[Wattpad] Engineering Manager

Wattpad; Toronto; On-site; CAD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development

Health benefits

Wellness account

RRSP Contributions (Canada)

401K Contributions (USA)

Generous vacation and parental leave

Gym discount

Hybrid/remote flexibility

Short-term remote work options

Job summary

Wattpad, a leading webnovel platform, is hiring a Platform Engineering Manager in Toronto. You will lead the Platform Engineering team responsible for the backend that underpins Wattpad's social features, notifications, subscriptions, and coin economy.

The role combines technical leadership with people management to drive architecture, delivery, and team growth. You will coach engineers, define the technical roadmap, and collaborate with Product and other teams to solve complex problems.

Qualifications

• At least 8+ years in software development with 3+ years leading a team of engineers
• Experience designing backend distributed systems and writing design docs with diagrams
• Strong backend focus with API and systems design on Unix-based platforms

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a team of engineers, overseeing performance, growth, and rituals
• Shape technical roadmaps aligning with business goals
• Drive technical design sessions and provide feedback on docs and code
• Collaborate with Product and other teams during requirements and solutioning
• Coordinate project resourcing, estimates, and blockers
• Maintain high quality standards and foster long-term thinking and innovation
• Mentor engineers across technical and soft skills

Skills

Backend leadership

Distributed systems

Unix/Linux

C++, Java, Go, Rust

Technical decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/Engineering/Math

Tools

AWS

Docker

Kubernetes

OpenAPI

gRPC

Protobuf

Job description

Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. A leading global webnovel platform, Wattpad has democratized storytelling for a new generation of diverse Gen Z writers and their fans. Wattpad is part of WEBTOON Entertainment’s IP & Creator Ecosystem, where approximately 155 million monthly active users discover incredible stories in multiple formats. Come build the future of entertainment and storytelling with our global team, and write your next chapter with us!

Wattpad is part of the WEBTOON Entertainment family of brands, home to some of the world's largest storytelling platforms. With approximately 155 million monthly active users, WEBTOON Entertainment’s IP & Creator Ecosystem of aligned brands and platforms include WEBTOON, Wattpad - the world's leading webnovel platform - WEBTOON Productions, Studio N, Studio LICO, WEBTOON Unscrolled, LINE MANGA, and eBookJapan, among others. To read more about our family of Brands, check out our website here.

Wattpad follows a hybrid work model, with employees working from our vibrant downtown Toronto office 3x per week.

We are hiring an Engineering Manager for our Platform Engineering team to lead the design, development, and maintenance of the backend platforms that underpin Wattpad's social, notifications, subscriptions, and coin economy features. This is a highly collaborative team that works closely with Product, Marketing, Business, and other engineering teams who build upon these platforms to deliver features to our end users. As Engineering Manager, you will be responsible for both the technical direction of the team and the growth and development of the engineers within it.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead and support a team of engineers, overseeing performance management, career growth, and general team administration including rituals and meetings
• Contribute to planning and determining the technical roadmap by understanding and aligning business and engineering goals
• Spearhead and participate in technical design and planning sessions
• Provide technical guidance and feedback on documentation, designs, and code
• Work with Product and other teams during requirements gathering and solutioning
• Coordinate resourcing on projects, provide time estimates, and communicate blockers and issues
• Maintain high quality standards and foster a culture of long-term thinking and innovation
• Play an active role in hiring across the team
• Mentor and coach team members in both technical and soft skills relevant to their roles

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in software development with at least 3 years managing a team of 3 or more engineers including those at the Senior level or higher
• Significant experience designing and building backend distributed systems, including writing and critiquing design and technical plan documentation with diagrams
• Majority experience in backend development with substantial hands-on experience in API, application, and systems design and building
• Expert level experience developing on Unix-based platforms
• Experience with one or more compiled languages such as C++, Java, Golang, or Rust
• Strong technical background with the ability to make well informed decisions and translate complex technical concepts to various audiences
• Comfortable working with ambiguity and collaborating with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field

Nice To Haves:

• Experience in a Staff, Principal Engineer, or Architect position
• AWS Cloud experience
• Experience with OpenAPI, gRPC, or Protobuf
• Experience with Golang
• Experience with Docker, containerization, or Kubernetes

What we offer (For Full-Time Only):

• * Career development; we believe in mentorship and investing in your learning, supporting you to achieve your goals
• * Top industry health benefits, including vision and dental
• Your own health/wellness account to spend each year
• * RRSP Contributions (Canada), 401K Contributions (USA)
• * Generous vacation and Maternity/Parental leave top-up program
• * Corporate discount for gym memberships for you and your family
• * Work from almost anywhere in the world for part of the year
• * Winter break shutdown and a whole lot more!

Wattpad is conducting all interviews in a distributed manner using applicable third party software where needed and using visual interface tools such as Google Meet and Zoom.

About Wattpad

Who are we? Entrepreneurs and Do-ers. Our vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories, and our mission is to use the power of community and technology to unleash the full potential of stories to the world.

What does that mean? We are visionaries, community builders, passionate problem solvers, storytellers, coffee snobs (tea drinkers, too!), curious by nature, and culturally diverse.

What are we obsessed with? Our users. Solving complex problems and maximizing flow. Learning constantly. Building the next great storytelling product. Finding the greatest stories ever told. Dogs (and cats), coffee, and good snacks.

How do we work? Autonomously, collaboratively, respectfully. Balancing with work, family, and play...and all while having a great time.

Unlock the best of both worlds with a role that keeps you connected! Wattpad has a hybrid work model, where employees enjoy the flexibility to connect with colleagues and collaborate on exciting projects in person, as well as the time and space to for productive work from home. This is your opportunity to be a part of our thriving workplace culture.

Culture and Diversity

Wattpad is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate. Period.

Wattpad welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. We have taken a leadership position on creating a culture and an organization that truly values diversity. We are committed to fostering a global team that reflects the diversity of the Wattpad community. At Wattpad, we believe cultural fit doesn’t mean culturally identical, and diversity of thought helps us to challenge one another to think big and think differently. We consider employment applicants without regard to age, race, colour, national origin, citizenship, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, disability status or any other protected status.

If you have any special needs or accessibility requirements, please let us know. We will do our utmost to accommodate, in accordance with applicable local legislation.

140000 - 180000 CAD a year