Director of Data Engineering

The Director of Data Engineering is a senior IT leader responsible for enabling, scaling, and maturing the organization’s data-driven decision making by delivering trusted, secure, and enterprise-ready data platforms and analytics capabilities. This role owns the strategy, architecture, delivery, and ongoing effectiveness of enterprise data engineering and business intelligence platforms, ensuring data is reliable, governed, and aligned to business priorities.

Reporting to the Vice President of IT, this leader partners with executive and business stakeholders to translate enterprise strategy into high-value data products, analytics capabilities, and AI-ready platforms. Accountable for enabling advanced analytics and responsible AI through governed platforms including Microsoft Fabric, Azure Data Services, SQL Server, Power BI, and Copilot.

This position combines strategic vision with operational accountability across the data lifecycle, from ingestion and integration through semantic modeling, analytics, and AI enablement, while building and leading a high-performing data engineering and architecture organization.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Data and Analytics Strategy

• Define and execute the enterprise Data Engineering and Business Intelligence strategy aligned to business priorities and long-term goals.
• Own the data platform vision and multi-year roadmap balancing innovation, scalability, reliability, security, and cost efficiency.
• Translate enterprise strategy into a prioritized portfolio of data initiatives and data products with measurable outcomes.
• Mature enterprise data capabilities and define an operating model that enables governed self-service and distributed analytics while maintaining platform standards.

Platform Architecture and Delivery

• Architect, build, and continuously evolve a modern, cloud-native data platform ecosystem supporting reporting, analytics, and AI enablement.
• Design and implement enterprise data lake architectures (including medallion bronze/silver/gold patterns) for scalable ingestion, transformation, and analytics.
• Oversee enterprise ingestion, integration, storage, and processing across structured and unstructured sources, ensuring scalable, reusable, and secure pipelines.
• Enable governed self-service analytics via semantic models, standardized metrics, and enterprise BI (including Power BI).
• Lead data engineers and architects to deliver reusable, secure data solutions and patterns across the enterprise.
• Ensure integration between data platforms and core enterprise systems (CIS, CRM such as Salesforce or equivalents, contact center platforms such as Five9 or equivalents, Oracle-based financial/operational systems, and other line-of-business applications).
• Establish and evolve canonical data models and shared business entities to drive reuse and trusted analytics.

Data Products, Value, and Outcomes

• Own the lifecycle, prioritization, and delivery of enterprise data products and analytics capabilities.
• Ensure investments deliver measurable business value by defining success metrics with stakeholders and tracking value realization.

Operational Excellence and DataOps

• Accountable for reliability, availability, performance, scalability, and cost of enterprise data platforms; ensure platforms meet defined SLAs/SLOs.
• Establish and mature DataOps (CI/CD for pipelines, monitoring/observability, incident management, and continuous improvement).

Governance, Security, and Compliance

• Establish and enforce governance (data quality, lineage, access controls, and lifecycle management) with clear ownership and remediation processes.
• Ensure compliance with security, privacy, and regulatory requirements in partnership with Security and Legal teams.
• Champion responsible data and AI practices aligned with enterprise policies and ethical standards.

AI Enablement

• Enable and guide responsible AI/ML usage on enterprise data and analytics platforms in alignment with enterprise AI strategy and governance.
• Partner with enterprise architecture, application teams, and business stakeholders to scale AI-enabled analytics safely and effectively.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with software engineering to integrate scalable data back-end architectures supporting applications and operational systems.
• Collaborate with cloud/infrastructure and business analytics teams to ensure platforms are resilient, secure, cost-effective, and aligned to enterprise reporting and decision-making needs.

Financial and Vendor Management

• Own the data and analytics technology budget (forecasting, investment prioritization, and cost optimization).
• Evaluate, select, and manage vendors/platform partners; optimize cloud and platform spend to ensure performance, value, and strategic alignment.

Leadership and Talent Development

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing data engineering and architecture organization.
• Set clear goals and performance expectations; develop career paths and succession plans.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.

Enterprise Influence and Change Leadership

• Lead change to drive adoption of data-driven decision making and consistent enterprise standards.
• Influence senior leaders to align on data priorities, standards, and operating models.
• Represent data engineering in executive forums and cross-functional governance bodies.

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 7-10+ years of progressive experience in data engineering, analytics platforms, or business intelligence, including senior leadership roles.
• Proven experience designing and operating enterprise-scale data platforms supporting governed self-service analytics and advanced use cases.
• Strong knowledge of modern data architectures, cloud platforms, relational/analytical databases, and enterprise data lake patterns.
• Experience integrating data platforms with complex operational systems (CIS, Salesforce or equivalent CRM, Five9 or equivalent CCaS, Oracle-based systems/ERP, and other line-of-business applications).
• Demonstrated ability to partner with executives, influence stakeholders, and lead complex, cross-functional initiatives.
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and decision-making skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Deep experience with Microsoft data technologies, including Microsoft Fabric, Azure Data Services, SQL Server, and Power BI.
• Experience integrating with Oracle-based ecosystems (for example SOA architectures and data integration technologies such as GoldenGate or Attunity).
• Strong grasp of relational concepts across platforms (including T-SQL vs. PL/SQL) to inform modeling, performance, and integration decisions.
• Hands-on experience designing and implementing data lakes and medallion architectures for analytics, reporting, and AI use cases.
• Familiarity with non-Microsoft data technologies such as Snowflake, Databricks, AWS, or open-source data platforms.
• Experience enabling AI-assisted analytics on enterprise data platforms.
• Experience helping establish enterprise data standards, governance models, and operating frameworks.

Physical Requirements

• Sitting: Ability to sit for extended periods at a desk or workstation while performing computer-based tasks and collaborating with colleagues.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment such as computers, printers, and copiers.
• Keyboarding: Ability to enter text or data into a computer by means of a traditional keyboard and mouse, requiring finger dexterity and hand coordination.
• Standing and Walking: Ability to stand and walk within the office environment, such as when attending meetings, interacting with colleagues, or visiting different departments. Ability to stand during receptions
• Driving: Ability to drive to the office 2-3 days per week and to offsite meetings, events, and conferences as needed. Travel to other out-of-state office (GA or FL) 1-4 times per year.
• Requires visual and auditory acuity for effective communication, document review, performance management, and use of office technology.
• Lifting and Carrying: Ability to lift and carry material, files, or equipment weighing up to 20 pounds, such as when organizing documents or setting up for meetings. Ability to reach for items stored in cabinets or shelves, both above and below shoulder height.
• Some evening and weekend work required for external events. Ability to work in typical office conditions, which may include exposure to noise, artificial lighting, and climate-controlled environments
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, Seeing, Keyboarding, Talking, Walking, Sitting, Driving, Lifting, and Carrying.

Our Purpose and Culture

At Gas South, we approach each day knowing we have an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. That means helping our customers save money with everyday low rates and treating them with dignity, honesty and respect. It means supporting our employees in their personal and professional lives, and it means we want to make sure our success directly benefits the communities we serve by giving back 5% of profits to support children in need. Through partnerships with non-profits like United Way, Salvation Army, Junior Achievement, Bert’s Big Adventure and many others, we’re proud to help make a difference.  At Gas South our employees bring their boldest ideas and most authentic selves to work, no matter their title, position or background.  We understand that our people are our most valuable assets. So, we treat them that way, with competitive benefits, flexible schedule options, and a fun, casual atmosphere.

Gas South affirms that it is an Equal Opportunity Employer whose actions and practices are consistent with fair employment.  In this regard, Gas South will not discriminate against any employee or applicant with regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.  This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including recruiting, hiring, placement, training, promotion, lay-offs, transfers, leave of absence, compensation and termination.

Benefits for full-time employees include:

• Full medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Employer-paid life and disability coverage
• Annual employer contributions of up to 12.5% to your 401k
• Remote work options available based on business needs
• Annual performance incentive is a % of annual benchmark based on position level
• Paid four-week sabbatical every five years
• Opportunities to volunteer in the community
• Education assistance up to $5250 per year