Director, Analytics, Data Engineering
General Purpose Of Job
The Director, Data Engineering – Architect is responsible for defining and governing the enterprise data architecture strategy that powers the Quad/Rise Data Stack. This role provides architectural leadership across data ingestion, transformation, storage, governance, security, and activation platforms to ensure scalability, reliability, and long-term sustainability of the organization’s data ecosystem.
Key Responsibilities
Define and maintain the long-term architectural vision for the Quad/Rise Data Stack, including cloud data platforms, pipeline frameworks, governance layers, and integration strategies.
Establish scalable, modular, and secure architecture patterns.
Design and oversee implementation of enterprise data warehouse architecture, distributed processing frameworks, real-time and batch data ingestion pipelines, API and data-sharing architectures, metadata management and lineage systems.
Ensure architectural consistency across environments (development, staging, production).
Establish Enterprise Standards For Data modeling and schema design, Pipeline orchestration, Code quality and version control, Documentation and lineage, Observability and monitoring.
Drive adoption of best practices across engineering teams.
Ensure systems are designed for high availability, resilience, and performance at scale. Lead capacity planning, workload optimization, and cost management initiatives across cloud infrastructure.
Partner with Information Security and Compliance teams to embed governance, access controls, encryption standards, and auditability into architectural frameworks. Ensure designs support regulatory requirements and enterprise risk management policies.
Work closely with Data Science and Analytics teams to enable advanced modeling and experimentation, Software Engineering teams to integrate analytics platforms into client-facing solutions, Product teams to translate business requirements into scalable technical designs. Act as the architectural liaison between business stakeholders and technical teams.
Continuously evaluate emerging technologies, tools, and methodologies to enhance platform capabilities. Lead proof-of-concept initiatives and guide build-versus-buy decisions.
Influence technical direction without direct ownership of all implementation teams. Provide architectural roadmaps, risk assessments, and investment recommendations to executive leadership. Translate complex system design concepts into business-aligned strategy discussions.
Education & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field required. Master’s degree preferred.
Minimum of 10+ years of experience in data engineering, distributed systems, or enterprise data architecture. Minimum of 5+ years designing large-scale cloud-based data platforms.
Demonstrated experience leading architectural strategy across multiple teams or business units. Experience in media, marketing analytics, or high-volume consumer data environments is a plus.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Deep knowledge of: Cloud-native data architectures, Lakehouse and warehouse platforms, Distributed computing (e.g., Spark), Data orchestration frameworks, API-driven data integration, CI/CD for data platforms, Strong understanding of data lifecycle management and system interoperability.
Technology
T-SQL, PySpark, Snowflake, cloud-native services (AWS/Azure/GCP), orchestration tools, infrastructure-as-code frameworks.
Systems Thinking & Leadership
Ability to design cohesive systems across multiple technologies and teams while balancing performance, cost, risk, and scalability. Proven ability to influence technical strategy across cross-functional teams without direct reporting authority. Strong mentorship capabilities.
Communication & Strategic Orientation
Exceptional ability to communicate architectural vision, tradeoffs, and risk clearly to technical and executive stakeholders. Forward-thinking mindset with the ability to anticipate scaling challenges, emerging technologies, and evolving business requirements.
Benefits
We offer comprehensive benefits for eligible employees including medical, prescription, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) retirement savings, paid time off, holidays and additional benefits.
About the Role
Rise is an award-winning, full-service Media Agency of Record that is backed by data and powered by people. We create omnichannel experiences using our proprietary tech stack and advanced analytics capabilities to help solve the unique struggles brands face today. This approach, with transparency at its core, specializes in omnichannel media, commerce and retail media, advanced in-home media, as well as content and creator marketing. We offer "Risers" the opportunity to work in an ever-evolving industry that will foster learning and development, provide an innovative work environment with diverse projects and clients, career advancement paths, a collaborative team environment, corporate social responsibility initiatives, an inclusive and diverse culture, plus association with a reputable media agency.
Qualifications
We are committed to creating a place of belonging — a space where employees do not need to sacrifice who they are to exist and grow in our workplace. Rise and Quad are proud to be equal opportunity employers. We are committed to creating a place of belonging — a space where employees do not need to sacrifice who they are to exist and grow in our workplace.
Skills
Proven experience in data engineering, distributed systems, or enterprise data architecture.
Experience in media, marketing analytics, or high-volume consumer data environments is a plus.
Benefits
We offer comprehensive benefits for eligible employees including medical, prescription, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) retirement savings, paid time off, holidays and additional benefits.
Pay
Employees can be expected to be paid an annualized salary range of $122,040-$170,000 base plus bonus, based on variations in knowledge, skills, experience, and market conditions.
Schedule
Location: 4 days in office, Chicago or Sussex