Director of Engineering - Data Platforms

Vizient; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 135,000 - 237,000; Full time

Job summary

Vizient, based in the Chicago area, seeks a senior leader to define and drive the enterprise data platform strategy across Azure Databricks and related technologies. You will lead platform engineering and administration teams to deliver scalable, secure data services and drive platform governance, incident management, and cost optimization.

The role focuses on platform-as-a-product practices, modernization of data platforms, and collaboration with governance, IAM, and enterprise architecture

Qualifications

• Experience defining and executing enterprise data platform strategies.
• Proven leadership of platform engineering teams.
• Strong Azure data technology expertise.
• Ability to establish Platform-as-a-Product practices.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute enterprise data platform strategy, architecture, and roadmaps.
• Lead platform engineering and administration teams to deliver reliable data services.
• Drive Azure Databricks platform engineering including Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, MLflow.
• Establish platform governance, security, data lineage, and compliance.
• Enable analytics, data products, ML and AI capabilities.
• Manage budgets, vendor relationships, FinOps.
• Mentor engineering leaders and teams.
• Establish SLAs and operational metrics.

Skills

Azure Databricks

SQL Server

Cloud architecture

Platform as Product

CI/CD

Tools

Unity Catalog

Delta Lake

MLflow

Job description

When you’re the best, we’re the best. We instill an environment where employees feel engaged, satisfied and able to contribute their unique skills and talents while living and working as their authentic selves. We provide extensive opportunities for personal and professional development, building both employee competence and organizational capability to fuel exceptional performance through an inclusive environment both now and in the future.

Responsibilities:

Required Responsibilities:

• Define and execute enterprise data platform strategy, architecture, and multi-year roadmaps with a focus on Azure Databricks, Microsoft SQL Server, and related Azure data technologies.
• Lead platform engineering and administration teams to deliver reliable, secure, scalable, observable, and high-performing enterprise data services.
• Drive Azure Databricks platform engineering, including platform architecture, administration, Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, MLflow, access controls, workload management, automation, observability, performance, and cost optimization.
• Establish Platform-as-a-Product practices, reusable engineering patterns, Infrastructure-as-Code, CI/CD automation, and self-service capabilities that improve engineering productivity and platform adoption.
• Lead modernization of enterprise data platforms and migration of appropriate workloads to Azure and Lakehouse architectures while strengthening resilience, disaster recovery, and operational readiness.
• Establish platform governance, security, data classification, lineage, auditing, access management, and compliance controls in collaboration with Data Governance, Security, IAM, and Enterprise Architecture teams.
• Enable scalable platform capabilities for analytics, data products, machine learning, AI, and operational reporting.
• Establish service-level objectives, operational metrics, monitoring, incident management, capacity planning, and continuous improvement practices.
• Manage platform investments, budgets, capacity forecasts, vendor relationships, licensing, and FinOps practices to optimize technology consumption and operational costs.
• Develop and mentor engineering leaders and technical teams while fostering collaboration, automation, innovation, and operational excellence.

Preferred Responsibilities:

• Lead evaluation and adoption of emerging data, AI, and cloud technologies through proofs of concept and strategic platform investments.
• Advance platform standardization and consolidation opportunities that reduce technical complexity and improve scalability.
• Partner with Data Engineering and Data Science teams to accelerate delivery of enterprise data products, machine learning, and AI capabilities.

Estimated Hiring Range:

At Vizient, we consider skills, experience, and organizational needs in our compensation approach. Geographic factors may adjust the range estimate and hires typically fall below the top range. Compensation decisions are tailored to individual circumstances. The current salary range for this role is $135,200.00 to $236,600.00.

This position is also incentive eligible.

Vizient has a comprehensive benefits plan! Please view our benefits here: http://www.vizientinc.com/about-us/careers

Equal Opportunity Employer: Females/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The Company is committed to equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, gender identity, ethnicity, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status or any other category protected by applicable law.