Software Engineering Manager | 6mth Initial Contract | $220k

Enterprise Technology Recruitment; New Zealand; On-site; NZD 220,000 - 440,000; Full time

Job summary

Enterprise Technology Recruitment is seeking a Software Engineering Manager for a 6-month initial contract in North Shore, North Island. You will lead a cross-functional team delivering cloud-based SaaS products, embedding AI throughout the lifecycle from design to deployment.

The role emphasizes coaching, engineering excellence and collaboration with Product, Design and Architecture to raise quality and velocity.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading software engineering teams in SaaS or product environments.
• Strong coaching and people-development track record.
• Experience with cloud-native architectures and modern DevOps practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing software engineering team.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative and high-performance engineering culture.
• Champion the practical adoption of AI across the engineering lifecycle to improve productivity, quality and delivery outcomes.
• Partner with Product and Design to solve meaningful customer problems.
• Drive engineering excellence through modern architecture, cloud-native development, DevOps and CI/CD practices.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Stakeholder management

AI-enabled development

Cloud-based SaaS

Tools

Microsoft .NET

Azure

DevOps

CI/CD

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Software Engineering Manager | 6mth Initial Contract | $220k

Enterprise Technology Recruitment – North Shore, North Island

Software engineering is evolving rapidly, and we're embracing that transformation.

We're looking for an experienced Software Engineering Manager to lead a talented team in an environment where AI is becoming an integral part of how software is designed, built, tested and delivered. This isn't simply about adopting AI tools—it's about fundamentally rethinking engineering practices to improve quality, accelerate delivery, and create better outcomes for customers.

We're looking for someone who sees AI not simply as a coding assistant, but as a catalyst for reimagining how high-performing engineering teams solve problems, collaborate, and deliver exceptional software.

If you're passionate about developing people, fostering engineering excellence, and helping teams leverage modern technologies to achieve more, this is an opportunity to have a genuine impact.

The Opportunity

As a Software Engineering Manager, you'll lead a cross-functional engineering team responsible for delivering modern cloud-based SaaS products used by thousands of customers.

Your focus will be on creating an environment where engineers can do their best work. You'll coach and develop your team, champion continuous improvement, and help embed AI throughout the software development lifecycle—from solution design and development through testing, deployment and operational support.

Working alongside Product Managers, Designers, Architects and fellow Engineering Managers, you'll help shape technical direction, improve engineering practices, and build a culture that embraces experimentation, innovation and continuous learning.

Success in this role isn't measured solely by delivery—it will also be reflected in how effectively your team evolves its ways of working, adopts emerging technologies, and continually raises the bar for engineering excellence.

What You'll Be Doing

Lead, coach and develop a high-performing software engineering team.

Foster an inclusive, collaborative and high-performance engineering culture.

Champion the practical adoption of AI across the engineering lifecycle to improve developer productivity, software quality and delivery outcomes.

Encourage engineers to leverage AI-assisted development, automated testing, code reviews and technical discovery while maintaining sound engineering principles.

Partner closely with Product and Design to solve meaningful customer problems.

Drive engineering excellence through modern architecture, cloud-native development, DevOps and CI/CD practices.

Support architectural decision-making and encourage technical ownership within the team.

Recruit, mentor and retain exceptional engineering talent.

Promote continuous learning, experimentation and knowledge sharing across engineering.

Balance delivery, quality, technical debt and long-term platform sustainability.

About You

You're an experienced Software Engineering Manager who thrives in a modern product environment and is excited by the opportunity to shape the future of AI-enabled software development.

You have a proven track record of leading engineering teams, coaching developers, and delivering high-quality cloud-based software. You understand that exceptional engineering outcomes come from empowering people, fostering continuous improvement, and embracing technologies that enhance developer productivity.

While your leadership capability is what will set you apart, you'll also bring a strong technical foundation. Experience working within a Microsoft .NET environment is highly desirable, allowing you to contribute confidently to architectural discussions, support technical decision-making, and coach engineering teams. Experience with Azure, cloud-native architectures, distributed systems, modern DevOps practices, and AI-assisted development will also be highly regarded.

You'll be curious, adaptable, commercially minded, and excited by the opportunity to lead teams through the next evolution of software engineering.

You'll Bring

Proven experience leading software engineering teams within a SaaS or product development environment.

Previous hands-on software engineering experience and a strong technical foundation.

Experience working within a Microsoft .NET ecosystem (highly desirable).

A passion for coaching, mentoring and developing engineers.

Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills.

An interest in AI, automation and emerging engineering practices.

A growth mindset and passion for continuous improvement.

Why You’ll Love This Opportunity

Lead an experienced engineering team building products with real-world impact.

Help shape how AI transforms software engineering across the organisation.

Influence engineering strategy, technical direction and delivery practices.

Work in a collaborative, product-led environment where innovation is encouraged.

Flexible hybrid working that supports work-life balance.

Competitive salary and comprehensive employee benefits.

Ongoing investment in professional development, leadership growth and emerging technologies.

Be part of an organisation that believes the future of software engineering lies in the combination of exceptional people, modern technology and AI-enabled ways of working.

If you're an engineering leader who enjoys building high-performing teams, embraces emerging technology, and wants to help redefine how software is built in an AI-first world, we'd love to hear from you.

To apply for this role you will hold NZ Residency or similar