Global Engineering Director - US

Nubank; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 340,000 - 380,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical Insurance

Dental and Vision Insurance

Life Insurance and AD&D

Extended parental leaves

Nucleo learning platform

NuLanguage learning program

NuCare wellness program

401K saving plans

Work-from-home allowance

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Nu is seeking an Engineering Director in Palo Alto to own the technology and execution of a key product area, leading multiple teams and engineering managers. You will be the senior technical voice for partners and hold accountability for quality and delivery.

You will partner with product, design, data and business leaders to translate goals into priorities while maintaining high reliability in a regulated environment. This role emphasizes AI-forward thinking and leadership development.

Qualifications

• Proven track record as an Engineering Director owning critical platforms or product areas with business impact.
• Strong hands-on technical foundation in architecture and system design.
• Experience leading managers and teams through growth and ambiguity.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management with senior partners.
• Fintech or banking experience is a plus but not required.
• AI/ML literacy and applying AI to drive efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and scale an engineering organization, including managers and senior engineers.
• Own the architecture and technical roadmap of your area, balancing goals with feasibility and stability.
• Establish engineering practices, operational excellence and architectural standards for mission-critical systems.
• Partner with product and business leaders to define priorities and deliver business results.
• Step in hands-on when needed to unblock complex technical or operational challenges.
• Build a strong leadership pipeline and a culture of talent development.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Architecture & design

Executive communication

AI/ML literacy

Strategic planning

Scaled team leadership

Job description

About Nu

Nu serves more than 140 million customers, guided by a mission to fight complexity and empower people. The company has been leading an industry transformation through innovative products and human-centered services. Proprietary technology and data at scale power Nu's digital platform, built to promote financial access, advancement, and transparency. Its business model thrives on customer love and lower costs, feeding a flywheel of growth and profitability.

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Why now

Nu is growing fast in the United States, and we are opening new engineering leadership roles across our business units and business platforms. New products, new teams and new platforms are being built at the same time, and we need strong engineering leaders to make them happen.

As an Engineering Director, you will own the technology and execution of a key product or platform area, leading multiple teams and engineering managers. You are accountable for technical quality, delivery and the growth of your organization, and you act as the senior technical voice of your area with product and business partners.

What engineering leadership looks like at Nu

• Set the technical direction of your area and stay hands-on enough to make and defend architectural decisions alongside senior engineers.

• Lead and develop engineering managers and build a high-ownership team culture.

• Partner with product, design, data and business leaders to turn business goals into clear priorities and reliable delivery.

• Operate in a regulated, high-reliability environment where scale, security and availability matter.

• Bring an AI-forward mindset, applying new tools and ways of working to increase your team’s leverage and impact.

Key responsibilities and expectations

• Lead, develop and scale an engineering organization, including managers and senior engineers.

• Own the architecture and technical roadmap of your area, balancing ambitious product goals with technical feasibility and system stability.

• Establish engineering practices, operational excellence and architectural standards for mission-critical systems.

• Partner with product and business leaders to define priorities and deliver business results.

• Step in hands-on when needed to unblock complex technical or operational challenges.

• Build a strong leadership pipeline and a culture of talent development and performance.

Qualifications

• Proven track record as an Engineering Director (or equivalent), owning critical platforms or product areas with significant business impact.

• Strong, hands-on technical foundation in architecture and system design, with the credibility to discuss trade-offs with senior engineers and executives.

• Strong people leadership at scale, including developing managers and leading teams through growth, change and ambiguity.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management with senior cross-functional partners.

• Experience in high-growth, technically complex companies. Fintech or banking experience is a plus but not required.

• AI/ML literacy and the ability to apply AI to drive efficiency and unlock new capabilities.

• Fluency in English is required. Portuguese and/or Spanish are a plus.

Core leadership skills

• Business acumen: drives strategic business alignment by analyzing market dynamics, identifying opportunities and ensuring informed decision-making.

• Communication: masters complex communication, mentors others, fosters open dialogue and adapts to enhance organizational effectiveness.

• Agile adaptability: leads with agility, pioneers solutions, fosters a culture of learning and collaboration, and delivers value continuously.

Location: Palo Alto, CA; Miami, FL; Washington, DC.

Our Benefits

• Opportunity of earning equity at Nu
• Medical Insurance
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance and AD&D
• Extended maternity and paternity leaves
• Nucleo - Our learning platform of courses
• NuLanguage - Our language learning program
• NuCare - Our mental health and wellness assistance program
• 401K Saving Plans - Health Saving Account and Flexible Spending Account
• Work-from-home Allowance
• Relocation Assistance Package, if applicable

Work Model for this Role

Hybrid 2-3 times/week: Our hybrid work model brings us to the office at least twice a week, on strategic days designed to maximize team connection and collaboration. For more details, visit https://building.nubank.com/nu-hybrid-work-model/

Location-Specific Disclosures

Palo Alto, CA: Total compensation includes base salary, RSUs and benefits. Base salary range: $340,000 - $380,000

Our recruitment process may involve the use of artificial intelligence-enabled tools, such as automated interview transcription and analysis, to support the evaluation process. Artificial intelligence is not used to make final hiring decisions; all decisions are made by human reviewers.

To maintain a consistent and fair process for every candidate, Nu does not provide individualized technical feedback. See how our policy works here