Poland - Director of Software Engineering (Experiences)

Uncover; Kraków; Hybrid; PLN 320,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Tripadvisor Experiences is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead a high-performing technical team responsible for scalable software and data platforms. You will hire, mentor, and develop Engineering Managers while shaping technology strategy in alignment with product goals.

We embrace a remote-first model with periodic in-person gatherings near Kraków; candidates from within commuting distance are welcome.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of commercial software development experience.
• Proven second-line leader with coaching and development of Engineering Managers.
• Experience in a product-focused company collaborating with stakeholders on product/technical initiatives.
• Direct responsibility for performance feedback and career planning.
• Strong mentorship skills to grow engineers technically and professionally.
• Deep understanding of technologies used by the team and hands-on design/build of scalable systems.
• Ability to break down complex problems into simple solutions.
• Proven leadership in driving major projects in fast-paced environments.
• Accountable for high-quality execution, operations and team performance.
• Analytical mindset to identify risks and provide contingency plans.
• Adept at high-level product/technical direction decisions balancing business needs.
• Familiar with modern delivery methodologies and project management tools.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a high-performing technical team by hiring, training, and mentoring engineers of all levels.
• Foster a collaborative and innovative team culture and champion Agile development processes.
• Develop project plans, timelines, budgets, and resource allocation strategies to deliver on time and within scope.
• Lead as a hands-on developer across software and data stacks.
• Perform code and design reviews.
• Collaborate with principal engineers to drive technology strategy and roadmap.
• Partner with Product Manager and business owner to balance features with robustness.
• Communicate with technical and non-technical stakeholders on goals and timelines.
• Define and enforce engineering best practices to ensure quality deliverables.

Skills

Team leadership

Agile development

Strategic planning

Code review

Stakeholder communication

Roadmap alignment

Hiring Eng Managers

Hands-on technical leadership

Risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

About Tripadvisor The Tripadvisor Group connects people to experiences worth sharing, and aims to be the world’s most trusted source for travel and experiences. We leverage our brands, technology, and capabilities to connect our global audience with partners through rich content, travel guidance, and two-sided marketplaces for experiences, accommodations, restaurants, and other travel categories. The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP), include a portfolio of travel brands and businesses, including Tripadvisor, Viator, and TheFork. We are hiring a Director of Engineering for our fast-growing Tripadvisor Experiences org. Tripadvisor Experiences (Viator) is the world's leading marketplace for travel experiences. We believe that making memories is what travel is all about. And with 400,000+ travel experiences to explore—everything from simple tours to extreme adventures (and everything in between)—making memories that will last a lifetime has never been easier.

We embrace flexibility in where and how work gets done and also value meaningful in-person moments to connect and collaborate. You can expect a remote-first working model with periodic in-person gatherings at your closest office for team connection, planning, or other key moments. This position is open to candidates based within a commutable distance (generally maximum up to 1.5 hours) from our Krakow office.

What You'll Do:

• Build and lead a high-performing technical team by hiring, training, and mentoring engineers of all levels.
• Foster a collaborative and innovative team culture and champion effective Agile development processes.
• Develop project plans, timelines, budgets, and resource allocation strategies, and ensure projects are delivered on time and within scope and budget.
• Show leadership as a hands‑on developer in multiple layers of the software stack and data stack.
• Perform code and design reviews.
• Work closely with principal engineers to drive technology strategy and roadmap that aligns to the wider organisation vision.
• Work closely with your Product Manager counterpart and the business owner to prioritize product features along with the engineering‑driven tasks, striving for a good balance between business results and engineering robustness.
• Communicate effectively with technical and non‑technical stakeholders to ensure alignment on project goals, commitments, and timelines.
• Define and enforce engineering best practices to ensure deliverables are complete, on time, and meeting a high-quality standard.

Skills & Experience:

• 10 years’ experience of commercial software development
• Proven track record as a second‑line leader with experience directly managing, coaching, and developing Engineering Managers
• Background of working in a product-focused company, collaborating closely with stakeholders to build up a backlog of product and technical initiatives
• Directly responsible for giving performance feedback and providing formal career planning to their team
• Strong mentorship skills, helping engineers to grow technically and professionally
• Solid understanding of the technologies and tools used by their team, with hands‑on experience of designing and building scalable, high‑performance systems
• Excellent ability to break down complex problems into simple solutions
• Proven leadership in driving major projects and actively participating in cross‑functional teams in fast‑paced, dynamic environments
• Accountable for high-quality execution, operations and overall team performance
• Uses strong analytical skills to identify risks early, mitigate issues and provide contingency plans
• Adept at making high‑level decisions about product and technical direction, balancing business objectives with engineering capabilities.
• Understands modern software delivery methodologies and project management tools and uses them to drive successful outcomes.