Director, Data Engineering & Analytics

About the role:

8am’s data team is a critical component of our Engineering Department which is just beginning to harness the true power of data. As the Director, Data Engineering & Analytics, you will not only lead and mentor our growing team of Data Engineers, Data Scientists, and Data Analysts, but you will also be hands-on leading the creation of data pipelines, maintaining data security, as well as extending our data sources to include technologies like Kafka and event streams. This role will play a critical part in making data a cornerstone of our company, driving the analytics and insights roadmap for the company as well as its execution.  This role will work with leadership from the exec level down to highlight opportunities for growth and retention driving the strategic use of data to fulfill our company’s mission and help 8am grow. This position is a people-centric manager, sharing knowledge and mentoring the data team as much as driving assigned projects.

About us:

At 8am, our vision is to power a world where professionals thrive. We start every day on a mission to empower professionals with the most trusted, innovative technology to deliver world-class outcomes for their clients and exceptional financial results for their business. They count on our purpose-built solutions to simplify operations, ensure compliance, and fuel profitable growth, so they can focus on their clients and do more of the work that matters.

Founded in 2005, 8am™ (formerly AffiniPay) is the professional business platform built to help legal, accounting, and other client-focused professionals run stronger, more profitable businesses. Today, more than 250,000 professionals across the U.S. trust 8am to help them work smarter, serve clients better, and unlock their full potential. We have been recognized as one of Inc 5000’s fastest growing companies in the U.S. for 13 years in a row, and as a result, our teams continue to grow as well!

What you'll do:

• Handle requests coming from other departments throughout the organization (including Finance, Marketing, Sales, Operations, etc.), prioritizing and fulfilling them 
• Lead tech projects around building our analytical infrastructure ecosystem including the Data Warehouse and other Data Marts to leverage data from across the company to improve decision-making at scale
• Develop and implement effective multi-functional operations of Data Analysts, Data Scientists and Data Engineers, closely partnering with all departments at 8am to build intelligent and scalable solutions 
• Own our data warehouse strategy and implementation 
• Partner with the leadership team to co-develop vision, strategy, roadmap of 8am’s analytical capabilities into scalable solutions then manage the execution of that roadmap
• Present learnings and insights to the exec team and other leaders across the company to support strategic decision-making
• Help teams integrate analytics into their workflows by generating statistical or ML algorithms to help 8am be more effective with each person
• Analyze historical data, define best practices, and find opportunities for optimization
• Develop rich, interactive visualizations including being responsible for the evolution of our Product Dashboards

About you:

• Experienced leader with minimum 15+ years working in a data/analytics function
• Skilled in AWS technologies such as S3 and Redshift and/or similar 
• Well-versed in the use and development of various tools in the big data arena
• Confident and proven in your ability to equip 8am with the ability to make data-driven decisions 
• Knowledgeable of how Kafka can be used as a data source (preferred)
• Proven experience leading data teams/building out data environments (minimum 5 years experience in this function) 
• An encouraging leader with a driven, results-focused demeanor that is able to drive multiple large initiatives concurrently across multi-functional teams 
• A consultative management style that is collaborative, upbeat, results-oriented, and innovative
• Experience using a BI or visualization software (ex. Tableau, Looker, Domo, etc.)
• Experience with R, Python, or other coding languages 
• Knowledge of predictive modeling and or ML techniques
• Bachelor’s or Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related field with heavy quantitative coursework. Experience required will vary depending on the level of degree held. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, able to discuss problems and opportunities from the ground up to the exec level
  
• Demonstrated experience leveraging AI tools and technologies to improve workflows, enhance decision-making, or drive innovation.

Why 8am: 

At 8am, our culture is shaped by the people who bring it to life every day. Together, we build a company rooted in continuous learning, genuine community, holistic wellness, and meaningful engagement—values that empower us as individuals and unite us as a team. Our culture is grounded in our core values: Work Smart, Win Fast; Outshine Ordinary, and We Find a Way. These values drive how we serve our customers and work with each other in a collaborative, inspiring, and empowering environment, every day.

Here’s how we support our 8Team:

• Health Insurance Coverage: We offer our 8Team a variety of medical, dental, and vision plans, designed to fit your needs, including a 100% company-paid HDHP plan for employees.
• Financial perks: We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package including annual bonuses, equity options and 401(k) or RRSP if in Canada, with a company match for all team members.
• Time for what matters: Flexible Time Off, paid holidays, and a parental leave program for our new parents.
• Wellness: Wellness stipends, mental health support, and one-on-one nutrition coaching.
• Learning and Development: Continuous learning through 8am.edu, leadership programs, professional development funds, and individually focused talent development.
• Giving back to the communities around us: Participate in our charitable matching gift program, paid time off for volunteer service, and company-sponsored volunteer events (both local and virtually).
• Engagement: Virtual and in-person team-building events, quarterly award recognition through our Rise & Shine Award of Excellence Program, and our peer-to-peer appreciation platform.

At 8am, we don’t just offer benefits - we create an environment where people can thrive, grow, and make a real impact every day.

Diversity, equity & inclusion at 8am:

At 8am, we recognize that innovation occurs with a strong team of people who are diverse in background, personality, talent and ideas. Experience comes in many forms and ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace where we continue to learn from each other is an integral part of our culture. We are committed to creating a welcoming and transparent environment for all that embraces those differences through education, equal access to opportunities and information, inclusionary programs, and community outreach. 

Security advisory:

Our hiring teams at 8am are dedicated to recruiting top talent that share our passion for serving the professional services industry through innovative financial technology.  As such, our Talent Acquisition Team only follows legitimate hiring practices.  We will always communicate with our candidates using emails with the 8am domain and will never ask for sensitive/personal data during the application process.  All interviews take place over phone call, Zoom/Google Meet or in person.  All offers are communicated verbally by our Talent Acquisition Specialists with a written offer letter as a follow up.