Engineering Manager - Cloud Networks

Xero; Wellington; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Xero is seeking a lead for the Networks team within Cloud Capabilities. You will direct the team responsible for the cloud network, DNS and content delivery, shaping strategy and roadmaps while supporting engineers and coordinating with Product and Security teams.

Based in Australia or New Zealand, the role focuses on reliable, secure, and cost-efficient infrastructure across AWS and edge providers, with ownership of multi-year plans and a strong emphasis on collaboration and clarity in written

Qualifications

• Experience guiding engineering teams that run production infrastructure.
• Solid grounding in cloud networking (VPC, routing, DNS, CDN, load balancing).
• Ability to set direction, deliver roadmaps and OKRs, and manage planned/unplanned work.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Networks team in Cloud Capabilities and shape the multi-year network strategy across AWS and edge providers.
• Grow and support engineers, balance roadmap work with incidents and support requests.
• Collaborate with Product, Security and other Cloud Capabilities teams to ensure reliability, security and cost efficiency.

Job description

The role & impact

You will run the Networks team in Cloud Capabilities, the group that looks after Xero's cloud network, DNS and CDN. You will set the team's direction, deliver against our Cloud Capabilities goals for the year, grow and support your engineers, and balance roadmap work with support requests and incidents. You will work closely with Product, Security and the other Cloud Capabilities teams.

The Networks team underpins connectivity, name resolution and content delivery for every Xero product, so your work shapes reliability, security and cost at global scale. Together with your team, you will shape a multi-year network strategy across AWS and edge providers, with real ownership and a clear mandate to modernise. It is a chance to Go Further in running critical infrastructure your way.

The Team & How They Connect

You will join a team of seven engineers at a range of levels, reporting to the Head of Engineering, Cloud Capabilities. The team works in fortnightly sprints, shares a support rotation and reviews incidents without blame. Written decisions and open technical debate are part of how we Go Together.

Initially, you will focus on

• Getting to know our network architecture, risks and support load, and building trust with the team and partners.
• Agreeing a prioritised roadmap and ways of working with the Head of Engineering.
• Shaping a multi-year network plan across AWS and edge providers, including DNS and CDN.
• Reducing reliability and tech-debt risks while sharing support and incident work fairly across the team.

Where And How You Can Work

This is a permanent role based in Australia or New Zealand with a preference for Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland or Wellington. Our Boost days are a chance to connect, recharge and learn from one another.

Here are some of the things we are looking for

• Your background includes guiding engineering teams that run production infrastructure, from hiring to performance conversations and career growth.
• You bring a solid grounding in cloud networking (VPC, routing, DNS, CDN and load balancing) to support your team well and Go Further.
• You are comfortable setting direction, delivering against roadmaps and OKRs, and handling planned and unplanned work side by side.
• You Go Bold by modernising critical infrastructure with care, weighing up priorities and trade-offs as you go.
• You Go Together by building trust with stakeholders and explaining your thinking clearly in writing.
• A cloud certification such as AWS Advanced Networking Specialty, or formal management training, would be a bonus.

Xero uses AI to help screen applications based on job-related qualifications. These tools assist our recruiters but do not make automated hiring decisions. A real human recruiter reviews all candidates before any hiring action is taken.