Description
About the Role
You’ll lead the team responsible for Vercel’s CDN, proxy, and edge caching systems,the core infrastructure that powers performance, reliability, and cost efficiency for every customer request at Vercel. Your mandate is twofold: Operate critical systems exceptionally (latency, reliability, COGS), and align the team to product and business goals, translating strategy into a clear roadmap.
You will set direction, grow people, and create the conditions for high trust, high autonomy, and high output,balancing technical depth with strong people leadership. This is a manager role, not a principal IC role. You’ll code when it’s the highest leverage (e.g., prototypes/unblocking), but your default is delegation, coaching, and alignment.
Responsibilities
- Lead the team responsible for Vercel's CDN, proxy, and edge caching systems
- Operate critical systems exceptionally, focusing on latency, reliability, and cost efficiency
- Align the team with product and business goals, creating a clear roadmap
- Set direction, grow people, and foster high trust, autonomy, and output
- Balance technical depth with strong people leadership
- Code when necessary, but primarily focus on delegation, coaching, and alignment
Requirements
- 8+ years building and operating large-scale distributed systems
- 3+ years managing engineers (managing managers is a plus)
- Demonstrated success leading CDN/proxy/caching/edge or similar high-throughput, low-latency infrastructure
- Proven ability to translate business goals into technical strategy and drive cross-org alignment
- Track record establishing trust, psychological safety, and clear expectations; skilled at timely, candid feedback
- Strong facilitator in technical conflict,listen, synthesize, decide, and bring the team with you
- Competence across HTTP, TLS, caching strategies, load shedding, capacity planning, observability, and cost optimization
Nice to Have
- Experience with Go, Lua, or Node at the edge
- Running high-signal hiring pipelines
- Collaborating with product/PMM on customer-facing narratives
Benefits & Compensation
- Competitive compensation package, including equity
- Inclusive Healthcare Package
- Opportunities for learning and growth, including mentorship and event sponsorships
- Flexible Time Off
- Gear and WFH budget provided
The San Francisco, CA base pay range for this role is $196,000.00 - $336,000.00. Actual salary will be based on job-related skills, experience, and location.