Engineering Leadership That Scales Startups
I help startups and scale-ups build high-performing engineering organizations, establish platform strategies, and drive operational excellence through proven leadership and hands-on experience from Google, LinkedIn, FireEye, and beyond.
Experience at leading companies
Google - LinkedIn - FireEye - Pantheon - AppOmni
About me
From Pune to Silicon Valley—A Journey Through Tech's Evolution
My engineering journey began in India and led me to Silicon Valley, where for over 20 years I've built and scaled products and organizations at companies that shape how the world works—Google, LinkedIn, FireEye, Pantheon, and most recently AppOmni.
I've lived every stage of the engineering leadership spectrum—from hands-on individual contributor to executive leader responsible for platform, data, and product organizations. I've built and scaled globally distributed teams, including growing a 70-person platform engineering organization at Pantheon and establishing the Data Layer organization at AppOmni to 30 engineers in under a year. My work with AI has spanned both product innovation and operational leverage—building AI-driven capabilities into customer-facing platforms and embedding AI across the end-to-end engineering delivery lifecycle to materially improve speed, quality, and predictability, including a 90% reduction in SaaS integration delivery time.
What differentiates my approach is a focus on compounding impact. I bring deep pattern recognition from scaling systems and teams across multiple companies to help organizations move faster, operate more efficiently, and make smarter technology bets—including where and how to apply AI for real business outcomes. I'm most energized by building high-performing teams, developing strong engineering leaders, and establishing cultures of accountability, clarity, and continuous learning. Whether the challenge is platform scale, operational excellence, or organizational transformation, I bring experience from having done it—successfully—many times before.
“Great engineering isn’t just about code—it’s about people, process, and purpose working in harmony.”
Flexible Engagements, Real Impact
Every startup is different. That's why I offer multiple ways to work together—from deep embedded partnerships to lightweight advisory relationships.
Services I Offer
Fractional Engineering Leadership (VP/Director)
Embedded senior leadership to drive strategy, execution, and scale. I bring Senior Director–level experience across platform, data, and product engineering to help organizations execute with clarity, speed, and accountability.
Engineering strategy & execution
Org design, hiring, and team scaling
Platform & data leadership
Cross-functional alignment with product and business
Leadership coaching & mentorship
Ideal for: Growth-stage startups and PE-backed companies needing senior engineering leadership without a full-time hire
Platform & Cloud Modernization Strategy
Strategic guidance to design, modernize, and scale platforms that accelerate product delivery. I help organizations transition legacy infrastructure to modern, cloud-native platforms while maintaining reliability, customer trust, and delivery momentum.
Platform org design & operating models
Legacy-to-modern transition strategy
Cloud-native architecture & migration sequencing
Developer productivity, reliability, and cost efficiency
Ideal for: Companies modernizing legacy infrastructure, migrating to the cloud, or building durable platform foundations at scale
Engineering Org Transformation & Operational Excellence
Hands-on leadership to improve execution, reliability, and predictability—especially in complex or inherited systems—while building cultures of ownership and accountability.
Engineering org design & team topology
Delivery lifecycle optimization
KTLO reduction & reliability improvement
Engineering operating rhythms & prioritization
Leadership development, culture, and performance management
Ideal for: Companies experiencing execution drag, reliability challenges, or rapid growth-related complexity
AI & Technology Strategy Advisory (Founders, Execs, VC/PE)
Executive-level guidance on applying AI and modern technology where it delivers measurable business and engineering impact—without distraction or hype.
AI-powered product and platform strategy
Applying AI to engineering delivery & operations
AI adoption roadmaps tied to business outcomes
Engineering org assessments & maturity reviews
Founder, executive, and portfolio company coaching
Ideal for: Founders, CTOs, and VC/PE firms navigating AI adoption and technology-driven transformation
Deep Expertise in Platform & Leadership
From building tools at Google and LinkedIn, to leading cybersecurity engineering at FireEye, to directing platform organizations at Pantheon and AppOmni—I bring hands-on technical depth combined with proven leadership at scale.
“I’ve learned that great engineering leadership is about creating the conditions for teams to do their best work—clear strategy, operational discipline, and a culture where people grow and deliver impact together.”
Platform Engineering
Cloud-Native Infrastructure
Kubernetes & Containers
SaaS Integration Platforms
Distributed Systems
CDN & Edge Computing
Operational Excellence
Reliability Engineering
Technical Debt Reduction
Process Improvement
Agile & Scrum
Data-Driven Decisions
Engineering Leadership
Org Scaling & Transformation
Leadership Coaching
Global Team Building
Performance Management
Culture Development
Strategic Execution
Engineering Strategy
Cross-functional Collaboration
Customer-Centric Delivery
Change Management
Risk Mitigation
20+
Years of Experience
From IC to Senior Director
100+
Engineers Led
Across Global Teams
5 -> 70
Team Growth
Platform Org at Pantheon
90%
Faster Delivery
Integration time reduction
What Leaders Say
I measure success by the success of the companies I work with. Here's what some of them have to say.
“Manisha is a visionary engineering leader who combines empathy, organizational excellence, and a passion for innovation. Under her leadership, engineering teams scaled globally, execution became more efficient, and the organization delivered meaningful business impact across revenue, margins, and product innovation.”
— Sunil Bopardikar Technology Executive & Advisor B2B SaaS Platform Company
“Manisha has an exceptional ability to tackle complex challenges with calmness and clarity. She consistently distills intricate technical issues into actionable solutions, enabling productive discussions and swift decision-making even under pressure. Her servant-leadership style empowers teams to perform at their best while maintaining a high bar for excellence.”
— Tim Wooten Customer Support & Operations Leader SaaS Platform Company
“Manisha led platform and cloud engineering teams with the company's best interests always in mind. She built high-performing, energetic teams and was generous with her time and knowledge. Her leadership and support made complex transitions smoother and enabled teams to deliver with confidence.”
— Timothy (Tim) Dzierzek Data Protection Professional Cloud & Security SaaS Company
Experience at leading companiesGoogle - LinkedIn - FireEye - Pantheon - AppOmni
Let’s Talk
Ready To Build Something Great?
Whether you're facing a specific challenge or just want to explore how I might help, I'd love to hear from you. Book a free 30-minute call or send me a message.
Free Strategy Call - 30 mins, no strings attached
Let's discuss your engineering challenges, organizational goals, and how I might help. No pitch, just a real conversation about what you're building.
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