Manager, Software Engineering - AI and Data Platform

Blackbaud; United States; Remote; USD 134,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Remote‑flexible workforce

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off

Job summary

Blackbaud is seeking an Engineering Manager, Data & AI Platform to lead teams delivering a scalable, secure enterprise data and AI platform powering analytics and ML across the nonprofit sector.

You will manage engineers across modern data infrastructure, drive strategy, and partner with Architecture, Governance, and Security to ensure trust and Responsible AI standards while aligning with cost and performance goals.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software, data, or platform engineering.
• 3+ years of experience managing and developing data engineering teams.
• Hands-on experience with modern data platforms, cloud data lakes/lakehouses, distributed processing, streaming, APIs
• Strong understanding of platform engineering principles and operating production systems at scale.
• Proven ability to lead through ambiguity and influence without authority.

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve core Data & AI platform capabilities, including ingestion, transformation, lakehouse architecture, feature services, and AI/ML enablement layers.
• Drive platform decisions aligned with Blackbaud’s Unified Data & AI Platform Strategy (modularity, interoperability, AI‑first design).
• Partner with Architecture, Governance, and Security to ensure the platform meets trust, compliance, and Responsible AI standards.
• Balance build vs. buy decisions, prioritizing core competencies while reducing operational complexity.
• Lead teams to deliver high‑impact platform initiatives aligned to AOP priorities (legacy modernization, cloud migration, cost optimization, agent enablement).
• Ensure platform reliability through operational excellence, including monitoring, incident management, and performance optimization.
• Establish clear roadmaps, milestones, and success metrics for platform initiatives.
• Hire, mentor, and grow high‑performing platform engineers across geographies.
• Provide regular feedback, coaching, and career development aligned with Blackbaud’s people strategy.
• Ensure every team member has clear goals, an active IDP, and opportunities to grow in modern Data & AI skills.
• Collaborate closely with Product, Data Science, Analytics, and Product Engineering teams to ensure the platform accelerates—not blocks—delivery.
• Influence standards and best practices across the Data Intelligence COE.

Skills

Software engineering

Data engineering

Platform engineering

.NET

Azure

Databricks

ADO

Tools

Azure

Databricks

.NET

ADO

Job description

Job Summary

The Engineering Manager, Data & AI Platform is responsible for leading teams that build, operate, and evolve Blackbaud’s enterprise Data & AI platform—the foundation that powers analytics, data products, machine learning, and agent‑based experiences across the company. This role blends people leadership, platform ownership, and technical strategy. You will manage engineers working across modern data and AI infrastructure (Lakehouse, pipelines, feature services, ML enablement, observability, and governance), while ensuring the platform is scalable, secure, cost‑efficient, and product‑oriented. Success in this role requires strong engineering judgment, the ability to operate in ambiguity, and a passion for building platforms that accelerate teams and unlock business outcomes for the nonprofit sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and evolve core Data & AI platform capabilities, including ingestion, transformation, lakehouse architecture, feature services, and AI/ML enablement layers.


• Drive platform decisions aligned with Blackbaud’s Unified Data & AI Platform Strategy (modularity, interoperability, AI‑first design).


• Partner with Architecture, Governance, and Security to ensure the platform meets trust, compliance, and Responsible AI standards.


• Balance build vs. buy decisions, prioritizing core competencies while reducing operational complexity.


• Lead teams to deliver high‑impact platform initiatives aligned to AOP priorities (legacy modernization, cloud migration, cost optimization, agent enablement).


• Ensure platform reliability through operational excellence, including monitoring, incident management, and performance optimization.


• Establish clear roadmaps, milestones, and success metrics for platform initiatives.


• Hire, mentor, and grow high‑performing platform engineers across geographies.


• Provide regular feedback, coaching, and career development aligned with Blackbaud’s people strategy.


• Ensure every team member has clear goals, an active IDP, and opportunities to grow in modern Data & AI skills.


• Collaborate closely with Product, Data Science, Analytics, and Product Engineering teams to ensure the platform accelerates—not blocks—delivery.


• Influence standards and best practices across the Data Intelligence COE.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software, data, or platform engineering (.NET, Azure, Databricks, ADO preferred)


• 3+ years of experience managing and developing data engineering teams.


• Hands‑on experience with modern data platforms, cloud data lakes/lakehouses, distributed processing, streaming, APIs


• Strong understanding of platform engineering principles and operating production systems at scale.


• Proven ability to lead through ambiguity and influence without authority.

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Salary

The starting base pay is $133,700.00 to $173,800.00. Blackbaud may pay more or less based on employee qualifications, market value, Company finances, and other operational considerations.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance


• Remote‑flexible workforce


• Wellness Programs


• 401(k) program with employer match


• Flexible paid time off


• Generous Parental Leave


• Donations for Doers


• Pet insurance, legal and identity protection


• Tuition reimbursement program

EEO & Diversity Statement

Blackbaud is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive work environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.

Company Overview

Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good. Serving the entire social good community—nonprofits, foundations, corporations, education institutions, healthcare institutions and individual change agents—Blackbaud connects and empowers organizations to increase their impact through software, services, expertise, and data intelligence. The Blackbaud portfolio is tailored to the unique needs of vertical markets, with solutions for fundraising and CRM, marketing, advocacy, peer‑to‑peer fundraising, corporate social responsibility, school management, ticketing, grantmaking, financial management, payment processing, and analytics. Serving the industry for more than three decades, Blackbaud is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina and has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.