Senior Engineering Manager, Ad Performance Recommendation

We are seeking a Senior Engineering Manager to join our 200+ product development organization and lead our Ad Performance Recommendation team. The team is responsible for developing an innovative AI-powered system that leverages marketing ad tech data and various data sources to identify performance signals and generate actionable recommendations for digital advertisers and marketers. 

As part of the AI Platform organization, you will lead a multidisciplinary team of Data Scientists, ML Engineers, and Software Engineers working to accelerate AI adoption and development across Smartly’s Media, Creative, and Intelligence suite. The team ensures compliance with privacy, security, and ethical guidelines.

This is an opportunity to define the vision and strategy for ML and Data Science applications, drive execution on ambitious goals, and champion AI and ML excellence throughout Smartly.

Smartly is proud to be ranked as a leader in The Forrester Wave™ for Creative AdTech. This recognition reflects our commitment to transforming ad experiences through intelligent creativity, standing as the only platform honored by both Forrester and validated by PwC to be recognized for ad technology to power performance.

To get an idea of some of the work we do, see for example these blog posts:

How We Productized Bayesian Revenue Estimation with Stan

Optimizing Conversions with Predictive Budget Allocation

Here’s What You'll Do:

• Lead and grow the Ad Performance Recommendation team, providing technical direction, strategic vision, and hands-on leadership.
• Drive the development of AdTech-specific ML models foundational AI capabilities (e.g. predictive and simulation techniques) and explore novel approaches that can be applied across Smartly’s products. Optimize existing models for performance, efficiency, and scalability.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with other teams to ensure AI-driven features deliver measurable business and customer impact.
• Ensure compliance with privacy, security, and ethical AI standards in ML applications.
• Foster a strong engineering culture focused on innovation, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Mentor team members through coaching, 1:1s, and career development plans.
• Remove obstacles to enable your team to thrive and deliver exceptional results.
• Partner with recruiting to help scale the team by actively sourcing and closing the best talent. 
• Partner with other leaders in the AI Platform to shape Smartly’s long-term AI strategy and architecture.

• 7+ years of experience in building services and products.
• 5+ years of experience in applying machine learning to real-life problems.
• 3+ years of experience in leading teams.
• Competent with key technologies in ML; PyTorch, TensorFlow, Python, SQL.  
• Able to mentor, coach, and develop data scientists and machine learning engineers
• Proven experience in delivering scalable ML systems in production. You will need to be hands-on when coaching the team members to new technical and professional heights, which can involve code reviews, pair programming, etc.
• A pragmatic mindset. We always aim to create value to our customers. We're also working on production systems and our customers' business depends on it.
• Curiosity and the drive to continuously learn through study and experimentation on the job.  
• Ability to drive both technical excellence and cross-functional collaboration.
• Understanding of security and compliance requirements when working with personal data.
• M.Sc. or Ph.D. in a relevant field (Mathematics, CS, AI, Physics, …).
• Excellent communication skills, written and spoken English
• Ability to work 3 days / week at our office

• Ownership Culture: Make a significant impact on our products with autonomy and ownership.
• Industry Collaboration: Collaborate with leading online marketers and platforms like Meta, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok, and Google.
• Professional Development: Access opportunities for growth through mentorship, training, and resources to enhance your skills.
• Wellbeing Focus: Prioritize your health with comprehensive healthcare packages and mental health services, plus a healthy work-life balance.
• Total Rewards: Everyone at Smartly is an owner with our equity options program and performance-based grants. We recognize success with compensation, benefits, and career development opportunities. 
• We work in a flexible hybrid work model, including the option to work abroad for up to 30 days.

Smartly is committed to being the best place to work for growth-minded individuals to thrive - explore more in our Culture Handbook!

• Meet your Recruiter: Get to know each other and learn about working at Smartly.
• Meet the Team Manager: Gain deeper insights into your future team.
• Meet the Team in Subject Matter Interviews: Engage in a case study and showcase your domain knowledge.
• Meet the Leadership in a Final Meeting: A brief discussion with our Chief Technical Officer.

Apply now and shape the future of digital advertising!