Manager, Data Platform

Interfor Corporation; Peachtree City (GA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Short-Term Incentive Bonus

3 weeks vacation

401(k) matching

Employee Share Purchase Program

Extended Health & Dental

Job summary

Interfor Corporation is seeking a Manager, Data Platform, to lead operational improvements and enhance data capabilities. This technical leadership role encompasses oversight of database administration, platform engineering, and data engineering while ensuring the adoption of modern practices and team development.

The successful candidate should have significant experience in managing data platforms, coaching teams, and driving initiatives that enhance data platform reliability and performance.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in database administration, data engineering, or related roles.
• Strong expertise in SQL Server and cloud data platforms.
• 3+ years of technical team leadership experience required.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and coach the DBA team to set priorities.
• Ensure SQL platform reliability and perform operational oversight.
• Manage the evolution and adoption of modern data practices.

Skills

Database management

Microsoft SQL Server

Data engineering

Cloud platforms

Leadership

DevOps practices

Education

Post-secondary degree

Master’s degree

Tools

Azure SQL

Power BI

Microsoft Fabric

Job description

The Manager, Data Platformis a player-coach technical leader within Interfor’s Data & Analyticspractice, responsible for leading the team that operates and continuouslyimproves Interfor’s core data capabilities. Leading a team spanning databaseadministration, platform engineering, and data engineering, the Manager setstechnical direction, establishes operating standards, develops technicaltalent, and partners across IT, the business, and key vendors to delivertrusted enterprise data capabilities.

The role has three primaryobjectives:

• Ensure the reliability, scalability, and continuous improvement of Interfor’s enterprise data platform.
• Guide the evolution of Interfor’s data platform, including adoption of Microsoft Fabric and modern data platform capabilities.
• Build and develop a high-performing technical team.

In the first year, success includesimproved platform reliability, meaningful progress on Microsoft Fabricadoption, a strengthened technical team, and trusted enterprise data thatbusiness teams rely on.

The successful candidateremains technically credible through architecture direction, coaching, complexproblem-solving, and operational oversight. This is a leadership role thatworks primarily through a capable technical team, with senior staff leadingdetailed design and execution.

This role embodiesInterfor’s values through a safety-first, fact-based, and proactive approach todecision making; deep respect for people; and a personal commitment toownership, accountability, and operational excellence.

What We Offer

Interfor offers a competitive salary based on experience, skills, andqualifications, along with a comprehensive total rewards package. We’recommitted to creating careers where employees can contribute, grow, and thrive.In addition to base pay, you’ll enjoy:

• Short-Term Incentive Bonus
• 3 weeks vacation to start
• 401(k) matching
• Employee Share Purchase Program matching
• Extended Health & Dental

What You’ll Do

• DatabaseLeadership & Operational SQL
  • Lead, coach, and develop the DBA team, setting priorities and operating standards in partnership with senior technical staff.
  • Ensure SQL platform reliability across performance, security, patching, backup/recovery, HA/DR, release management, and on-call/incident response.
  • Lead SQL modernization planning, including evaluating and adopting Azure SQL and Azure SQL Managed Instance where appropriate.
• Provide technical leadership for the evolution of Interfor’s data platform, including Microsoft Fabric adoption, platform operations, and modern data engineering practices.
• Establish reusable standards for DevOps, automation, security, integration, testing, data quality, and platform operations.
• Coach data engineers in delivering trusted data products while supporting the evolution of Interfor’s enterprise data warehouse and lakehouse architecture.
• Data& Platform Management
  • Ensure platform services are governed, secured, and operated across business domains with clear ownership and strong access controls.
  • Manage platform cost, capacity, licensing, lifecycle, and technical debt across Azure, SQL Server, Power BI, and related services.
• Analytics& AI Enablement
  • Enable BI teams, data scientists, and citizen developers through governed data models, curated data products, and trusted single-source-of-truth reporting.
  • Support responsible AI adoption by helping ensure data foundations are secure, governed, well-documented, and AI-ready.
• PeopleLeadership & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Hire, onboard, coach, and develop a distributed technical team, setting clear expectations, supporting growth, and building strong team practices.
  • Lead key data platform initiatives, managing priorities, risks, dependencies, stakeholder alignment, and technical debt.
  • Partner across IT, business, vendors, and architecture to align roadmaps and delivery, with occasional U.S. and Canada travel to sites and vendors.

What You Offer

• Post-secondary degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Data & Analytics, or a closely related technical discipline is required.
• Master’s degree in a relevant technical, analytics, or business discipline is preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive experience across database administration, data engineering, data platform management, cloud data platforms, or related enterprise technology roles.
• 3+ years leading, supervising, or formally mentoring technical staff responsible for enterprise-scale data platforms, analytics platforms, or critical business systems; direct people-management experience preferred.
• Strong Microsoft SQL Server expertise, including administration, tuning, security, patching, backup/recovery, HA/DR, and production support.
• Experience with modern data platform practices, including Azure, cloud modernization, DevOps/CI/CD, automation, secure integration, monitoring, and cost management.
• Experience with enterprise data warehouse and lakehouse architecture, dimensional modeling, semantic models, data quality, and governed self-service reporting.
• Experience implementing Microsoft Fabric or comparable modern cloud data platforms (e.g., Azure Synapse, Databricks, Snowflake) is preferred.
• Relevant Microsoft, data engineering, architecture, governance, or project management certifications are assets.
• Experience in forestry, manufacturing, supply chain, or related asset-intensive industries is an asset.
• Technical leadership across platform strategy, standards,troubleshooting, and coaching, with sound judgment on when to lead throughthe team and when to engage directly.
• Strong SQL Server and data platform judgment, with a focus onreliability, performance, security, modernization, HA/DR, and businesscontinuity.
• Strong working knowledge of modern Microsoft data platforms, cloudtechnologies, DevOps practices, automation, monitoring, and dataengineering principles.
• Strong people leadership, with the ability to hire, coach, develop,retain, and hold technical talent accountable.
• Ability to translate business needs into platform priorities andclearly communicate trade-offs, risks, roadmaps, and service expectations.
• Manages the data platform as a product, balancing reliability, cost,adoption, and business value.

Who We Are

Interfor is one of theworld’s largest forest products companies, building value in everything we do,every day. Our Data & Analytics team is helping lead a company-widemodernization by building a trusted Microsoft data platform for reporting,analytics, automation, and AI. This is a rare opportunity to shape a modern platformwith real ownership and impact. Start Here. Go Far.

All applicants offered a position must successfully complete a pre-employment drug test and background check. Interfor is an Equal OpportunityEmployer building a capable, committed, diverse workforce. All qualifiedapplicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race,color, religion, sex, sexual identity, gender, national origin, protectedveteran status, or disability.