Senior Software Engineering Manager, Creative Apps

Apple Inc.; Cupertino, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 238,000 - 402,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental coverage

Apple stock programs

Tuition reimbursement

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Apple Inc. in Cupertino seeks a Senior Software Engineering Manager for Creative Apps to lead multi-level teams delivering innovative iOS and macOS experiences.

You will steer technical strategy, guide architecture, and nurture engineers and managers while partnering with product and design to ship high-quality creative applications. This role blends hands-on technical leadership with people management, driving engineering excellence, cross-functional collaboration, and scalable development

Qualifications

• 5+ years of engineering management experience, including direct management of both engineers and managers.
• Deep expertise in iOS and/or macOS application development using UIKit and/or AppKit.
• Proven experience delivering complex, consumer-facing apps from concept through App Store release.
• Strong background in software architecture, app frameworks, and UI systems at production scale.
• Track record of building and developing high-performing engineering teams in a fast-paced product environment.
• Demonstrated ability to drive technical decisions across multiple concurrent workstreams with minimal direction.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple engineering teams to deliver creative apps on iOS/macOS.
• Define and drive the technical roadmap for creative features.
• Partner with product and design to translate vision into shipped software.
• Establish engineering excellence practices and production-scale UI frameworks.
• Recruit, develop, and retain top engineering talent.
• Collaborate with platform, infrastructure, and other app teams to share best practices.
• Represent the team in leadership forums with clear communication.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Strategic planning

Cross-functional collaboration

People management

Communication

Product collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Senior Software Engineering Manager, Creative Apps

Cupertino, California, United States Software and Services

Apple's Creator Studio team builds the creative applications that empower millions of users to express their creativity and vision on Apple platforms. We are looking for a seasoned engineering leader to manage a high-performing team of domain expert engineering creatives looking to do the best work of their careers on a highly visible, highly impactful product.

Description

In this role, you will lead multiple engineering teams, driving technical strategy, execution, and team development. You will partner closely with product, design, and XFN teams to deliver polished, innovative features built on UIKit, AppKit, and modern agentic frameworks. Day-to-day, you will balance hands-on technical engagement with people leadership - hiring, mentoring, and growing both engineers and managers on your team.

Responsibilities

• Lead a multi-level team of software engineers and engineering managers building photography and creative apps on iOS and macOS
• Define and drive the technical roadmap for creative feature development
• Partner with product management and design to translate creative vision into shipped software with exceptional craft and performance
• Establish engineering excellence practices and define what it means to develop quality software in an evolving landscape of human/machine teaming.
• Recruit, develop, and retain top engineering talent; provide clear career growth paths for both ICs and managers
• Collaborate cross-functionally with platform, infrastructure, and other app teams to resolve dependencies and share best practices
• Represent the team in leadership forums, communicating progress, risks, and strategic direction with clarity and confidence

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of engineering management experience, including direct management of both engineers and managers
• Deep expertise in iOS and/or macOS application development using UIKit and/or AppKit
• Proven experience delivering complex, consumer-facing apps from concept through App Store release
• Strong background in software architecture, app frameworks, and UI systems at production scale
• Track record of building and developing high-performing engineering teams in a fast-paced product environment
• Demonstrated ability to drive technical decisions across multiple concurrent workstreams with minimal direction

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with photography, imaging, or creative application development on Apple platforms
• Familiarity with on-device machine learning integration, or intelligent creative tooling
• Skilled in navigating large, cross-functional organizations and aligning diverse stakeholders around a shared technical vision
• Experience contributing to or consuming first-party Apple frameworks, or deep knowledge of Apple platform internals
• Proficiency in Swift and modern Objective-C, with a strong sense of what high-quality Apple platform code looks like
• Prior experience managing geographically distributed or hybrid engineering teams
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience

At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $237,600 and $401,700, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.

Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple's discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple's Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You'll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses - including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits

Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.

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