Senior Incident Manager - job 1 of 2

As a Senior Incident Manager at Braze, you will be tasked with overseeing major incident management, managing processes related to incident response, and leading program management initiatives. This includes communicating and executing the incident response strategy, collaborating with various departments to drive incident resolution, and contributing to the blameless post-mortem process.

To qualify for the Senior Incident Manager position at Braze, candidates should have at least 7 years of experience in incident management, operations, or technical support. A strong technical background along with expertise in tools such as Jira, Confluence, and Datadog is essential. Additionally, having flexibility and the ability to manage high-pressure situations is crucial.

The Senior Incident Manager at Braze plays a vital role in supporting the company's growth by ensuring that incident management processes are standardized, optimized, and scalable. By effectively managing and prioritizing incidents, you will help the organization minimize disruptions and enable the technology operations team to focus on scalability and resiliency.

At Braze, the work culture for a Senior Incident Manager is vibrant and supportive. Emphasizing teamwork and individual contributions, the team fosters an environment where members are encouraged to act autonomously, embrace accountability, and maintain work-life harmony. The company is recognized for its inclusive and transparent culture, making it a great place to thrive.

Braze offers a comprehensive Total Rewards package to Senior Incident Managers, including competitive compensation, equity grants, flexible paid time off, and extensive health benefits. They also provide professional development opportunities and promote community engagement initiatives, contributing to a fulfilling work experience.

In your response, highlight specific incidents you managed, detailing your role in the resolution process, tools you utilized, and how you communicated with teams. Be sure to emphasize your leadership skills, your approach to prioritizing incidents, and any improvements you implemented in incident management practices.

When answering this question, discuss your approach to remaining calm under pressure. Share examples of past experiences where you successfully navigated high-pressure situations, focusing on your decision-making process and how you communicated with your team to effectively resolve the incident.

Talk about the specific tools you've utilized, such as Jira or Datadog, and explain how you've used them to document incidents, track progress, and facilitate communication among team members. Be prepared to discuss how you incorporate data-driven decision-making in your incident response strategies.

Outline a step-by-step approach that includes assessing potential risks, identifying key stakeholders, developing communication protocols, and defining escalation paths. Emphasize your collaborative skills and how you would work with various departments to ensure that the strategy is comprehensive and effective.

Share your understanding of the blameless culture in incident management and any specific experiences you've had with conducting post-mortems. Discuss the importance of identifying actionable insights without assigning blame, and how this leads to improved processes and greater team collaboration.

Prepare a detailed account of a complex incident, explaining the challenges you faced, the actions you took to resolve the situation, and the final outcome. Emphasize your role in leading teams through the resolution process and how the incident improved your organization’s processes.

Discuss strategies for maintaining clear communication with all stakeholders, such as scheduled updates and use of established channels like Slack or email. Highlight your experience in communicating technical details to non-technical teams and ensuring everyone is informed and aligned throughout the incident.

Explain your criteria for prioritization, such as assessing the impact on customers, urgency, and resources available. Provide examples of how you have previously made prioritization decisions and the outcomes of those actions during major incidents.

Talk about any specific training programs you've led or developed for teams such as SREs or DevOps. Emphasize the importance of cross-training in promoting a comprehensive understanding of incident management practices and improving overall team performance.

Share your thoughts on key attributes for success, such as strong communication skills, the ability to collaborate effectively, a continuous improvement mindset, and a supportive team culture. Highlight examples from your experience that illustrate these qualities in action.