Engineering Manager (Hands-on)

OwnHome; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading property technology company in Sydney is seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to lead and mentor a team of engineers. The role is hands-on, focusing on backend development and driving the technical vision. Candidates should possess a strong coding background, especially in Node.js and React, and thrive in a fast-paced, start-up environment. This is a full-time position that offers competitive salary and equity options.

Qualifications

• Strong coding experience with Node.js, React, and SQL databases.
• Experience in FinTech or regulated industries is ideal.
• Familiarity with leading cloud platforms is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a high-performing team of engineers.
• Stay hands-on with backend coding and architectural decisions.
• Partner with business to deliver a technology roadmap.

Skills

Entrepreneurial mindset

Hands-on technical ability

Product-first approach

Leadership potential

Strong EQ

Financial acumen

Experience in regulated industries

Familiarity with GCP, AWS, or Azure

Curiosity about AI/automation

Previous start-up experience

Tools

Node.js

React

SQL databases

GCP

AWS

Azure

Job description

Overview

Engineering Manager (Hands-on) at OwnHome. Location: Sydney (3 days a week in the office). Employment Type: Full-time. Salary: Base + Super + Equity + Bonus (To be discussed on application).

At OwnHome, we’re reimagining the home ownership journey by building products that make buying property simpler, smarter, and more accessible. With ventures in buyer’s agent services, and mortgage brokerage, we’re expanding rapidly and looking for an entrepreneurial, product-minded Engineering Manager (or Technical Lead) to lead our core platforms. This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll own the technical vision, product development, and execution. You’ll be coding alongside two engineers, mentoring them, and shaping how our platforms scale. If you’re a leader who thrives in a start-up environment and wants to impact OwnHome’s growth, we’d love to talk.

The Opportunity

• Lead and mentor a high-performing team of two engineers.
• Stay hands-on (60–70% backend), making architectural decisions and writing code.
• Partner with the business to define and deliver a technology roadmap that aligns with growth and revenue goals.
• Champion efficiency by prioritising high-impact projects and reducing distractions.
• Explore, test, and integrate AI-driven solutions (starting with voice AI) into our platforms.
• Balance platform stability with bold product improvements, from quick wins to long-term re-platforming.

What You’ll Work With

• Cloud: GCP (preferred), AWS or Azure.
• AI/Automation: Finding innovative ways to embed AI into our products and workflows.

Must Have Skills

• Entrepreneurial mindset – proactive, resourceful, and comfortable owning decisions.
• Hands-on technical ability – solid coding experience with Node.js, React, and SQL databases.
• Product-first approach – you understand business goals and build with ROI in mind.
• Leadership potential – capable of mentoring, holding people accountable, and managing a small team.
• Strong EQ – excellent communication, stakeholder navigation, and care for your team.
• Financial acumen – you understand how P&L and ROI drive decisions.
• Experience in regulated industries (FinTech ideal).
• Familiarity with GCP, AWS, or Azure.
• Curious about AI/automation and experimentation with new tech.
• Previous start-up experience – you thrive in fast-moving environments.
• You thrive in start-ups rather than rigid corporate structures.
• You want to manage or scale an engineering team.
• You prioritise product needs and listen to team feedback.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies.

What Success Looks Like

• First 3 Months: Build relationships, understand our stack and systems, deliver quick wins.
• 6 Months: Own the roadmap, progress AI initiatives, and empower your team to execute.
• 12 Months: Drive measurable business impact – revenue growth, efficiency gains, and platform scalability.
• Own the technical vision for OwnHome’s core businesses.
• Work with the leadership team on high-impact challenges.
• Lead a small, talented team where your decisions make a real difference.
• Freedom to explore and implement AI-driven innovations.
• Be part of a company tackling one of Australia’s biggest problems: home ownership.

If you’re a hands-on engineering leader with strong product thinking, excited by building successful products, experimenting with AI, and leading a small but mighty team, hit apply!

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Engineering and Information Technology
• Industries: Software Development and Financial Services

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