Director, software engineering

About this role

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Software engineering director to lead and grow a team of software engineers. This is a critical leadership role within our engineering organization, with a high impact on the overall success of our business. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical background, exceptional leadership skills, and a track record of successfully managing and scaling engineering teams.   This role is not suitable for candidates who want to focus solely on people management, however, there is plenty of room to grow with the organization.  

This role reports to the CTO.

‍♀️ Your responsibilities

Leadership and team management

• Provide strategic direction and guidance to the engineering team, ensuring alignment with the company's goals and objectives.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement within the team.

• Manage and mentor a team of high-performing software engineers; providing guidance, support, and professional development opportunities.

• Promote a positive and inclusive work environment that encourages diversity and empowers team members to reach their full potential.

• Conduct regular performance evaluations, provide constructive feedback, and address any performance issues in a timely manner.

Technical excellence

• Drive technical excellence and ensure the team delivers high-quality, scalable, and reliable software solutions.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define and prioritize engineering initiatives, ensuring alignment with business objectives.

• Stay up-to-date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices, and leverage this knowledge to drive innovation within the team.

• Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional development, encouraging team members to enhance their technical skills and knowledge.

Project and resource management

• Oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of engineering projects, ensuring they are completed on time and within budget.

• Allocate resources effectively, considering the skills, expertise, and availability of team members.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to define project requirements, scope, and timelines, and manage expectations throughout the project lifecycle.

• Monitor project progress, identify and mitigate risks, and proactively communicate updates to stakeholders.

Collaboration and communication

• Foster strong relationships with stakeholders, including product managers, designers, and other engineering teams, to ensure effective collaboration and alignment.

• Communicate engineering initiatives, progress, and challenges to senior leadership and other relevant stakeholders.

• Act as a liaison between the engineering team and other departments, facilitating effective communication and collaboration.

⭐️ Is this you?

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

• 8-10 years in software engineering, with a strong technical background

• Strong technical background in software engineering and development, with expertise in distributed systems, multiple programming languages (eg; Scala, Java, and Python), various language constructs, frameworks, and technologies.

• 3-5 years of demonstrated experience managing and leading engineering teams, preferably in a distributed setting

• You are a software engineer and maintain a strong desire to be hands-on with the teams you lead and manage; you code and deliver with your team

• Passionate about technical leadership, working cross-collaboratively with stakeholders and you enjoy managing small, high-performing teams while in the trenches.  

• Track record of successfully guiding the work of the teams you lead and you’ve scaled teams from the ground up and you are engaged in hiring.

• Excellent leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate team members.

• Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities, with a focus on delivering results.

• Bonus: You have a background in building developer platforms, generative AI, B2B SaaS, or functional programming.

Benefits & perks (UK full-time employees)

• Generous PTO, plus company holidays

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance

• Paid parental leave for all parents (12 weeks)

• Fertility and family planning support

• Early-detection cancer testing through Galleri

• Competitive pension scheme and company contribution

• Annual work-life stipends for:

  • Home office setup, cell phone, internet

  • Wellness stipend for gym, massage/chiropractor, personal training, etc.

  • Learning and development stipend

• Company-wide off-sites and team off-sites

• Competitive compensation and company stock options

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