Technical Lead

Purpose: Acts as the primary client-facing technical lead responsible for governing the production application environment while driving modernization across engineering, data, reporting, CI/CD, security, logging, testing, SDLC governance, runbook creation, and nearshore delivery execution aligned to Client priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary client-facing technical owner for Client delivery, coordinating application, data, reporting, and operational modernization initiatives under a nearshore delivery model.
• Assess data engineering processes, Excel-heavy workflows, ingestion logic, reporting limitations, access models, PCRS reporting needs, and platform constraints to recommend practical modernization priorities.
• Provide technical guidance for a live Django/JavaScript production application, including coordination with development resources operating on an on-premises Windows Server/IIS stack.
• Drive implementation of source control improvements and CI/CD pipelines that reduce manual deployment risk, improve release reliability, and support repeatable engineering execution.
• Conduct code reviews and contribute to branch rules, repository standards, ownership models, and development practices that improve control and maintainability.
• Implement or govern structured logging, alerting dashboards, health checks, application monitoring, and stability practices to improve visibility into production behavior and error conditions.
• Document secrets management approaches, support initial migration of secrets into a controlled vault model, and align access review practices with security requirements.
• Formalize SDLC governance through runbooks, validation regimens, operational documentation, testing guidance, and delivery standards that support repeatable execution and reduce dependency on informal processes.
• Direct supporting nearshore and data/reporting resources, clarify task-level priorities, manage delivery sequencing, and track execution against agreed business outcomes.
• Translate technical findings into clear recommendations for leadership, balancing hands-on enablement with advisory responsibilities.
• Identify practical automation, reporting, AI, RPA, and future-phase scalability opportunities where they support measurable process improvement.
• Lead assessment and modernization planning for Excel-dependent workflows, dependent workbooks, data flows, dashboard gaps, and reporting bottlenecks to reduce manual effort and improve decision support.
• Guide the design of centralized database structures, extensible datasets, reporting layers, validation routines, data pipelines, and Power BI or equivalent dashboarding solutions.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 8–10+ years of experience across full-stack software engineering, technical leadership, production application ownership, data engineering, reporting modernization, application operations, or related disciplines.
• Hands-on experience with Django, Python backend development, JavaScript frontend development, and relational database management.
• Demonstrated experience setting up, managing, or improving CI/CD pipelines and release practices using Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or equivalent tooling.
• Strong working knowledge of SQL Server, SQL, data modeling, reporting layers, and scalable database design considerations.
• Practical experience with Windows Server environments, IIS, staging environments, and production application operations.
• Experience with Power BI, dashboarding, centralized reporting, or equivalent data visualization and business intelligence solutions.
• Solid understanding of application security principles including authentication flows, secrets management, vaulting practices, input validation, access control, and user provisioning.
• Proven ability to conduct code reviews, assess technical debt, document risks, define validation approaches, and recommend practical remediation steps.
• Experience modernizing Excel-based reporting processes, centralizing datasets, improving PCRS or comparable operational reporting, creating dashboards, and migrating business workflows to more scalable data and reporting platforms.
• Ability to operate as a hybrid architect, hands-on lead, and advisor in a fast-moving, resource-constrained environment.
• Experience leading small distributed, nearshore, or cross-functional teams, including hands-on coordination of supporting data and reporting resources, is preferred.

General Knowledge:

• Strong grasp of SDLC governance frameworks, CI/CD operating models, engineering best practices, development standards, and full application lifecycle management.
• Working knowledge of open-source license compliance, IP risk management, code ownership, and technical documentation practices.
• Familiarity with monitoring, observability, structured logging, alerting dashboards, health checks, incident response, and application support practices.
• Understanding of data governance, reporting standards, dashboard development, PCRS or comparable reporting environments, access models, validation regimens, automation opportunities, and scalable analytics operating models.
• Working knowledge of controlled secrets management, vault-based credential handling, runbook documentation, and production error-handling practices.
• Ability to translate complex technical issues into clear business recommendations for non-technical stakeholders.