We shaped the earliest forms of ad tech, and we’re looking for the technical expertise to help shape its future. Our customers have unique problems that can only be solved at internet scale, and that’s where the technical skills of our team make a real difference.
Our exchange handles over 350 billion requests every day (for comparison Google serves an estimated 9 billion searches a day), all running in our own global data centers. Every member of our technology team has an enormous amount of autonomy in building and managing our systems to support and enable our growing level of scale. Through the transparency of our technology, dedication to innovation and integrity, and long-standing customer relationships, we lead through change.
What’s it like to work at Index?
We have more than 550 Indexers around the globe dedicated to building a safe and transparent marketplace that provides a trusted experience for consumers.
Index is an exciting and fast-paced place to work. We’re built on our values of change, support, learning and teaching, trust, and intention. We pride ourselves on our independence and openness, not only in our technology, but in our teams, too. Our diverse and inclusive culture celebrates how we can leverage our unique differences to help drive Index forward.
Our culture of success is truly supportive and collaborative. In working together across our teams, we’re continually investing in the people and technology to solve the industry’s most complex problems. As we extend the promise of ad tech to every channel, we’re looking for talented engineers to help advance Index, and the industry, forward.
Are you ready to join the programmatic evolution?
Index Exchange funds the open web. Content and journalism across the internet are funded through advertising, and we are the engine that helps to make that happen transparently, safely and efficiently. Handling hundreds of billions of auctions per day within milliseconds requires an intense understanding of the exchange and the ecosystem that we live in.
Our business is growing significantly every year and is poised to grow even faster. Our people and our platforms are the foundation and enabler of that growth. We are significantly expanding our technology teams, and are looking for technologists with a passion for high performance software development, and a drive to deliver software products and platforms that enable and empower industries at a global scale.
About The Role:
Join our global organization at the forefront of innovation in the Ad-Tech industry. We are seeking a skilled and visionary Director of Data Systems for our Technology Operations organization to lead our dynamic team in managing on-premise and hybrid data environments with low-latency requirements. Our company is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of technology and data-driven solutions, and we need a leader who can strategize, execute, and mentor in this fast-paced landscape.
Index’s scale spans the globe, our transactions happen 24x7 in our global data centers, and every second that passes millions of requests are evaluated across our exchange. In order to achieve our mission, global efficiency and reliability are absolutely key, as every millisecond quite literally counts in our business.
Here’s What You’ll be Doing:
As the Director of Data Systems, you will be responsible for leading and overseeing the design, implementation, and management of Technology Operations data systems, with a strong focus on on-premise and hybrid cloud environments. Your role will be crucial in ensuring our data infrastructure meets demanding low-latency requirements while fostering innovation and growth within the team.
- Strategic Planning: Develop and execute data system vision and strategies, including on-premise and hybrid cloud solutions, that align with our business goals and growth plans. Drive innovation and continuous improvement efforts to meet evolving business demands.
- Technical Leadership: Leverage your deep expertise in data technologies such as Kafka, Spark, Redis, Flink, Trino/Presto, and Hadoop to lead the architecture and development of our data systems, ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and scalability.
- Coaching and Performance Management: Drive performance and impact of the Data Systems division by working closely with your direct reports, SMEs and Managers who lead your projects or team. Ensure that they understand the responsibility and expectations and carry through organizational vision to achieve goals.
- Team Building and Mentoring: Build and maintain a high-performing diverse team of data engineers and analysts, fostering a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation. Set Data Systems up for success by continuously improving the organizational design and ensure that teams has the right balance of skills, roles and seniority of team members. Actively participate and support your managers in recruitment and mentoring.
- Global Collaboration: Role model collaboration across time zones and borders, finding ways of managing in-person and remote employees and working directly with international teams to ensure cohesive and efficient operations.
- Infrastructure and Network Expertise: Develop and execute strategy for data infrastructure and network, aligning it with business objectives and growth plans. Utilize your deep expertise in infrastructure, networks, and Kubernetes to architect and drive seamless integration between data systems and the underlying infrastructure, optimizing performance and stability.
- Performance Optimization: Take ownership of data system performance optimization at an enterprise scale.Implement and oversee strategies to monitor and improve data system performance, ensuring low-latency responses and high availability on petabyte scale datastores for critical business processes.
- Vendor Management: Lead the evaluation, selection, and management of vendor relationships in the data technology space. Negotiate contracts, oversee vendor performance, and cultivate effective partnerships to ensure that the organization benefits from cutting-edge technologies and support staffing,
- Data Governance and Security: Establish and maintain a robust data governance framework, including policies, procedures, controls and security measures to safeguard sensitive data and ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.
- Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Stay at the forefront of emerging data technologies and trends, and leverage this knowledge to drive innovation within the organization. Recommend and lead the implementation of enhancements to our data systems to maintain our competitive edge.
Here's What You Need:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
- Proven track record of 8+ years in progressively responsible roles within data engineering, architecture, or related roles, with at least 3 years in a leadership capacity.
- Extensive experience with Kafka, Spark, Redis, Flink, Trino/Presto, Hadoop in complex on-premise and hybrid data environments.
- Strong working knowledge of infrastructure, networks, and Kubernetes and expertise in designing, deploying, and managing large-scale data infrastructure.
- In-depth knowledge of data governance, security best practices, and compliance requirements.
- Exceptional leadership and team-building skills, excellent communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to lead and inspire a global team.
- Problem-solving mindset and the ability to make informed decisions under pressure.
- Proven project management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
- Experience in vendor management, contract negotiation, and strategic partnerships.
- Experience working in a global company with a combination of in-office and remote teams and a multicultural environment is a plus.
Why You’ll Love Working Here:
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans at no cost to you
- Time off and flexible work schedules
- Retirement plan with a 5% company match
- Stock options and equity packages
- Generous parental leave
- Monthly wellness stipend plus fitness discounts and quarterly wellness group activities
- Community engagement opportunities and donation-matching program
- Annual virtual company retreats and regular community-led team events
- One day off per year to volunteer
- A workplace that supports a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment – learn more here
Notification
Index Exchange is aware that there have been recent scams directed toward candidates regarding job interviews and offers.
Please be vigilant and do not accept interview requests, job offers, or other hiring-related documents from anyone other than our dedicated recruitment team, from the domain of @indexexchange.com. Our interview process consists of several steps, including phone screens and video interviews. We do not conduct interviews via an email questionnaire or request money at any point in the process.
We remain dedicated to resolving this matter and we appreciate your support.
Equal employment opportunity
At Index Exchange, we believe that successful products are built by teams just as diverse as the audience who uses them. As such, we are committed to equal employment opportunities. We celebrate diversity of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. Additionally, we realize that diversity is deeper than any status or classification—diversity is the human experience. For those who show grit, passion, and humility—Index will welcome you.
Accessibility for applicants with disabilities
Index Exchange is committed to working with and providing access and reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please let us know if you’d like to request a reasonable accommodation.
Index Everywhere, Index Anywhere
Our corporate headquarters are in Toronto, with major offices in New York, Montreal, Kitchener, London, San Francisco, and many other global cities. As a major global advertising exchange, we are committed to operating as a tightly knit global team and embracing and empowering talent wherever our colleagues may be.
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