Senior Manager, Engineering - SQL

NielsenIQ (NIQ) is a leader in data-driven solutions, partnering with the world’s largest brands to deliver insights that drive strategic decisions. With a global presence and deep expertise in analytics and technology, we ensure that companies stay ahead in a constantly changing marketplace. Our mission extends beyond understanding consumer behaviour; it also includes refining and optimizing our internal systems that support the NIQ company operations worldwide

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Senior Manager Engineering to lead a high-performing software engineering team responsible for delivering critical capabilities within a data-driven platform powered by Java-based microservices and Snowflake. This role combines strong technical leadership with people management and delivery ownership. The successful candidate will be responsible for building and developing engineering talent, driving execution excellence, and ensuring the delivery of scalable, reliable, and high-quality solutions. Working closely with Product Leadership, PMO, Data Science, Frontend Engineering, and other stakeholders, the Senior Manager will help shape technical direction, improve engineering practices, and foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in SQL, Java, Spring Boot, microservices architecture, and cloud technologies, along with proven experience leading engineering teams and developing talent in a fast-paced Agile environment.

Engineering Leadership & Delivery

• Lead the planning and execution of quarterly objectives, ensuring alignment between business priorities, team capacity, and delivery commitments.
• Own the successful delivery of team roadmaps, ensuring high quality, predictability, and timely execution.  Collaborate closely with Product Leadership, PMO, Data Science, Frontend Engineering, and other stakeholders to prioritize work and drive business outcomes.
• Identify and proactively manage technical, delivery, and operational risks.
• Drive engineering excellence through best practices in design, coding, testing, code reviews, and operational readiness.
• Provide technical leadership for SQL, Java-based backend services, microservices architecture, and data platform integrations.
• Ensure compliance with security, regulatory, and organizational policies and standards. Champion Agile methodologies and continuous improvement across engineering processes.

People Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of software engineers, creating an inclusive and high-performing team culture.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, performance reviews, and career development discussions.
• Provide coaching and actionable feedback to support employee growth and professional development.
• Drive employee engagement, team eAectiveness, and retention initiatives.
• Partner with Human Resources and leadership to manage performance, compensation, promotions, and talent planning processes.
• Lead recruitment activities, including interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and workforce planning.
• Build succession plans and identify future technical and leadership talent within the organization.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Empower engineers to take ownership while removing organizational and technical obstacles that impact team productivity.

Stakeholder Management

• Communicate team progress, risks, dependencies, and achievements to leadership and stakeholders.
• Build strong partnerships across Product, Architecture, Data Science, and Engineering organizations.
• Aligning engineering priorities with broader organizational objectives and strategic initiatives.

• 12+ years of software development experience required
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Strong software engineering experience, including backend and data platform development.
• Excellent knowledge of SQL, database design, OOP principles.
• Experience leading and managing software engineering teams.
• Experience in Java, Spring Boot, microservices architecture, and distributed systems.
• Experience delivering cloud-based applications and services.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and collaboration skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams through ambiguity and changing priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Snowflake or other cloud-based data warehouse platforms.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure or other public cloud environments.
• Familiarity with data science, analytics, or machine learning workflows.
• Experience with Python and automation/scripting technologies.
• Experience leading geographically distributed teams.
• Experience driving engineering process improvements and organizational initiatives.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, observability, and monitoring platforms.
• Exposure to AI-assisted development tools such as Microsoft Copilot.

Our Benefits

• Flexible working environment
• Volunteer time off
• LinkedIn Learning
• Employee-Assistance-Program (EAP)

NIQ may utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools at various stages of the recruitment process, including résumé screening, candidate assessments, interview scheduling, job matching, communication support, and certain administrative tasks that help streamline workflows. These tools are intended to improve efficiency and support fair and consistent evaluation based on job-related criteria. All use of AI is governed by NIQ’s principles of fairness, transparency, human oversight, and inclusion. Final hiring decisions are made exclusively by humans. NIQ regularly reviews its AI tools to help mitigate bias and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. If you have questions, require accommodations, or wish to request human review were permitted by law, please contact your local HR representative. For more information, please visit NIQ’s AI Safety Policies and Guiding Principles: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/info/niqs-ai-safety-policies/

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights-delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms-NIQ delivers the Full View™. NIQ is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population.

For more information, visit NIQ.com

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Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At NIQ, we are steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace that mirrors the rich diversity of the communities and markets we serve. We believe that embracing a wide range of perspectives drives innovation and excellence. All employment decisions at NIQ are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. We invite individuals who share our dedication to inclusivity and equity to join us in making a meaningful impact. To learn more about our ongoing efforts in diversity and inclusion, please visit the https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/diversity-inclusion