[Remote] Director, Engineering - Avalara Developer Experience Platform

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Avalara is an AI-first company that focuses on tax compliance technology. They are seeking a Director of Engineering to lead the Agentic Developer Experience Platform, responsible for enhancing the external developer experience, managing documentation, and driving integration acceleration with AI-powered tools.ResponsibilitiesBuild and evolve the external MCP-based interface and tool catalog for building integrationsStandardize how APIs and capabilities are exposed to AI agentsDefine best practices for agent-tool interactions (schemas, patterns, guardrails)Own the developer documentation platform, IA, and UXEnsure documentation freshness and accuracy via automation (spec ↔ docs sync, drift detection)Deliver task-oriented, cross-product integration guidesProvide API exploration, testing, and simulation environmentsEnable safe experimentation for developers and agents (mock + sandbox)Build and maintain reference implementations and starter kitsDeliver agent-ready examples, prompts, and integration patternsDefine and promote 'golden paths' for common integrationsDevelop AI-powered tools and workflows that reduce time-to-integrationCreate reusable 'skills' for common use cases (e.g., tax calculation flows)Enable partners to build faster using AI-assisted approachesDefine and drive adoption of API, MCP, and documentation standardsPartner with product teams to ensure consistent external experienceEstablish versioning, deprecation, and usability guidelinesLead developer onboarding and partner integration journeysSupport strategic partners with co-build and acceleration frameworksImprove integration success rates across the ecosystemDefine and track DX metrics (time-to-first-success, integration success rate, agent task completion)Build feedback loops from usage, errors, and developer inputContinuously improve experience based on real-world signalsSkillsB.S. in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field AND 12+ years of relevant experience in developer platforms, APIs, or DX leadership rolesExperience leading developer platforms or DX initiatives at scaleExperience building external platforms or partner ecosystemsProven ability to influence across teamsExperience defining and driving platform standardsDeep understanding of API design and developer workflowsDemonstrated experience with AI/LLM or agent-based systemsStrong data-driven mindsetStrong product and platform thinkingProven ability to influence across teams without direct ownershipCuriosity that uncovers opportunities where none seemingly existCustomer obsession that inspires product engineering teams to reduce debt and backlog and improve overall consistencyHands-on leadership mindsetRoll-up-your-sleeves mindset with willingness to leverage the latest tools, demonstrate how things should be done, and raise the bar for your team and peersBenefitsPaid time offPaid parental leaveMany Avalara employees are eligible for bonusesBenefits vary by location but generally include private medical, life, and disability insuranceAvalara strongly supports diversity, equity, and inclusion, and is committed to integrating them into our business practices and our organizational cultureA total of 8 employee-run resource groups, each with senior leadership and exec sponsorshipCompany OverviewAvalara is a cloud-based platform that provides tax compliance software and automated solutions. It was founded in 2004, and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, USA, with a workforce of 5001-10000 employees. Its website is http://www.avalara.com.Company H1B SponsorshipAvalara has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 4 in 2026, 26 in 2025, 33 in 2024, 35 in 2023, 37 in 2022, 39 in 2021, 26 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role.