Sr. Manager, AI Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE)

FEQ227R143

Note: This role is remote within the United States, with a strong preference for candidates based in the Eastern or Central time zones. Candidates should expect to travel at least once a month.

The Forward Deployed AI Engineering (AI FDE) team is a highly specialized customer-facing AI team at Databricks. We deliver professional services (PS) engagements to help our customers build and productionize first-of-its-kind AI applications with a focus on GenAI. We work cross-functionally to shape long-term strategic priorities and initiatives alongside AI/ML Product, Research, and Engineering.

We are looking for a world-class leader to lead and grow our AI FDE team. In this role, you will lead customers on their AI/ML transformation with Databricks, push the boundaries of our product, recruit and develop top data scientists/machine learning engineers, and manage a portfolio of key accounts. 

The impact you will have:

• Lead and scale a world-class AI/ML professional services team, including hiring, mentoring, and building a team structure to support long-term growth and execution at scale.


• Develop and expand executive relationships with key customers and partners (including VP+, CIO/CDO-level stakeholders), acting as a trusted advisor during complex technical engagements and AI transformations.


• Align with Field Engineering and Sales Leaders to define joint strategies for strategic accounts and ensure strong delivery coordination across functions.


• Lead strategic AI PS initiatives, practice development, and standardized delivery processes; design scalable engagement models and reusable solutions for repeatability across the global team.


• Shape cross-functional collaboration by influencing Product, R&D, and GTM—ensuring voice-of-customer insights and delivery learnings help inform the product roadmap and GTM strategy.


• Own OKRs for AI-services led accounts, revenue, utilization, and public references.


• Represent Databricks as a thought leader in AI/ML.

What we look for:

• Extensive experience managing, hiring, and building a team of high-performing data scientists/ML engineers and leaders, with a track record of scaling organizations through developing scalable processes and cultivating leaders.


• Ability to scope, guide, and sell technical engagements, manage escalations, and ensure successful delivery in enterprise environments.


• Deep technical expertise in ML, GenAI, and data science, and curiosity to continue to stay up-to-date in this ever-changing field.


• Experience leading teams building cutting-edge production ML solutions in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP).


• Proven success in developing strategy with senior executive stakeholders to define program-level goals, align technical vision, and build trust throughout complex enterprise engagements.


• Develop and drive a strategic vision for AI transformations across our customers, including product management for applied AI projects, organizational change management for the adoption of AI, and mapping and aligning with key stakeholders.


• Demonstrated experience in cross-functional leadership roles, collaborating with Sales, Product, and GTM teams to drive business impact through AI/ML.


• "Company-first" mindset.


• [Preferred] Experience in a customer-facing consulting or professional services leadership role.


• [Preferred] Experience working with Databricks.