Head of Professional Services
Astronomer is the biggest commercial developer of Apache Airflow, a community-driven open-source tool that’s leading the market in data orchestration. We’re a globally-distributed and rapidly growing venture-backed team of learners, innovators and collaborators. Our mission is to build an Enterprise-grade product that makes it easy for data teams at Fortune 500’s and startups alike to adopt Apache Airflow. As a member of our team, you will be at the forefront of the industry as we strive to make Apache Airflow the de-facto standard in data orchestration.
Your background may be unconventional; as long as you have the essential qualifications, we encourage you to apply. While having "bonus" qualifications makes for a strong candidate, Astronomer values diverse experiences. Many of us at Astronomer haven't followed traditional career paths, and we welcome it if yours hasn't either.
About this role
As a Head of Professional Services, you will play a crucial role in leading and managing our service operations to ensure the delivery of exceptional customer experiences. You will be responsible for overseeing a talented team of Solution Architects and Solution Engineers, providing coaching, career development, performance feedback, and staffing support. Additionally, you will work closely with the Strategic Sales Team to manage the sales pipeline, contribute to sales strategy and proposals, and review Statements of Work to maximize value for both Astronomer and our clients.
Our Professional Services Team at Astronomer is already home to some of the world’s leading experts on Airflow and Data Orchestration. It is anticipated that the scope of our services will expand further than workflow management to provide comprehensive guidance and expertise in the art of constructing a data-driven organization.
What you get to do:
- Manage and develop team members, collaborating with HR on staffing initiatives.
- Provide performance feedback and facilitate the growth of team members.
- Assist in interviewing and selection process, manage hiring plan and resource allocation.
- Manage sales pipeline, assist in creating Statements of Work (SOWs), and oversee service operations profitability.
- Collaborate with the Strategic Sales Team to develop effective sales strategies and proposals.
- Take ownership of the profit and loss (P&L) for service operations, driving profitability and growth.
- Lead the scaling of global service operations, implementing delivery methodologies for customer service efficiency.
- Develop and implement delivery methodologies that drive efficiency and effectiveness in customer service.
- Act as primary escalation point for client accounts, ensuring client satisfaction.
- Identify and implement paths to resolution that align with Astronomer's values and objectives.
- Collaborate with partnerships to establish relationships for non-strategic services.
What you bring to the role:
- Proven leadership experience in the data space with a focus on people management, staff development and project delivery in ML Ops, Data Ops, Data Engineering or related software development.
- Strong business acumen with experience in sales strategies, P&L management, and service operations scaling.
- Expertise in resource management, business development, and strategy development.
- Problem-solving abilities, with a track record of resolving client escalations.
- Familiarity with software engineering project management methodologies and best practices.
- Strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of an organization.
- Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Bonus points if you have:
- Exposure to a startup setting.
- Familiarity with Airflow and cloud-based solutions.
- 5+ years of experience in managing software engineering projects.
- 3+ years working in a role involving direct customer interaction.
The estimated salary for this role ranges from $200,000 - $250,000, along with an equity component. This range is merely an estimate, and the width of the range reflects willingness to consider candidates with broad prior seniority. Actual compensation may deviate from this range based on skills, experience, and qualifications.
At Astronomer, we value diversity. We are an equal opportunity employer: we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Astronomer is a remote-first company.
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