Ekata provides global identity verification via enterprise-grade APIs and a SaaS solution. Our product suite is powered by Ekata Identity Engine, the first and only cross-border identity engine of its kind. It uses complex machine learning algorithms across the five consumer attributes of email, phone, name, physical address, and IP to derive unique data links and features from billions of real-time transactions within our customer network and the globally sourced data of our graph. Businesses around the world including Alipay, Stripe, Airbnb, and Microsoft leverage our solutions to approve more good transactions, reduce friction, and find fraud.

Ekata is looking for a Director of Engineering to lead the big-data org consisting of Data Science, Data Ingestion and Processing teams. These teams operate on state-of-the-art algorithms and systems empowering the best in class product Ekata offers for fraud prevention.

We are seeking someone with an active-oriented mindset and a focus on exceeding expectations, who operates with long term vision. The Director of Engineering is responsible to ensure their teams meet project deadlines, report back to upper management, effectively plan and manage resources, while working with multiple and diverse teams. Their responsibilities also include aligning engineering activities with company goals and objectives, by overseeing newly-developed policies from various departments, and maintaining positive relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

To be successful as a Director of Engineering, you should have exceptional leadership, communication, project management skills and experience in developing the skills and talents of others and most importantly a strong positive attitude. Ideal candidates will have experience in identifying and navigating organizational changes, a keen interest in international trends in engineering and leadership, and an above average emotional intelligence. Their people skills should inspire trust and confidence in others who will then readily follow in his insights and directives.

The Director of Engineering is responsible for the growth and development of leadership (Principal Engineers and Managers alike), and should be able to grow and/or hire great managers and leaders of people, Drives on the business procedures, compliance and security policies, and associated tools in order to develop processes that are more efficient and ensure conformity with them.

High-Level Responsibilities:

• Timely, compliant and high-quality deliverables from reporting teams.
• Embodies a strong bias toward action and pro-activity and can develop that in others
• Maintaining good relationships and communication cadence with internal and external stakeholders.
• Partners with the head of engineering to define principles, standards, and architectural directions that apply across the team. Is responsible for making sure these are continually reinforced within teams
• Driving training and development of individuals and team, building career growth options for the team.
• Proactively manages costs, risk and opportunities for operational excellence
• Supporting established organizational objectives by developing goals and strategies.
• Hiring new staff and increasing the bar, developing and/or hiring technical and people leaders

In the Director of Engineering role you will:

Leadership/Supervisory Role: The Director of Engineering manages several engineering teams overseeing resources, staffing, and the enhancement and maintenance of top-class teams. The Director of Engineering is also in charge of the management and execution of software project plans and delivery commitments. This role leads the development teams with a focus on technologies, without any particular technology bias.

The Director of Engineering is also in charge of the management of technical integrations and relationships with internal and external stakeholders. The Director of Engineering is in charge of team-building and provides technical leadership for the design and implementation of features and site/software system enhancements.

In his leadership capacity, the Director of Engineering develops, implements, and maintains site/software engineering standards and policies. This role also acts as a mentor to key development personnel, assisting in the execution of duties upon request, and readying these key personnel for the occupation of this position.

Strategy: The Director of Engineering drives the strategy, architecture, and development of the business’s site/software solutions. In this capacity, the Director of Engineering develops and implements software engineering strategies meant for the development of technological tools and processes required for current and future software development.

The Director of Engineering organizes activities for the development, implementation, release, and maintenance of projects necessary for software development and sustenance. In this capacity, this role will also perform engineering design evaluations and ensure the completion of software projects within resource, budget, and scheduling restraints.

Collaboration: The Director of Engineering plays a highly collaborative role where this role works closely with senior engineering and product leadership in defining long-term organizational software strategies and roadmaps. In this collaboration, this role also coordinates and communicates development activities and priorities with the senior engineering leadership in order to ensure the successful completion of project objectives.

Troubleshoot and resolve process, communication, and planning issues within their team as well as across functions such as Product and Security

Knowledge: The Director of Engineering takes initiative to explore, evangelize, and implement innovative technologies within the business in order to improve the business’s internal platforms as well as customer experience. This role provides support and leadership to development departments, facilitating continuous evolution in both the frontend and backend development teams.

Director of Engineering follows up on the business procedures, policies, and associated tools in order to develop processes that are more efficient and ensure conformity with the business’s policies and overall objectives.

Interpersonal Skills: The Director of Engineering must have certain personal attributes that make them suitable for the position. This role will be consumer and result oriented, be highly organized, be highly analytical and procedural, be a creative and strategic thinker, and they will have the ability to work on multiple projects and meet tight deadlines.

This role will also have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, work comfortably in a cross-functional setting, work comfortably in a constantly evolving environment, and demonstrate an ability to stay calm in the face of uncertainty and stress.

Other Duties: The Director Engineering will also perform similar duties as they deem fit for the proper execution of their duties and duties as delegated by the VP of Engineering.

Our ideal Director of Engineering will have:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or a related field
• 7+ years’ experience in software development
• 3+ years’ experience in people management

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Computer Science or a Master’s Degree in Software Engineering
• 5+ years’ experience in people management
• 10+ years’ of experience in software development

Unwavering in our pursuit of standardizing global identity data, we are approachable, real people that genuinely care about the success of those we partner with. With a commitment to service, innovation, and ownership, Ekata is a dynamic place to work for folks who want to make an impact on a global scale. We provide learning & development opportunities for each employee and promote work-life flexibility through self-managed time off. Headquartered in downtown Seattle, Ekata is growing internationally with offices in Budapest, Amsterdam, and Singapore.

To learn more about the experience of working at Ekata visit: https://ekata.com/careers/ 

Ekata prides itself on celebrating diversity, inclusivity, and being an equal-opportunity employer.