Job Description

Overview:

Avalara seeks an experienced Manager - Automation to lead the Returns Engineering automation team. In this role, you will oversee a team of 5-Automation Engineers, working closely with Engineering leads to achieve automation objectives, primary goals of enhancing efficiency, reducing risk, and ensuring an excellent customer experience.



Key Responsibilities:


Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing automation engineering team.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, provide feedback, and foster a collaborative team culture.
• Define team goals, monitor performance, and ensure timely project delivery.

Automation Strategy, Planning, Maintenance and Support

• Develop and implement a comprehensive automation strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Identify and prioritize automation opportunities across the organization.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and best practices.
• Maintain and support existing automation.


Project Management

• Oversee multiple automation projects, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define scope, set objectives, and measure outcomes.
• Monitor progress, address issues as they arise, and provide status updates.

Technical Leadership

• Lead the team in designing, developing, and maintaining automation frameworks and test scripts.
• Provide technical expertise and hands-on support for automation tools and technologies.
• Continuously evaluate new tools and techniques to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.

Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Collaborate with engineering, product, and quality assurance teams to identify automation needs and develop solutions.
• Establish metrics to measure the impact and effectiveness of automation initiatives.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and best practice adoption.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Ensure automated systems meet security, data privacy, and regulatory standards.
• Proactively manage risks associated with automation processes, including system failures and resource dependencies.
• Implement safeguards to minimize business disruptions from automation failures or anomalies.

Qualifications:

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience:
• 10+ years of experience in software engineering or automation, with at least 2 years in a management role.
• Proven track record in managing and delivering successful automation projects.
• Experience with automation tools such as Selenium, Jenkins, Ansible, or similar frameworks.
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and project management principles.
• Technical Skills:
• Strong knowledge of RPA tools like UIPath, Robocorp, or similar.
• Proficiency in CI/CD tools and methodologies.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) is a plus.
• Soft Skills
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to influence and collaborate across functions, especially with engineering, product, and operations teams.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.



About Avalara:

We're Avalara. We're defining the relationship between tax and tech.

We've already built an industry-leading cloud compliance platform, processing nearly 40 billion customer API calls and over 5 million tax returns a year.

Last year, we became a billion-dollar business•,• and our tribe expanded by a cool thousand people - there's nearly 5,000 of us now. Our growth is real, and we're not slowing down - not until we've achieved our mission - to be part of every transaction in the world.

We're bright, innovative and disruptive, like the orange we love to wear. It captures our quirky spirit and optimistic mindset. It shows off the culture we've designed, that empowers our people to win. Ownership and achievement go hand in hand here. We instill passion in our people through the trust we place in them.

We've been different from day one. Join us, and your career will be too. EEO Statement
We're an Equal Opportunity Employer. Supporting diversity and inclusion is a cornerstone of our company -- we don't want people to fit into our culture, but to enrich it. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, national orientation, disability, sexual orientation, US Veteran status, or any other factor protected by law. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.