[Hiring] Practice Lead @Percona

Role Description

The Practice Lead for AWS is a hands-on leader dedicated to helping customers get the most out of open-source databases running on AWS and the broader AWS ecosystem around them (EKS, Aurora, RDS, ElastiCache, MSK, and the like). While the primary focus is on database environments, the Lead provides architectural guidance across the surrounding infrastructure whenever it affects database performance, cost, or reliability.

As a recognized thought leader, the Practice Lead stays at the forefront of how the AWS platform is evolving, offering strategic advice and direct assistance with complex implementations and migrations.

This is a dedicated, AWS-specific role. We may stand up equivalent practices for other hyperscalers (Azure, GCP) down the road, but for now, the scope is intentionally focused on AWS, and we want deep, real expertise in that ecosystem rather than shallow coverage across three clouds at once.

Our Philosophy: Meet the Customer Where They Are. This role is built around a simple idea: we meet customers where they are, and for a large and growing number of them, that's AWS. The Practice Lead should default to AWS solutions wherever they're the natural, appropriate fit for the customer, and be genuinely enthusiastic about it, not begrudgingly supportive of it.

At the same time, "natural fit" is doing real work in that sentence. If a fully managed AWS service isn't the right call for a given customer's cost, portability, or technical requirements, the Practice Lead should say so plainly and recommend the better path, even if that path runs through self-managed or Percona-supported open-source instead.

The job isn't to force AWS onto customers who don't need it, and it isn't to steer people away from AWS out of some reflexive preference for open source either. It's to give customers a straight, technically grounded recommendation and let the right answer win. That's our value of putting the customer ahead of Percona, in practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Customer Advocacy: Act in the best interest of the customer. You will champion Percona's expertise and, where it fits, Percona software and services, but the customer's outcome always comes first, regardless of which tools or platform features get them there.
• Existing Customer Growth: Look after Percona's existing customer base as it relates to AWS, including:
  • Helping customers already running in AWS environments get more value through performance tuning, cost optimization, or adopting additional AWS or Percona services.
  • Assisting customers who are migrating to AWS to ensure a smooth transition and maintain support and services.
• Product & Partnership Influence: Act as a strategic advisor to internal Percona teams to improve our software and services for customers running on AWS. Work closely with the internal Cloud Partnership team on our formal relationship with AWS.
• Business Growth: Measure success by the revenue and profitability of the AWS Practice, its contribution to Percona subscriptions, partnership revenue, and overall customer satisfaction.
• Thought Leadership: Drive Percona's presence in the AWS and open source database space through content creation, professional networking, and speaking engagements at industry conferences and AWS-specific events.
• Service Design: Architect professional service offerings and packages designed for high market impact and successful customer adoption.
• Sales & Marketing Enablement: Serve as a "Super Expert" Solutions Architect during pre-sales cycles and work closely with Marketing on technical campaigns.
• Practice Building: Hire and mentor a dedicated team to expand the AWS Practice as the business scales.

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in AWS services and open-source databases.
• Strong communication and customer advocacy skills.
• Experience in strategic advisory roles and partnership management.
• Proven track record in business growth and customer satisfaction.
• Ability to create impactful service offerings and lead teams.

Benefits

• Flexible work hours and various paid time off programs.
• All necessary equipment for your remote office.
• Funds for career development (external training, certifications, conferences).
• Ongoing connectivity allowances.
• Opportunity to participate in our equity incentive plan.
• Support for a healthy work/life balance through various programs.
• Social responsibility initiatives through our PAVE volunteering program.