Director, Release Management Engineering

Job Description Cox Automotive is modernizing how technology is deployed across its platforms. As part of this transformation, we are shifting from traditional, manual deployment approvals to a model built on automation, intelligent guardrails, policy-as-code, and AI-driven risk analysis.We are seeking a Director of Release Management Engineering to lead the strategy, governance, and optimization of our enterprise software delivery pipelines and infrastructure deployments. This leader will ensure our releases are secure, reliable, compliant, and delivered at scale across hundreds of applications.The ideal candidate blends strong technical expertise in CI/CD engineering with the ability to shape enterprise standards, automate compliance, and partner with teams across Engineering, SRE, Security, and Operations.Key ResponsibilitiesLead the design and governance of enterprise CI/CD pipeline standards.Embed automated compliance, security checks, and policy-as-code into delivery workflows.Oversee release orchestration and deployment automation.Integrate pipeline events with Change Management for automated risk scoring and documentation.Define and report key delivery metrics (lead time, deployment frequency, failure rate).Partner with engineering and operations teams to improve release quality and delivery speed.Lead and develop a high-performing Release Management Engineering team.Qualifications10+ years in DevOps, SRE, Platform Engineering, Release Management, or similar.5+ years leading engineering or cross-functional delivery teams.Hands-on experience with CI/CD tools (GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, Jenkins).Strong understanding of cloud platforms, containerization, and modern deployment strategies.Experience applying compliance or audit requirements within automated pipelines.Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field or equivalent experience (Master’s preferred).Preferred QualificationsExperience driving enterprise-wide pipeline standardization.Knowledge of Terraform, Helm, or similar IaC tools.Familiarity with DORA metrics and continuous delivery best practices.Experience modernizing Change Management models (risk-based approvals, automation).Drug TestingTo be employed in this role, you’ll need to clear a pre-employment drug test. Cox Automotive does not currently administer a pre-employment drug test for marijuana for this position. However, we are a drug-free workplace, so the possession, use or being under the influence of drugs illegal under federal or state law during work hours, on company property and/or in company vehicles is prohibited.BenefitsThe Company offers eligible employees the flexibility to take as much vacation with pay as they deem consistent with their duties, the company’s needs, and its obligations; seven paid holidays throughout the calendar year; and up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually for their own wellness or that of family members. Employees are also eligible for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, and parental leave.About UsThrough groundbreaking technology and a commitment to stellar experiences for drivers and dealers alike, Cox Automotive employees are transforming the way the world buys, owns, sells – or simply uses – cars. Cox Automotive employees get to work on iconic consumer brands like Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book and industry-leading dealer-facing companies like vAuto and Manheim, all while enjoying the people-centered atmosphere that is central to our life at Cox. Benefits of working at Cox may include health care insurance (medical, dental, vision), retirement planning (401(k)), and paid days off (sick leave, parental leave, flexible vacation/wellness days, and/or PTO). For more details on what benefits you may be offered, visit our benefits page. Cox is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer – All qualified applicants/employees will receive consideration for employment without regard to that individual’s age, race, color, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information, ethnicity, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law. Cox provides reasonable accommodations when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with disability, unless such accommodations would cause an undue hardship.