Manager - Data Engineering & Operations

Position: Manager- Data Engineering & OperationsDepartment: Business Strategy & AnalyticsReporting Relationship: Reports to the Director- Business AnalyticsStatus: Full-Time (Exempt)

Organization OverviewTepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) is one of the fastest growing companies in the industry. It owns and operates sports teams - including the NFL's Carolina Panthers and MLS's Charlotte Football Club. TSE also owns and operates venues - including Bank of America Stadium and the Atrium Health Performance Park Additionally, TSE produces live events - including concerts and other sporting events like international soccer matches, college football games, and much more.

Position SummaryTepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) is seeking a Manager of Data Engineering & Operations to architect and scale the unified data foundation powering the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC.Reporting to the Director of Business Analytics, this role serves as the enterprise owner of data integrations, data infrastructure, and automation workflows across CRM, ticketing, digital, mobile app, marketing automation, and fan engagement platforms.

This position is critical to enabling TSE's ambition to become an industry leader in 1:1 marketing, predictive analytics, and AI-enabled fan engagement. The Manager will work closely with both the NFL and MLS on their respective 1:1 Fan Engagement and Fan Genome initiatives to ensure seamless data alignment and integration at the league level.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Enterprise Data Integration & Architecture

Own and manage all data integrations across TSE systems (CRM, ticketing, marketing automation, mobile app, web, loyalty, partnerships, etc.)Design, build, and maintain scalable batch and real-time data pipelinesLead development and optimization of TSE's enterprise data lake and unified fan data environmentOversee identity resolution and master data management processesPartner with Technology and external vendors to evaluate and implement new data toolsEnsure league-required data integrations align with NFL 1:1 Fan Engagement initiatives and MLS Fan Genome standards

2. Automation & Workflow Enablement

Build and maintain automated data workflows that power personalized 1:1 marketing journeysEnable campaign triggers, lead scoring pipelines, renewal intent models, and lifecycle orchestrationSupport marketing and sales teams by ensuring real-time data availability and automation readinessReduce manual reporting and data processing through scalable system designDevelop infrastructure to support next-best-action and recommendation engines

3. Data Integrity, Governance & Privacy

Establish and maintain enterprise data governance standardsMonitor and enforce data quality, accuracy, and completeness across systemsEnsure compliance with privacy, consent management, and league data policiesDevelop validation checks, audit procedures, and system monitoring dashboardsServe as the organizational subject matter expert on data reliability and system health

4. AI Enablement & API Integration

Enable seamless connectivity between TSE's enterprise data systems and approved AI platformsDesign and maintain secure API integrations that allow AI tools to access clean, governed, and production-ready dataEnsure data pipelines are structured to support AI-driven personalization, recommendation engines, scoring models, and automation workflowsMonitor performance, reliability, and security of AI-related data integrationsSupport ingestion and output routing of AI-generated insights back into CRM, marketing automation, ticketing, and other operational systemsEnsure compliance with league data standards and internal governance policies when integrating AI tools

5. Cross-Functional & League Collaboration

Work closely with Marketing, Ticketing, Partnerships, CRM, Technology, and Finance teamsTranslate business requirements into scalable data solutionsCollaborate directly with NFL and MLS data and technology teams on Fan Engagement and Fan Genome initiativesRepresent TSE in league-level working groups related to data standards and integrationsSupport enterprise initiatives including stadium renovation modeling and future fan technology evaluation

Minimum Qualifications

5-8+ years of experience in data engineering, analytics engineering, or related fieldExpertise building ETL/ELT pipelines and scalable data workflowsExperience with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, Azure, AWS, etc.)Strong SQL proficiency and experience with PythonExperience integrating CRM, marketing automation, and digital platformsExperience implementing data governance and quality frameworksMust be flexible and available to work evenings and/or weekends, nights, and holidays as neededMust pass pre-employment screens

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in sports, entertainment, media, or consumer-facing businessesExperience working with league or enterprise-level data standardsExperience operationalizing machine learning modelsFamiliarity with real-time streaming technologiesExposure to CDPs, identity resolution, and customer journey orchestration platforms

Skills & Competencies

Excellent organizational and communication skillsWorks well within a collaborative, team-driven, and goal-based environment.Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple priorities.Demonstrated sound judgment, professionalism, and accountability.Strong work ethic and attention to detail.Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.Commitment to the values and standards of Tepper Sports & Entertainment.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment, and will require work at stadium events, as mentioned above, on nights, weekends, and holidays. It may also require travel to off-site partnership events.