Lead Field Technical Program Manager, Forward Deployed Engineering - Retail, Consumer Goods, Travel, Transportation, & Hospitality

Databricks Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Equity

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Databricks Inc. seeks a senior, forward-deployed technical program manager to lead complex, customer-facing engineering programs that deliver data and AI platform outcomes for major industries.

The role emphasizes de-risking implementations, guiding architectural decisions, and protecting customer success across high-visibility engagements. It blends strategic influence, technical judgment, and customer relationship leadership rather than hands-on coding, with multi-zone US base salary ranges

Qualifications

• Demonstrated technical acumen and the ability to make sound technology decisions without being a hands-on coder.
• Track record of managing large, complex engagements, including navigating trade-offs between scope, budget, and timeline.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills with experience influencing technical teams and tailoring messages to diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with BI, data management, and big data technologies.
• Proven ability to juggle multiple engagements while sustaining high customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end delivery of the most complex customer engagements, providing technical leadership and steering implementation teams toward successful outcomes.
• Guide teams through critical architectural decisions, weighing established patterns against innovative approaches and articulating trade-offs clearly.
• Proactively surface and mitigate technical risks, dependencies, and resource constraints that could threaten timelines or scope.
• Produce polished deliverables such as program plans, status reports, and customer-facing responses that require minimal rework.
• Manage scope, schedule, budget, risk, and resources across multiple concurrent programs with a strong emphasis on technical complexity.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for customer delivery issues, partnering with internal groups to drive rapid resolution.
• Build credibility with engineers and executives by facilitating focused, goal-oriented discussions.

Job description

Role overview

Lead complex, customer-facing engineering programs that deliver data and AI platform outcomes for organizations in retail, consumer goods, travel, transportation, and hospitality. This is a senior, forward-deployed technical program management role focused on de-risking implementations, guiding architectural decisions, and protecting customer success across high-visibility engagements. The position blends strategic influence, technical judgment, and customer relationship leadership rather than hands-on coding.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end delivery of the most complex customer engagements, providing technical leadership and steering implementation teams toward successful outcomes.
• Guide teams through critical architectural decisions, weighing established patterns against innovative approaches and articulating trade-offs clearly.
• Proactively surface and mitigate technical risks, dependencies, and resource constraints that could threaten timelines or scope.
• Produce polished deliverables such as program plans, status reports, and customer-facing responses that require minimal rework.
• Manage scope, schedule, budget, risk, and resources across multiple concurrent programs with a strong emphasis on technical complexity.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for customer delivery issues, partnering with internal groups to drive rapid resolution.
• Build credibility with engineers and executives by facilitating focused, goal-oriented discussions.

Requirements

• Demonstrated technical acumen and the ability to make sound technology decisions without being a hands-on coder.
• Track record of managing large, complex engagements, including navigating trade-offs between scope, budget, and timeline.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills with experience influencing technical teams and tailoring messages to diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with BI, data management, and big data technologies.
• Proven ability to juggle multiple engagements while sustaining high customer satisfaction.

Benefits and work setup

• Multi-zone US base salary ranges are published for the role, with additional eligibility for performance bonus and equity.
• Comprehensive benefits package is offered, with specifics varying by region.