Engineering Manager

Cardless; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 230,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful start-up equity

100% health, vision & dental coverage

75% dependent coverage

Catered lunches and dinners

$250/month commuter benefit

Parental leave

Team building events

Flexible PTO with a minimum of 15 days off

401(k) plan

Relocation assistance

Job summary

A fintech startup in San Francisco is seeking an engineering manager to lead its product engineering team. Ideal candidates will have several years of engineering management experience in backend systems, a strong understanding of fintech compliance, and the ability to foster a high-quality team culture. This role offers a competitive salary between $230,000 and $300,000, equity, and numerous benefits including health coverage and flexible PTO.

Qualifications

• Several years of engineering management experience, ideally leading backend teams building complex, high-scale systems.
• Strong technical depth to engage in system design discussions and earn trust of senior engineers.
• Experience in fintech, payments, credit or debit card infrastructure, or money movement.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow a high-performing engineering team in payments and financial infrastructure.
• Own technical health, execution, and culture of the team.
• Partner with Head of Engineering on hiring and technical roadmap.

Skills

Engineering management experience

Backend systems expertise

Technical depth

Fintech and compliance knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

AI tooling experience

High standards for quality

Job description

We're looking for an engineering manager to lead one of our product engineering teams. This is a critical hire: you'll help shape how we build at Cardless as we scale toward that goal.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow a high‑performing engineering team working at the intersection of payments, money movement, and financial infrastructure.
• Own the technical health, execution, and culture of your team — from sprint planning to architectural direction.
• Be a hands‑on technical partner: go deep on system design and complex technical decisions when it matters, while also stepping back to implement frameworks and processes that help the team operate autonomously at scale.
• Partner closely with the Head of Engineering on hiring strategy, technical roadmap, and organizational planning.
• Work directly with external partners, compliance, and cross‑functional stakeholders to translate complex requirements into reliable, high‑quality systems.
• Bring clarity to ambiguous situations — define the right problems, set technical standards, and build a team that can move fast without breaking things that matter.
• Champion the thoughtful use of AI tooling across the team — from developer productivity to how we design and build systems — and help set the standard for how engineering at Cardless evolves alongside these tools.

What we look for

• Several years of engineering management experience, ideally leading backend teams building complex, high‑scale systems.
• Strong technical depth — you can credibly engage in system design discussions, challenge architectural decisions, and earn the trust of senior engineers.
• Experience in fintech, payments, credit or debit card infrastructure, or money movement. You understand the compliance and regulatory realities of building in this space.
• A track record of scaling teams as well as systems — you've grown people, defined processes, and built cultures that ship.
• Strong cross‑functional instincts. You're comfortable navigating ambiguity alongside product, compliance, operations, and external partners.
• High standards and a commitment to quality — in code, in communication, and in outcomes.
• Excitement about how AI is reshaping software development and a track record of putting these tools to work — whether for developer productivity, system design, or building smarter products.

Why Cardless

You’ll join a collaborative, fast‑moving team that values craftsmanship, curiosity, and impact. We’re building the platform that powers the next generation of credit card programs — and we’re just getting started.

Benefits

• Meaningful start‑up equity
• 100% health, vision & dental primary coverage
• 75% health, vision & dental dependent coverage
• Catered lunches and dinners
• $250/month commuter benefit
• Parental leave
• Team building events
• Flexible PTO with a minimum of 15 days off per year
• 401(k) plan
• Relocation assistance

Compensation

This role has an annual starting salary range of $230,000–$300,000 + equity + benefits (see above). Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skills, experience, and specific work location.

Location

We’re headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with a beautiful new office in the Jackson Square district. This role requires 5 days a week in office.