Application Development Manager

About the Role

We are expanding our App Dev Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) practice in India to build high-impact, custom data-driven applications, platforms, and integrations (often centered around Databricks, Lakehouse architectures, modern full-stack frameworks, and enterprise data solutions).

We are seeking a technical, people-first Manager, App Dev (FDE) to lead and grow our India-based engineering team. Reporting directly to global engineering leadership, you will be responsible for building, mentoring, and guiding a team of high-performing Forward Deployed Engineers and Full-Stack Application Developers. You will bridge the gap between technical execution, client delivery, operational excellence, and team development.

Key Responsibilities

1. Technical & Delivery Leadership

- Architectural Oversight: Provide technical leadership and guidance across full-stack application development, data integration, and cloud/Databricks-native app architectures.
- Delivery Excellence: Oversee forward-deployed project execution, ensuring high-quality standards, clean code, reliable delivery cadence, and robust testing across customer engagements.
- Hands-on / Hands-off Balance: Serve as an escalation point for technical roadblocks; jump in to review design docs, code, and architecture blueprints when necessary.

2. People Management & Team Building

- Hiring & Scaling: Partner closely with Talent Acquisition and global App Dev leadership to recruit, interview, and onboard top-tier App Dev FDEs in India.
- Career Growth & Mentorship: Drive regular 1:1s, technical career pathing, performance evaluations, and skill growth (especially around Databricks app development, full-stack technologies, and client-facing engineering skills).
- Culture & Retention: Foster a high-trust, collaborative, and innovation-driven culture within the India engineering hub.

3. Engagement & Cross-Functional Collaboration

- Leadership Alignment: Providing transparent reporting on team capacity, delivery metrics, resource allocation, and team health.
- Client & Forward-Deployed Dynamics: Ensure engineers excel in customer-facing contexts—balancing fast-paced client requirements with long-term software engineering best practices.
- Stakeholder Management: Work closely with Product Management, Delivery Leads, Solution Architects, and TA to align hiring roadmaps with business demand.

Required Qualifications & Background

- Experience:

- 5+ years of software engineering experience in full-stack application development.
- 1+ year in a formal engineering management, tech lead manager, or team lead role managing App Dev / FDE teams.

- Technical Stack Knowledge:

- Strong foundation in full-stack application development (e.g., Python, Node.js, React, TypeScript, Java/Go, GraphQL/REST APIs, etc.).
- Hands-on familiarity with cloud ecosystem architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP) and enterprise app integration.
- Strong familiarity with data platforms—specifically Databricks (Databricks Apps, SDK, Unity Catalog, PySpark, DBX APIs) or cloud data warehouses.

- Client/FDE Experience: Experience working in a Forward Deployed, Professional Services, or Client Consulting model where engineers directly interact with enterprise clients/stakeholders.
- Communication & Leadership: Exceptional English communication, strong consulting mindset, high organizational skills, and stakeholder management skills; proven capability to work across global time zones (Americas/India collaboration).

Nice to Have

- Prior experience scaling an engineering center or practice from the ground up in India.
- Databricks certifications (e.g., Databricks Certified Machine Learning / Data Engineer or equivalent cloud certifications).