Data Operations, Sr. Manager

About Lantern

Lantern is the specialty care platform connecting people with the best care when they need it most. By curating a Network of Excellence comprised of the nation's top specialists for surgery, cancer care, infusions and more, Lantern delivers excellent care with significant cost savings to employers and their workforces. Lantern also pairs members with a dedicated care team, including Care Advocates and nurses, for the entirety of their care journey, helping them get back to good health, back to their families and back to work. With convenient access to specialists nationwide, Lantern means quality care is within driving distance for most. Lantern is trusted by the nation's largest employers to deliver care to more than 6 million members across the country. Learn more about us at lanterncare.com. 

About You:

• You use LOGIC in your decision making and understand that progress is critical to making change. You focus on the execution of your content while balancing a fast-paced environment and you take the time to celebrate both the small & big wins. 
• INCLUSION is a core tenant of your personal beliefs. A diverse and inclusive environment is incredibly important to you. You understand and desire to be a part of a diverse team with different experiences and perspectives & you cherish the differences in each individual that you interact with.
• You have the GRIT, drive and ambition to tackle big problems. Big problems require big ideas and a team that supports new ideas. 
• You care deeply for your customers are driven to keep HUMANITY in all decisions. Your customers aren't just the individuals using your product. They are the driving factor in your motivation to make a change.
• Integrity guides you in life. Focusing on the TRUTH vs. giving people the answers they want to hear. 
• You thrive in a Team Environment. Collaboration is key in innovation and creating change.

These pillars of LIGHT are a reminder to our team that we are making a difference by providing guidance and support in navigating the often complex and confusing landscape of healthcare. We hope that through this LIGHT, individuals can find their way to the best care, resources, and support they need to get back to life. 

If this sounds like you, we would love to connect to speak further about career opportunities at Lantern.

Please apply to our role & someone from our Talent Acquisition Team will reach out to help you navigate our interview process.

Data Operations, Sr. Manager

Reports to:  Director of Data 

JOB OVERVIEW  

We are seeking a hands-on, customer‑facing Data Operations Leader to oversee and mature our data operations function. This role combines technical depth with operational leadership-monitoring daily data workflows, working directly with healthcare clients, and partnering across Product, Analytics, Governance, and Engineering to deliver scalable, high‑quality data solutions. 

The ideal candidate is comfortable using SQL, python, spark, and orchestration tools to triage operational issues, dig into file-level details, and improve reliability through automation. This candidate has experience creating tools to improve data observability, and documentation, as well as demonstrated experience utilizing AI to improve operational efficiency. This person acts as a "player‑coach" and will need to balance hands-on technical work, coaching the Data Operations team, and working directly with internal stakeholders. 

Location: Dallas, TX - Hybrid schedule (3x in office per week)

Responsibilities:  

As the leader of the Data Operations Team: 

• Communication & Engagement 

• Partner with internal teams and external clients to align on data formats, specifications, and integration requirements. Provide clear explanations of healthcare file logic and proactively communicate issues, timelines, and resolutions to reduce escalations. 

• Operational Ownership & Responsiveness 

• Monitor daily data pipelines, alerts, and file transfers; triage and resolve issues quickly to maintain reliable operations. Take ownership of cross-functional issues, even when the root cause spans multiple teams, and ensure stakeholders are informed throughout. 

• Process Improvement & Automation 

• Identify manual steps in file processing, validation, and monitoring and replace them with automated, scalable solutions using Databricks, Python, and Azure tooling. Drive initiatives that reduce operational overhead and improve self-service, including automated QA, schema validation, and observability enhancements. 

• Monitoring, Data Quality & Observability 

• Implement and maintain robust monitoring to detect anomalies in inbound and outbound healthcare files, including 834/837 and flat file formats. Expand logging, alerting, and data quality frameworks to catch issues early and minimize client impact. 

• Technical Leadership 

• Provide hands-on leadership and coaching with SQL, data pipelines, and healthcare data structures-including reviewing notebooks, debugging SQL, validating transformations, and guiding root-cause investigations. Collaborate with Engineering, Cloud Infrastructure, and Governance on scalable architecture and DevOps/Data DevOps best practices. 

• Team Leadership & Coordination 

• Lead the Data Operations team through daily standups, clear prioritization, and coaching. Ensure runbooks, documentation, and onboarding materials are current, and support the team in resolving incidents and onboarding new data assets. 

Requirements: 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. 
• 5+ years of experience in SQL with the ability to write complex queries. 
• 3+ years of experience performing ETL and data engineering tasks. 
• 3+ years of experience with Big Data technologies such as Databricks, Python, and Data Lakes. 

Technical Skills 

• Proficiency in: 
• SQL 
• Azure Data Services (including Azure Data Factory) 
• Databricks 
• Python 
• Strong understanding of DevOps/Data DevOps concepts. 
• Experience with data observability tools and practices. 
• Familiarity with data quality frameworks and automation tools. 

Healthcare Domain Experience 

• Experience with healthcare EDI formats (834, 837, etc.) 
• Understanding of eligibility, claims, accumulators, and healthcare reporting concepts 
• Familiarity with PHI handling, HIPAA considerations, and governance practices 

Core Competencies 

• Ability to monitor, diagnose, and improve data observability and integrity  
• Capable of handling ad hoc data investigations and resolving complex issues  
• Strong documentation habits, including runbooks, specs, and process guides  
• Skilled at onboarding and validating new data feeds and assets  
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills 

Soft Skills & Intrinsics 

• Excellent communicator-able to translate technical concepts for clients and internal partners  
• Strong cross-functional collaborator with Product, Analytics, Governance, Engineering, and Infrastructure  
• Adaptability to evolving business models and healthcare needs  
• Customer-first mindset with the ability to engage confidently on client calls 

Strong Candidates Will:  

• Have SQL/Python experience specific to healthcare data  
• Be comfortable acting as both an individual contributor and team leader ("player coach")  
• Demonstrate experience improving operational reliability, automation, or observability  
• Value diversity, inclusion, and collaborative teamwork 

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short & Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• 401k with company match
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave

Lantern does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.