Sr Dir Forward Deployed Engineering

Define and execute the multi-year strategy for the Forward Deployed Engineering function Establish FDE as a scalable, repeatable capability supporting enterprise growth and retention Align FDE strategy with broader Engineering, Product, and Go-To-Market priorities Own and evolve operating models, engagement frameworks, and governance standards Develop and manage budgets, headcount planning, and investment strategy for the function Lead, develop, and mentor a team of Directors, Managers, and senior technical leaders Build and scale multiple FDE teams supporting diverse enterprise segments and use cases Drive leadership development, succession planning, and organizational design Establish consistent performance management, delivery standards, and career frameworks Foster a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and innovation across teams Serve as an executive technical sponsor for the most strategic enterprise accounts Build and maintain relationships with CIOs, CTOs, and senior business executives Influence and support high-value enterprise deals, renewals, and expansions Own executive-level escalations and ensure successful resolution of critical customer challenges Drive measurable impact on ARR, NRR, and enterprise time-to-value Define enterprise architecture standards for complex integrations across HRIS, Payroll, WFM, ERP, IAM, and related systems Ensure scalability, security, and governance across all customer implementations Establish reusable frameworks, accelerators, and reference architectures Guide teams on resolving highly complex architectural challenges and edge cases Partner with Product and Core Engineering leadership to influence roadmap and platform evolution 12+ years of experience in enterprise software engineering, architecture, or related fields 8+ years of leadership experience, including leading leaders (Directors/Managers) Deep expertise in HCM, Payroll, WFM, HRIS, or adjacent enterprise SaaS ecosystems Strong systems integration experience (APIs, IAM, data pipelines, cloud architectures) Demonstrated ability to influence executive stakeholders internally and externally Experience owning or significantly influencing revenue outcomes and business strategy Experience building or scaling forward deployed, field engineering, or solutions architecture organizations Background in enterprise SaaS product companies Experience in compliance-sensitive environments (SOX, GDPR, SOC 2) Proven track record of building reusable technical IP and scalable delivery models You operate as both a strategic executive and a technical authority You can scale organizations, not just solve individual customer problems You influence decisions at the highest levels of the company and with customers You balance long-term platform integrity with short-term business needs You develop leaders who can independently drive impact Success Metrics Scaled growth and maturity of the FDE organization Expansion ARR and enterprise revenue influenced by FDE Improvement in enterprise NRR and customer satisfaction Reduction in time-to-value across enterprise implementations Adoption of reusable accelerators and architectural standards Reduction in critical escalations and improved delivery predictability Strength and retention of leadership bench within FDE Partner with executive leaders across Sales, Customer Success, Product, and Engineering Shape enterprise go-to-market strategies and technical positioning Drive feedback loops from field engagements into product and platform improvements Influence company-wide priorities related to enterprise delivery, integrations, and customer experience