Manager, Navigation Software (m/f/d)

NACOS Marine; Hamburg; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

NACOS Marine is seeking a Manager, Navigation Software (m/f/d) to lead one of our navigation software development teams in Hamburg, Germany. The role combines people leadership with hands-on input on architecture, quality, and the product backlog.

You will own the team backlog, refine user stories, and collaborate with Product Management, Engineering, and Service to align scope and delivery. Fluent German and English are required to communicate with stakeholders globally.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in software teams, with line management or Scrum Master/PO roles.
• Proven backlog ownership and the ability to write clear acceptance criteria.
• Experience in Agile/Scrum environments and continuous delivery practices.
• Experience with navigation software or related software platforms.
• Fluent in German and English, both written and spoken.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and grow the navigation software team with full line management responsibility.
• Set and uphold technical standards and engineering practices.
• Contribute to architectural decisions and guide technical direction.
• Ensure capacity, skills, and processes to deliver reliably.
• Own the backlog and translate product needs into a development roadmap.

Skills

Leadership

Backlog ownership

Agile/Scrum

Navigation software

Architecture direction

Communication

German & English fluency

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Navigation software platforms

Job description

NACOS Marine delivers advanced navigation, automation, and control systems for vessels worldwide. Our integrated solutions help ship owners and operators improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability at sea. With proven reliability, innovative technology, and dedicated support, we enable smarter maritime operations. Let’s shape the future of maritime technology together.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Manager, Navigation Software (m/f/d) to lead one of our navigation software development teams.

This is a combined leadership role. You will be accountable for the people in your team, their development, performance, and working environment, while also owning the team’s backlog and acting as the product-side counterpart to your stakeholders. Alongside this, you will stay close enough to the technology to set direction on architecture and quality, and to hold the team to a high engineering standard.

The role suits an experienced software engineer who has moved into leadership and wants both responsibilities: developing people and shaping the product and technical direction of navigation software that runs on vessels worldwide.

Key Responsibilities

People and technical leadership

• Lead, develop, and grow a team of software engineers, with full line management responsibility
• Set and uphold the team’s technical standards and engineering practices
• Contribute to architectural decisions and technical direction for navigation software
• Ensure the team has the capacity, skills, and ways of working to deliver reliably
• Ensure software is developed in line with applicable quality, safety, and cybersecurity requirements

Product ownership

• Own and prioritize the team backlog, balancing customer needs, technical health, and delivery commitments
• Write and refine user stories with clear acceptance criteria
• Work with stakeholders across Product Management, Engineering, and Service to agree needs and scope
• Translate product and customer requirements into a realistic development roadmap for the team
• Make and communicate trade-off decisions on scope, quality, and timing

Key Requirements

• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
• Substantial professional experience in software development
• Proven experience in a leadership role such as Team Lead, Line Manager, Scrum Master, or Product Owner
• Experience owning a backlog and writing user stories with clear acceptance criteria
• Practical experience working in Agile / Scrum environments
• Experience with navigation software or shared software platforms
• Technical depth sufficient to guide architectural discussions and review engineering decisions
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Fluent in German and English, both written and spoken

Why choose us and why we’d choose you?

At NACOS Marine, you’ll become part of a global organization delivering innovative maritime technology solutions to customers around the world. You’ll lead a team building navigation software that ships operate on every day, working alongside experienced engineering, product, and service colleagues.

We value collaboration, ownership, curiosity, and continuous learning. We’re looking for someone who enjoys developing people as much as solving technical problems, and who can hold the line on quality while keeping a team delivering.