Senior Data Operations Engineer

JOB SUMMARY: The Senior Data Operations Engineer oversees the design and architecture of operational processes within the data operations team. This role focuses on establishing, documenting, and auditing best practices, ensuring the day-to-day operations team has the guidelines and tools to execute efficiently. The Senior Data Operations Engineer leads operational governance, ensuring adherence to security frameworks, access control, and compliance requirements.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the design and implementation of operational workflows, ensuring they are secure, efficient, and aligned with organizational standards.
• Define best practices for data operations, ensuring compliance with established security frameworks and access controls.
• Regularly audit operational processes to ensure policy adherence and identify areas for improvement.
• Provide operational oversight during platform implementations and upgrades, ensuring all operational aspects are accounted for, including monitoring, access, and process automation.
• Collaborate with platform engineers to ensure the operational readiness of new systems, focusing on administration and maintenance perspectives.
• Establish guidelines for monitoring data platforms and pipelines, ensuring consistent oversight of system health.
• Serve as an escalation point for critical operational issues, working closely with the operations manager and engineers to resolve issues according to established protocols.
• Ensure operational processes align with security policies and compliance requirements, including SOX and ITGCs.
• Collaborate with security and compliance teams to audit processes, ensuring security and data privacy measures are operationally embedded.
• Oversee the user access control framework, ensuring proper segregation of duties and regular reviews.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation of all operational procedures, including security measures, compliance checks, and access control protocols.
• Regularly audit and update these procedures to reflect new best practices, evolving technologies, or compliance requirements.
• Collaborate closely with the Operations Manager to ensure the operations team follows the defined best practices.
• Work with peers and EDM leadership to develop consistent, organization-wide operational strategies.
• Provide input during process design and critical production issue reviews to ensure operational standards are met.
• Lead initiatives to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of data operations, with a focus on process automation, platform monitoring, and operational performance metrics.
• Ensure the team follows established guidelines and participates in continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational reliability.
• Perform other job-related functions as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

DEGREE TYPE: Bachelor's Degree

FIELD(S) OF STUDY: Information Technology, Computer Science, Data Management, or related field

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in systems operations, architecture, or related roles.
• Proven experience in designing and architecting operational processes and systems.
• Strong background in managing data platforms such as SQL Server, Oracle, Snowflake, etc.
• Proven experience in establishing and enforcing best practices related to data operations, security, and compliance practices.
• Experience collaborating with data security, compliance, and governance teams to ensure that operational processes meet legal and regulatory requirements.

COMPETENCIES/SKILLS:

• Excellent understanding of data operations best practices, standards, and methodologies.
• Strong ability to design, document, and monitor operational architectures and processes.
• Understanding of data privacy regulations and ability to support compliance efforts in collaboration with relevant teams.
• Familiarity with data integration and data warehouse environments.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, especially in critical situations.
• Leadership and mentoring abilities with experience guiding technical teams.
• Effective communication skills to articulate complex concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with other EDM Ops leaders and engineers.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices and tools, including CI/CD pipelines and version control systems.
• Involvement in large-scale platform implementations and upgrades.
• Knowledge of data security, compliance regulations, and data governance principles.
• Ability to build consensus and drive initiatives across teams.
• Proactive mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.

CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSES:

• Relevant certifications such as ITIL Expert, TOGAF Certified, Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), or similar are a plus.