify performance signals and generate actionable recommendations for digital advertisers and marketers.

As part of the AI Platform organization, you will lead a multidisciplinary team of Data Scientists, ML Engineers, and Software Engineers working to accelerate AI adoption and development across Smartly’s Media, Creative, and Intelligence suite. The team ensures compliance with privacy, security, and ethical guidelines.

This is an opportunity to define the vision and strategy for ML and Data Science applications, drive execution on ambitious goals, and champion AI and ML excellence throughout Smartly.

Smartly is proud to be ranked as a leader in The Forrester Wave™ for Creative AdTech. This recognition reflects our commitment to transforming ad experiences through intelligent creativity, standing as the only platform honored by both Forrester and validated by PwC to be recognized for ad technology to power performance.

To get an idea of some of the work we do, see for example these blog posts:

• Lead and grow the Ad Performance Recommendation team, providing technical direction, strategic vision, and hands‑on leadership.
• Drive the development of AdTech‑specific ML models foundational AI capabilities (e.g. predictive and simulation techniques) and explore novel approaches that can be applied across Smartly’s products. Optimize existing models for performance, efficiency, and scalability.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with other teams to ensure AI‑driven features deliver measurable business and customer impact.
• Ensure compliance with privacy, security, and ethical AI standards in ML applications.
• Foster a strong engineering culture focused on innovation, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Mentor team members through coaching, 1:1s, and career development plans.
• Remove obstacles to enable your team to thrive and deliver exceptional results.
• Partner with recruiting to help scale the team by actively sourcing and closing the best talent.
• Partner with other leaders in the AI Platform to shape Smartly’s long‑term AI strategy and architecture.

Here’s What We’re Looking For…

• 7+ years of experience in building services and products.
• 5+ years of experience in applying machine learning to real‑life problems.
• 3+ years of experience in leading teams.
• Competent with key technologies in ML; PyTorch, TensorFlow, Python, SQL.
• Able to mentor, coach, and develop data scientists and machine learning engineers
• Proven experience in delivering scalable ML systems in production. You will need to be hands‑on when coaching the team members to new technical and professional heights, which can involve code reviews, pair programming, etc.
• A pragmatic mindset. We always aim to create value to our customers. We’re also working on production systems and our customers’ business depends on it.
• Curiosity and the drive to continuously learn through study and experimentation on the job.
• Ability to drive both technical excellence and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Understanding of security and compliance requirements when working with personal data.
• M.Sc. or Ph.D. in a relevant field (Mathematics, CS, AI, Physics, …).
• Excellent communication skills, written and spoken English
• Ability to work 3 days / week at our office

What we offer you…

• Ownership Culture: Make a significant impact on our products with autonomy and ownership.
• Industry Collaboration: Collaborate with leading online marketers and platforms like Meta, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok, and Google.
• Professional Development: Access opportunities for growth through mentorship, training, and resources to enhance your skills.
• Wellbeing Focus: Prioritize your health with comprehensive healthcare packages and mental health services, plus a healthy work‑life balance.
• Total Rewards: Everyone at Smartly is an owner with our equity options program and performance‑based grants. We recognize success with compensation, benefits, and career development opportunities.
• We work in a flexible hybrid work model, including the option to work abroad for up to 30 days.

Smartly is committed to being the best place to work for growth‑minded individuals to thrive - explore more in our Culture Handbook !

What to Expect from Our Recruitment Experience:

• Meet your Recruiter: Get to know each other and learn about working at Smartly.
• Meet the Team Manager: Gain deeper insights into your future team.
• Meet the Team in Subject Matter Interviews: Engage in a case study and showcase your domain knowledge.
• Meet the Leadership in a Final Meeting: A brief discussion with our Chief Technical Officer.

About Smartly

Smartly is the AI-powered advertising technology company transforming ad experiences for brands and their consumers. Our comprehensive advertising platform seamlessly integrates the capabilities of media, creative, and intelligence to power more than 800 billion impressions and generate more than 300 billion creatives annually, delivering tangible business outcomes for brands and advertisers.

Smartly is the only company in the industry recognized as a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Creative Advertising Technologies with PwC validating the results it delivers for brands. We manage creative and media for 700+ brands worldwide and $6B in ad spend across the largest media platforms, including Facebook, Google, Instagram, Pinterest, Snap, and TikTok. Our end‑to‑end technology, unmatched access to media platforms and exceptional customer service help Fortune 500 brands to reach and engage consumers and learn what performs best.Smartly is a multinational and diverse team of 750+ Smartlies from 60+ nationalities, working in 13 countries. Together, we want to create and maintain an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and heard. Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion approach is at the heart of it.