Senior Engagement Manager - Forward Deployed Eng

Databricks is the Data and AI company. Over 20,000 organizations worldwide—including 70% of the Fortune 100—rely on the Databricks Data + AI Platform to build and scale data and AI applications, analytics, and autonomous agents.

As a Senior Engagement Manager, you will deliver measurable business impact for Databricks’ Public Sector customers, operating with high autonomy within the Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) organization. In this high-stakes, cleared leadership role, you will own and independently scope multi-quarter, highly complex technical initiatives with no clear precedent. You will lead the sales and delivery of complex Professional Services & Training (PS&T) offerings, partner with senior government and agency stakeholders, drive team-level consumption and booking targets, and shape overall account strategy across complex regulatory environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Public Sector Program Delivery: Own, scope, and execute multi-quarter, highly complex technical engagements for Public Sector accounts, navigating regulatory, security, and market-specific requirements.
• Regional & Business Unit Leadership: Drive operational excellence at the Business Unit/Regional level, directly contributing to regional booking targets, consumption milestones, and platform adoption goals.
• Sales Strategy & PS&T Scoping: Shape strategic account plans in partnership with Sales leadership, scoping custom Professional Services & Training (PS&T) proposals aligned to client mission outcomes.
• Strategic Stakeholder Relationships: Establish and maintain trusted-advisor relationships with senior executive, IT, and agency leadership across multi-agency or multi-departmental initiatives.
• Team Mentorship & Hiring: Coach and mentor junior Engagement Managers across the Forward Deployed Engineering organization, participate in candidate interviewing, and help attract top-tier technical talent.
• Product & Architecture Feedback: Translate complex customer requirements and field execution learnings into strategic product feedback for Databricks engineering and leadership teams.

Requirements

Leadership & Professional Services Depth

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in Professional Services, technical engagement management, or IT consulting organizations.
• Active High-Level Clearance: Must hold an active U.S. high-level security clearance (e.g., Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI).
• Public Sector Expertise: Expert-level understanding of scoping, negotiating, and delivering complex Professional Services & Training (PS&T) offerings in high-security, regulated government environments.
• Databricks Ecosystem Knowledge: Strong architectural understanding of the Databricks Data + AI Platform, Apache Spark, Lakehouse patterns, and cloud data ecosystems.
• Thought Leadership: Demonstrated industry thought leadership with a track record of driving strategic account transformations without established precedent.
• Mentorship & Talent Acquisition: Proven ability to mentor peers, lead cross-functional delivery teams, and participate actively in technical hiring processes.
• Travel Logistics: Ability and willingness to travel between 25% and 50% as required by client missions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working within Forward Deployed Engineering, cloud platform professional services, or defense/intelligence contractor environments.
• Active technical certifications on the Databricks platform or public cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Experience managing multi-million-dollar government delivery budgets and complex statement-of-work (SOW) negotiations.

Total Rewards & Benefits

• Compensation & Equity: Zone 2 pay range of $130,300 – $179,200 USD (On-Target Earnings) + annual performance bonus eligibility + Databricks equity grants.
• Healthcare & Wellbeing: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage for employees and eligible dependents.
• Financial & Retirement: 401(k) plan options, life/disability coverage, and employee wellness stipends.
• Time Off & Flexibility: Flexible PTO, paid company holidays, paid sick leave, and parental leave.