Head of Engineering Operations (Remote)

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Health insurance

Stock options

Annual home office stipend

Unlimited paid time off

Conference budget

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Head of Engineering Operations to lead globally distributed engineering teams in a fully remote role. You will craft the strategic direction, optimize development cycles, and drive high-quality software delivery while maintaining an innovative remote work culture.

You will manage budgets, mentor senior leaders, and ensure best practices across Agile, CI/CD, and cloud infrastructure. Strong communication with executives is essential.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
• 10+ years in software engineering and operations
• At least 5 years in senior leadership managing distributed teams
• Proven expertise in Agile, CI/CD, cloud infra (AWS/Azure/GCP) and microservices

Responsibilities

• Define strategic vision for engineering operations across remote teams
• Oversee end-to-end software development lifecycle
• Lead and mentor engineering managers and technical leads
• Enforce best practices in software development, QA and DevOps
• Drive adoption of efficient workflows and tools
• Manage budgets, resources and capacity for remote teams
• Ensure robust security practices and regulatory compliance
• Collaborate with product, QA and other departments
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive remote engineering culture

Skills

Agile methodologies

CI/CD

Cloud platforms

Microservices architecture

System design

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Remote team leadership

Decision making

Education

Master's degree in CS/Engineering

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a cutting-edge technology firm specializing in AI-driven solutions, is looking for a visionary Head of Engineering Operations to lead their globally distributed engineering teams. This role is structured as a fully remote position, allowing us to tap into the best engineering talent worldwide, including from Pretoria, Gauteng. You will be responsible for the strategic direction and operational execution of our engineering division, ensuring efficient development cycles, high-quality software delivery, and fostering an innovative, collaborative remote work environment. This leadership role requires a deep understanding of software development lifecycles, DevOps practices, and the unique challenges and opportunities of managing remote technical teams. You will be instrumental in scaling our engineering capabilities and driving technological advancements that define our industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and implement the strategic vision for engineering operations across all remote teams.
• Oversee the entire software development lifecycle, from planning and development to deployment and maintenance.
• Lead and mentor engineering managers and technical leads, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.
• Establish and enforce best practices in software development, quality assurance, and DevOps.
• Drive the adoption of efficient workflows, tools, and technologies to optimize development productivity and code quality.
• Manage the engineering budget, resource allocation, and capacity planning for remote teams.
• Ensure robust security practices and compliance with industry standards.
• Collaborate closely with product management, QA, and other departments to ensure alignment and timely delivery of features.
• Promote a strong, collaborative, and inclusive remote engineering culture.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field; PhD is a plus.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in software engineering and operations, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role managing large, distributed engineering teams.
• Proven expertise in Agile methodologies, CI/CD pipelines, cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP), and microservices architecture.
• Strong understanding of system design, scalability, and performance optimization.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, comfortable leading remote teams and presenting to executive leadership.
• Experience managing complex engineering budgets and vendor relationships.
• A passion for innovation and building high-performing remote engineering organizations.

Benefits

• A competitive annual salary of ZAR.
• Fully remote work arrangement, with flexibility in working hours.
• Top-tier health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Generous stock options and performance bonuses.
• Significant budget for professional development and conference attendance.
• Annual home office stipend.
• Unlimited paid time off policy.