At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to tackle data and AI challenges using the Databricks platform.
- Company: Join Databricks, a leading Data and AI company trusted by top global brands.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive perks, including comprehensive benefits and a commitment to diversity.
- Other info: Embrace a culture of continuous learning and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while nurturing elite engineering talent in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: 8+ years of technical experience with leadership in data engineering or AI/ML.
The predicted salary is between 75600 - 92400 £ per year.
Location: London, United Kingdom - Hybrid
As a Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) Manager, you will lead a high-performing delivery team of 8+ Individual Contributors (ICs) to build and productionize solutions for customers' data and AI challenges using the Databricks platform. You are responsible for ensuring high-quality technical execution, driving professional services business outcomes, and nurturing elite engineering talent while remaining close to the technology and execution.
Scope of Impact & Leveling Criteria
- Oversees successful delivery at the delivery team and account level, driving Professional Services (PS) business outcomes through high-quality execution. Impact is measured by key metrics including Bookings, Revenue, Margin, CSAT, and Direct Consumption / Delta Cloud Consumption (DBUs).
- Typically manages an elite engineering team of 8+ Individual Contributors.
- Handles delivery across direct accounts and navigates technical and scoping alignment with Engagement Managers and client stakeholders.
- Focuses internally on building team capabilities and externally on account execution.
- Mandates high standards for Greenhouse scorecards and interview calibrations, ensuring clear pass/fail hiring signals.
Key Responsibilities & Core Behaviors
- Connect your team’s day-to-day work to real customer outcomes and business impact.
- Build excitement about Databricks by sharing customer wins and delivery successes, making each individual feel motivated and appreciated.
- Reinforce your team’s top delivery priorities.
- Help your team focus on high-impact technical work, redirecting effort away from low-value tasks and removing blockers that slow execution.
- Use delivery data and PS KPIs to confirm focus areas.
- Hire strong PS talent using structured interviews and practical delivery scenarios.
- Ensure team takes 2-4 protected hours a week for continuous technical learning and experimentation.
- Understand your team’s strengths and growth areas to provide regular coaching, and handle underperformance early with clear feedback and accountability.
- Remove delivery blockers quickly, using simple automation or AI assistants to accelerate routine work.
- Run consistent inspection rhythms (standups, project reviews, retrospectives) and hold teammates strictly accountable to timelines and quality bars.
- Translate Databricks’ Culture Principles into concrete day-to-day behaviors, ensuring standards are upheld in all customer interactions.
- Apply a builder and AI-first mindset to improve team productivity.
- Review delivery plans and architectures utilizing practical knowledge of the Databricks platform and cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP).
- Actively coach ICs on secure, scalable deployment patterns, governance, and production readiness.
What We Look For
- Experience: 8+ years of total technical experience with 2+ years of experience managing, leading, or mentoring high-caliber technical teams in data engineering, data platforms, software engineering, or AI/ML.
- Technical Depth: Strong technical background capable of evaluating architectures spanning distributed computing (Apache Spark™), Python/Scala, modern cloud ecosystems (AWS, Azure, GCP), CI/CD, and MLOps/GenAI frameworks.
- Leadership Skills: Proven ability to manage technical project delivery, timelines, scoping, conflict resolution, and executive customer relationships from technical ICs up to Director level.
- Certifications: Databricks Certification required (or path to completion).
About Databricks
Databricks is the Data and AI company. More than 20,000 organizations worldwide rely on the Databricks Data + AI Platform to build and scale data and AI apps, analytics and agents.
Benefits
At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all of our employees.
Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
At Databricks, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can excel.
Forward Deployed Engineering Manager in London employer: FDE Times
Databricks is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic work culture centred around innovation and collaboration. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, you will have access to cutting-edge technology and opportunities to lead impactful projects in the data and AI space. Located in a vibrant tech hub, our team enjoys a supportive environment that encourages creativity and professional development, making it a truly rewarding place to advance your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Forward Deployed Engineering Manager in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at FDE Times or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to FDE Times.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like FDE Times.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like FDE Times that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Forward Deployed Engineering Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at FDE Times.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at FDE Times and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at FDE Times
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If FDE Times uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
