Manager – Data Engineering & Operations

Position:                            Manager – Data Engineering & Operations              Department:                      Business Strategy & Analytics                Reporting Relationship:  Reports to the Director – Business Analytics Status:                               Full-Time (Exempt)   Organization Overview Tepper 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 Summary Tepper 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 pipelines Lead development and optimization of TSE’s enterprise data lake and unified fan data environment Oversee identity resolution and master data management processes Partner with Technology and external vendors to evaluate and implement new data tools Ensure 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 journeys Enable campaign triggers, lead scoring pipelines, renewal intent models, and lifecycle orchestration Support marketing and sales teams by ensuring real-time data availability and automation readiness Reduce manual reporting and data processing through scalable system design Develop infrastructure to support next-best-action and recommendation engines 3. Data Integrity, Governance & Privacy Establish and maintain enterprise data governance standards Monitor and enforce data quality, accuracy, and completeness across systems Ensure compliance with privacy, consent management, and league data policies Develop validation checks, audit procedures, and system monitoring dashboards Serve 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 platforms Design and maintain secure API integrations that allow AI tools to access clean, governed, and production-ready data Ensure data pipelines are structured to support AI-driven personalization, recommendation engines, scoring models, and automation workflows Monitor performance, reliability, and security of AI-related data integrations Support ingestion and output routing of AI-generated insights back into CRM, marketing automation, ticketing, and other operational systems Ensure 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 teams Translate business requirements into scalable data solutions Collaborate directly with NFL and MLS data and technology teams on Fan Engagement and Fan Genome initiatives Represent TSE in league-level working groups related to data standards and integrations Support 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 field Expertise building ETL/ELT pipelines and scalable data workflows Experience with cloud data platforms (Snowflake, Azure, AWS, etc.) Strong SQL proficiency and experience with Python Experience integrating CRM, marketing automation, and digital platforms Experience implementing data governance and quality frameworks Must be flexible and available to work evenings and/or weekends, nights, and holidays as needed Must pass pre-employment screens   Preferred Qualifications Experience in sports, entertainment, media, or consumer-facing businesses Experience working with league or enterprise-level data standards Experience operationalizing machine learning models Familiarity with real-time streaming technologies Exposure to CDPs, identity resolution, and customer journey orchestration platforms   Skills & Competencies Excellent organizational and communication skills Works 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.