Senior Manager Software Engineering

Zscaler; San Jose (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Parental leave options

Retirement options

Education reimbursement

In‑office perks, and more!

Job summary

Zscaler is seeking a Senior Manager of Software Engineering in San Jose, CA for a hybrid role (3 days in office). You’ll lead a growing team, drive delivery, and partner with product/engineering leadership to shape strategy and scale high‑performance data processing for customers.

You’ll mentor engineers from Software Engineer to Principal, ensure architectural rigor, and foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and operational excellence in a security‑focused environment.

Qualifications

• Foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging, securing, or positioning AI‑driven solutions to optimize outcomes within your functional domain.
• 5+ years of engineering management experience, including managing engineers across multiple skill levels (Software Engineer through Principal) in a mature organization.
• Direct technical experience with enterprise web applications and high-performance data processing systems, with the ability to meaningfully support the team in a technical capacity (Ruby/Rails).
• Proven track record of building, growing, and retaining high-performing engineering teams, including recruiting, setting measurable goals, and holding teams accountable to delivery commitments.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to present technical information to diverse audiences, from individual contributors to executive leadership and external customers.
• Experience driving department‑level initiatives and process improvements, including technology evaluations, development process optimization, and cross‑functional collaboration with product and engineering leadership

Responsibilities

• Build, grow, and develop a high-performing engineering team by developing quality engineers, conducting meaningful 1:1s, setting clear measurable goals, and fostering individual ownership and career growth from Software Engineer through Principal
• Drive delivery and accountability by tracking team performance against requirements, schedules, and commitments while holding the team accountable and removing roadblocks that impede progress
• Partner with product management and engineering leadership to build cross-functional relationships and deliver high-quality results to customers
• Champion engineering excellence beyond your team by shepherding department-wide initiatives including process improvements, technology evaluations, architecture reviews, and development of system-level performance metrics
• Provide hands‑on technical guidance by leveraging direct experience with enterprise web applications and high-performance data processing to support the team technically, participating in architecture and design reviews, and identifying technical gaps with practical solutions

Skills

AI/ML familiarity

Engineering management

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical leadership

Tools

Ruby on Rails

AWS

Infra as Code

Architecture reviews

Job description

Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across 200+ public data centers globally and thousands of private sites at the edge, the SASE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.

We believe the future of work is Human + AI and are building an AI-native enterprise where human potential is amplified by machine intelligence to solve the world’s hardest security challenges. Driven by deep customer obsession, we are committed to the mission, outcome, and to each other. We bring these commitments to life through three core behaviors: ownership and collaboration, trust through outcomes and impact, and a challenge culture with ongoing feedback. Ready to make an impact at the company pioneering security transformation in the AI era? Join us at Zscaler.

Role

We are looking for a Senior Manager Software Engineering to join our team. This is a Hybrid (3 days in office, San Jose, CA) role, reporting to the Director Engineering in the Exposure Management & Security Operations department. This role leads and grows a team of engineers to deliver high-quality, scalable products in a security-focused environment, driving both team performance and department-wide engineering excellence. They combine hands‑on technical credibility with people leadership including developing talent, mentoring, removing roadblocks, and holding teams accountable to commitments. This manager partners with product and engineering leadership to shape strategy, improve processes, and ensure the platform can reliably process petabytes of data for our customers.

What you’ll do (Role Expectations)

• Build, grow, and develop a high-performing engineering team by developing quality engineers, conducting meaningful 1:1s, setting clear measurable goals, and fostering individual ownership and career growth from Software Engineer through Principal

• Drive delivery and accountability by tracking team performance against requirements, schedules, and commitments while holding the team accountable and removing roadblocks that impede progress

• Partner with product management and engineering leadership to build cross-functional relationships and deliver high-quality results to customers

• Champion engineering excellence beyond your team by shepherding department-wide initiatives including process improvements, technology evaluations, architecture reviews, and development of system-level performance metrics

• Provide hands‑on technical guidance by leveraging direct experience with enterprise web applications and high-performance data processing to support the team technically, participating in architecture and design reviews, and identifying technical gaps with practical solutions

Who You Are (Success Profile)

• You act like an owner with a passion for the mission, operating with integrity, a bias for action, and navigating seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands‑on execution.

• You are a high-trust collaborator who is ambitious for the team, embracing a challenge culture with clear, respectful feedback to build trust and accelerate performance.

• You are customer-obsessed, building deep empathy for internal and external users while anchoring decisions in solving real-world problems.

• You think at scale, connecting day-to-day efforts to the broader company mission and building sustainable solutions, processes, and teams for a global organization.

• You are resilient and adaptable, viewing change as an opportunity, maintaining composure under pressure, and guiding your team through complexity with a steady hand.

What We’re Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)

• Foundational understanding of AI/ML technologies and experience leveraging, securing, or positioning AI‑driven solutions to optimize outcomes within your functional domain

• 5+ years of engineering management experience, including managing engineers across multiple skill levels (Software Engineer through Principal) in a mature organization

• Direct technical experience with enterprise web applications and high-performance data processing systems, with the ability to meaningfully support the team in a technical capacity (Ruby/Rails)

• Proven track record of building, growing, and retaining high-performing engineering teams, including recruiting, setting measurable goals, and holding teams accountable to delivery commitments

• Strong communication skills with the ability to present technical information to diverse audiences, from individual contributors to executive leadership and external customers

• Experience driving department‑level initiatives and process improvements, including technology evaluations, development process optimization, and cross‑functional collaboration with product and engineering leadership

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Demonstrated curiosity and active exploration of AI tools, with a proven history of integrating new technologies to enhance daily workflows and augment problem‑solving

• Experience with cloud infrastructure (AWS) and Infrastructure-as-Code practices, with a strong understanding of scalability, reliability, and operational excellence

• Experience in the cybersecurity domain, particularly with MDR platforms focused on threat detection, incident response, or processing large‑scale security telemetry data

• A track record of mentoring and developing other engineering managers, not just individual contributors, and demonstrated ability to raise the leadership bar across an engineering organization

#LI-AJ1 #LI-Hybrid

Zscaler’s salary ranges are benchmarked and are determined by role and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations and could be higher or lower based on a multitude of factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

The base salary range listed for this full‑time position excludes commission/ bonus/ equity (if applicable) + benefits.

Base Pay Range

$180,000—$225,000 USD

At Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure.

Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages, including:

• Various health plans

• Time off plans for vacation and sick time

• Parental leave options

• Retirement options

• Education reimbursement

• In‑office perks, and more!

Learn more about Zscaler's hybrid working model and benefits here (https://www.zscaler.com/candidate-resource-hub) .

By applying for this role, you adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and Zscaler policies, including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines.

Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. See more information by clicking on the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) link.

Pay Transparency

Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules.

Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy‑related support.