Software Engineering Manager

TechBiz Global GmbH; Johannesburg; Remote; ZAR 500,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment service firm is looking for a Software Engineering Manager to enhance the Pet Owner Experience. This role involves leading and mentoring a team while driving the technical vision. Key qualifications include over 7 years of experience in software engineering and at least 3 years in a leadership role. Flexible work setup available, aimed at making a positive impact in the pet registration platform industry.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical coverage

Flexible paid time off

Fully remote work setup

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience as a full-stack or specialized web engineer.
• 3+ years of engineering leadership experience.
• Track record of delivering complex technical projects.

Responsibilities

• Drive the technical vision for the Pet Owner Experience team.
• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of full-stack engineers.
• Manage the full software lifecycle: planning, development, quality, and delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

User-Centric Design

Agile Methodologies

Education

Degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience

Tools

JIRA

Symfony UX

Tailwind CSS

Figma

Job description

At TechBiz Global, we provide recruitment services to our TOP clients. We are currently seeking a Software Engineering Manager to join one of our clients' teams. If you're looking for an exciting opportunity to grow in an innovative environment, this could be the perfect fit for you.

ABOUT THE CLIENT

Our client is the leading pet registration platform across North America, partnering with over 250 jurisdictions. Their mission-driven technology consolidates pet information into a single system and offers a suite of services for pet owners, community members, and shelters. These include registration, lost pet alert systems, an AI-powered pet tracker, and an upcoming mobile app dedicated to pet parenting—all aimed at ensuring pets have safe, happy homes. Their impact is measurable: more than 6 million pets enter shelters annually, but only 10% return home. The platform’s tools and resources are designed to change this.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The platform features an intuitive online licensing system, branded web experience, real-time reporting, fulfillment, customer service, and pet-owner services. This role will focus on enhancing the Pet Owner Experience, leading the effort to redesign and implement the client’s design framework across a modern front-end architecture. The Engineering Manager will lead a blended team of internal and third-party engineers, collaborating closely with Product and Design to deliver user-centric, accessible, and high-performing features. This role reports to the Director of Software Engineering and will work closely with cross-functional teams to implement best practices across the front-end and back-end stack.

Key Responsibilities

1. Drive the technical vision and roadmap for the Pet Owner Experience team.
2. Champion user-first design and collaborate with Product Design to implement accessible, high-quality UI components.
3. Lead, mentor, and grow a team of internal and third-party full-stack engineers.
4. Provide hands-on support with technical specifications, architecture visualization (e.g., UML), and implementation.
5. Collaborate with Product Managers to define features, guide technical strategy, and drive sprint planning activities.
6. Prioritize tasks that improve the user experience based on research and customer feedback.
7. Manage full software lifecycle: planning, development, quality, and delivery.
8. Foster innovation and continuous improvement across the stack.
9. Partner with engineering leadership to enhance team culture, processes, and outcomes.

Qualifications:

• Degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience as a full-stack or specialized web engineer.
• 3+ years of engineering leadership experience.
• Expertise with reactive front-end frameworks or server-driven UI stacks (e.g., Symfony UX, Laravel Livewire).
• 3+ years working with design systems (Tailwind CSS + Figma preferred).
• Strong experience with relational databases (e.g., MySQL, MariaDB).
• Familiarity with RESTful or GraphQL APIs.
• Experience using Agile methodologies (Scrum / Kanban) and tools like JIRA.
• Track record of delivering complex technical projects with measurable impact.
• Exceptional communication skills for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to balance hands-on coding with team management.
• Strong ownership mentality and problem-solving approach.

Additional Information

Nice-to-Have Skills:

• In-depth experience with Symfony UX (Live Components, Stimulus, Turbo).
• Experience building and managing an in-house design system using Tailwind and Figma.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical coverage (Health, Dental, Vision).
• Flexible paid time off.
• Fully remote work setup.
• Opportunity to work with a purpose-driven organization solving real-world challenges for pets and communities.

Client Core Values (that you'll be expected to align with):

• Go Big : Take bold steps, aim high, and pursue excellence.
• Whatever It Takes : Deliver what you promise—no excuses.
• Inspire : Bring excellence and positivity to all interactions.
• Believe : Sell your vision, your work, and your outcomes.
• Respect : Collaborate inclusively and appreciate all voices.