Senior Manager AEP

Looking for a hands-on Adobe Experience Platform (AEP) in TX location and Adobe Journey Optimizer (AJO) Architect to design, build, and scale our enterprise Customer Data Platform (CDP) ecosystem. This is not a pure PowerPoint-architect role; you will be expected to be deep in schema design, dataset configuration, identity resolution, segmentation logic, and journey orchestration alongside the engineering team, while also owning the architectural blueprint for how AEP integrates across our broader data and Martech landscape.

Key Responsibilities

Real-Time CDP (RT CDP) Design & Implementation
Architect and configure Real-Time CDP: XDM schemas, class/field group design, datasets, identity namespaces, and identity graph strategy
Design and build audience segmentation (streaming and batch), merge policies, and profile fragment strategy
Own data governance implementation, including data usage labels (DULE), sandboxes (dev/stage/prod), and access controls
Data Modeling & Ingestion
Design canonical and source-aligned XDM schemas that scale across multiple business units, brands, and data domains
Architect ingestion pipelines from batch (CSV, Parquet, cloud storage), streaming (Web/Mobile SDK, server-side), and API-based sources into AEP
Define and enforce data quality, deduplication, and identity stitching rules across first-, second-, and third-party data
Partner with data engineering on source-to-target mapping and reconcile CDP data models with the enterprise data warehouse/lakehouse
Platform Setup & Administration
Lead end-to-end platform provisioning: sandbox strategy, environment promotion, access/role management, and platform governance frameworks
Establish CI/CD and configuration-as-code practices for AEP (schemas, datasets, segments) where applicable
Monitor platform health, data latency, ingestion failures, and segment/profile performance; drive optimization
Adobe Journey Optimizer (AJO)
Architect customer journeys, event-based triggers, and decisioning logic within AJO
Design cross-channel orchestration (email, push, SMS, in-app, direct mail, paid/offline via Destinations)
Integrate AJO with RT CDP profiles/audiences and external channel/partner systems for activation
Enterprise Integration Patterns
Define reusable integration patterns for connecting AEP RT CDP with:
Upstream sources: CRM, POS, e-commerce, mobile apps, web analytics, IoT/offline systems
Downstream destinations/partners: ad platforms, ESPs, data warehouses, personalization engines, and other MarTech/AdTech tools
Architect real-time and batch activation via Adobe Destinations (Streaming, Batch, Cloud Storage) and custom/webhook destinations
Establish standards for API-led connectivity, event-driven architecture, and pub/sub patterns feeding AEP
Ensure solutions align with enterprise data privacy, consent, and compliance requirements (GDPR/CCPA)

Leadership & Collaboration
Act as the technical authority on AEP/AJO for engineering, marketing, and data teams
Mentor implementation engineers/developers on best practices
Partner with Adobe account teams on roadmap, platform limits, and escalations

Required Skills & Experience
Strong stakeholder communication: able to translate business requirements into technical architecture and vice versa
Comfortable owning ambiguity in a fast-evolving platform (Adobe ships frequent updates)
Documentation discipline: architecture diagrams, data dictionaries, integration runbooks
Must 2+ years hands-on experience with Adobe Experience Platform (Real-Time CDP) and Adobe Journey Optimizer in production environments
Strong expertise in XDM schema design, identity resolution/graph, segmentation (streaming & batch), and profile management
Proven experience with data ingestion methods: Source Connectors, Streaming Ingestion API, Batch Ingestion API, Web/Mobile SDKs
Solid understanding of enterprise data architecture patterns, including event-driven design, API integration, ETL/ELT, and pub/sub
Experience integrating AEP with CRM, DMPs, CDPs, ESPs, ad platforms, and data warehouses/lakehouses (Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, etc.)
Working knowledge of Adobe Analytics, Adobe Target, and Customer Journey Analytics (CJA), for integration context, not necessarily deep configuration
Proficiency with JSON, JavaScript, SQL; familiarity with Postman/API testing
Understanding of data privacy/consent frameworks and how they're operationalized in AEP (DULE, consent flags)
Experience with cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/Google Cloud Platform) as they relate to data pipelines feeding AEP

Preferred Qualifications
Adobe Certified Expert, AEP Architect / AJO certification
Experience with Adobe Experience Platform APIs and Adobe I/O
Familiarity with Composable CDP / Federated Audience Composition
Background in customer data strategy, MDM, or identity resolution platforms outside Adobe (e.g., Tresure Data, Segment, mParticle, Tealium)

Horizontal is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where different perspectives are valued and respected. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply and bring their unique experiences to the team.

By applying for this position, you acknowledge and agree that Horizontal Talent may contact you regarding your application using automated technology, including phone calls, SMS/text messages, or email, which may be delivered by our virtual AI recruiter, Alex.