Engineering Manager - Debit Card Payments

Adyen; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 243,000; Full time

Job summary

Adyen's Chicago-based Engineering Manager will lead a team delivering the Debit Card Payments platform for NORAM. You will drive strategy, partner with Product Managers, and ensure high reliability and cost efficiency across a distributed backend.

You will coach engineers, champion ownership, and guide architectural direction in a globally distributed environment. The role is hybrid, based in Chicago, with visa-capable guidance as needed.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience managing cross-functional engineering teams.
• 7+ years of experience in software development in a fast paced tech environment.
• Strong software engineering background in Java or similar backend technologies.
• Experience building large-scale, distributed systems is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Authoring Debit Card Payments strategy in NORAM, balancing product delivery with platform scalability and maintainability.
• Lead by example, setting context and helping teammates succeed.
• Coach and mentor engineers, prioritizing psychological safety and career growth.
• Foster a high-performing culture built on ownership, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Partner with Product Managers to translate business priorities into scalable technical solutions.
• Guide architectural discussions and empower engineers to own end-to-end technical solutions.

Skills

Team leadership

Software development

Architectural discussions

Tools

Java

Distributed systems

Job description

This is Adyen

Adyen provides payments, data, and financial products in a single solution for customers like Meta, Uber, H&M, and Microsoft - making us the financial technology platform of choice. At Adyen, everything we do is engineered for ambition.

For our teams, we create an environment with opportunities for our people to succeed, backed by the culture and support to ensure they are enabled to truly own their careers. We are motivated individuals who tackle unique technical challenges at scale and solve them as a team. Together, we deliver innovative and ethical solutions that help businesses achieve their ambitions faster.

Engineering Manager - Debit Card Payments NORAM

As an Engineering Manager based in Chicago, you will lead a team of software engineers responsible for building the leading Debit Card Payments platform in NORAM. Your mission is to build the most competitive debit platform in the region: optimized for least-cost routing, engineered for maximum throughput, and trusted by NORAM's largest enterprise merchants for unmatched reliability.

You’ll work closely with Product Managers and Engineering teams to deliver new functionality across the Card Payments domain. As a people leader, you will champion an inclusive environment, coach engineers through continuous growth, and shape technical direction within one of Adyen’s core payment domains.

What you’ll do

• Authoring Adyen's Debit Card Payments strategy in NORAM, balancing product delivery with long-term platform scalability, resilience, and maintainability.
• Lead by example, by setting the right context, and by helping teammates do their best work.
• Coach and mentor a diverse team of software engineers, prioritizing psychological safety, clear feedback, and long-term career growth.
• Foster a high-performing engineering culture built on ownership, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Partner closely with Product Managers to translate business priorities into scalable technical solutions.
• Guide architectural discussions, champion high engineering standards, and empower engineers to own technical solutions end-to-end.

Who you are

• You have a track record of leading and developing software engineering teams, fostering a culture grounded in ownership and collaboration.
• You enjoy coaching engineers through technical mentorship, regular feedback, and career development.
• You have a strong software engineering background building large-scale, distributed systems in Java or similar backend technologies.
• You are comfortably jumping into architecture reviews, unblocking technical hurdles, or guiding code reviews when your team faces complex, high-priority releases.
• You enjoy leading technical discussions, facilitating architectural decisions, and balancing engineering quality with business priorities coming from Product Managers.
• You thrive in cross-functional, globally distributed settings and adapt your communication thoughtfully across regions and cultures.
• Experience building payment systems or working within the cards payments ecosystem (e.g. authorisation, routing, card schemes, issuer/acquirer integrations) is highly desirable and considered a big plus.

Minimum qualifications

• 3+ years of experience managing cross-functional engineering teams
• 7+ years of experience in software development in a fast paced tech environment

Don’t check every single box? We still encourage you to apply! At Adyen, we value diverse perspectives.

Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion commitments

Our unique approach is a product of our diverse perspectives. This diversity of backgrounds and cultures is essential in helping us maintain our momentum. Our business and technical challenges are unique, and we need as many different voices as possible to join us in solving them - voices like yours. No matter who you are or where you’re from, we welcome you to be your true self at Adyen.

Studies show that women and members of underrepresented communities apply for jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Does this sound like you? If so, Adyen encourages you to reconsider and apply. We look forward to your application!

What’s next?

Ensuring a smooth and enjoyable candidate experience is critical for us. We aim to get back to you regarding your application within 5 business days. Our interview process tends to take about 4 weeks to complete, but may fluctuate depending on the role. Learn more about our hiring process here. Don’t be afraid to let us know if you need more flexibility.

Adyen is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, marital status or any legally protected status.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

The annual base salary range for this role is $180,000 - $243,000; to learn more about our compensation philosophy, please click here.

This role is based out of our Chicago office.

We have a hybrid workplace and value in-person collaboration; we do not offer remote-only roles.

You must be work authorized in the United States without the need for new visa sponsorship. The company can support visa transfers but will not sponsor individuals for H-1B CAP applications.