Engineering Manager, Developer Growth

The Engineering Manager, Developer Growth at ngrok is responsible for guiding a team of software engineers, focusing on both developing new product offerings and maintaining existing services. This role involves driving team success through effective planning, coaching, and building a supportive culture for bold thinking and innovation. Additionally, you’ll be expected to engage with the codebase to enhance your understanding and contribute to the team's growth.

To apply for the Engineering Manager, Developer Growth position at ngrok, candidates should have at least 5 years of experience as a software engineer, preferably with expertise in Go or other compiled languages. Furthermore, a minimum of 4 years in a technical lead or engineering management role is required. Exceptional communication skills and experience building processes from scratch, especially in startup environments, will also be beneficial.

ngrok fosters career growth for its Engineering Managers through continuous coaching, regular engagement with the codebase, and opportunities to represent the company publicly. Employees are encouraged to pursue personal development, contribute to open-source projects, and share their expertise at conferences and blogs, all of which contribute to overall career advancement.

As an Engineering Manager at ngrok, you can expect a collaborative and innovative culture. The company emphasizes inclusivity and psychological safety, encouraging engineers to share bold ideas and take risks without fear of failure. ngrok supports a work-life balance through unlimited PTO policies, and managers actively promote taking time off to recharge.

The salary for the Engineering Manager, Developer Growth role at ngrok ranges from $200,000 to $260,000, depending on individual qualifications and experience. Factors such as technical skills, prior experience, and impact on the organization will be considered during the interview process to determine actual compensation.

In preparing for this question, focus on providing specific examples of how you've led teams, highlighting your managerial style, mentorship capabilities, and successes in fostering team collaboration. Talk about how you encourage communication and build trust among team members.

When answering this question, convey your approach to conflict resolution. Discuss techniques you use, such as facilitating open discussions or mediating conflicts to ensure a healthy team environment. Share a real-life example where you successfully resolved a conflict.

Describe specific processes you've established that led to enhancements in productivity, such as agile methodologies or regular retrospectives. Be prepared to discuss the impact of these changes on team performance and morale.

In this response, focus on your method for prioritization, whether it's using frameworks or tools. Explain how you balance immediate needs against long-term projects to keep your team focused and productive, while still achieving overarching goals.

Mention the strategies you have for nurturing junior developers, such as pair programming, regular one-on-ones, and providing constructive feedback. Highlight your commitment to creating a culture where junior engineers feel safe to ask questions and seek guidance.

Share your methods for staying informed, such as attending conferences, participating in online forums, or contributing to open-source projects. Discuss how staying current positively influences your team's development practices and project outcomes.

Discuss the key performance indicators (KPIs) you track, whether they are productivity-related, quality-focused, or team engagement metrics. Explain how you use these metrics to assess performance and decide on areas for improvement.

Use a specific project that showcases your leadership and technical skills. Discuss the challenges you faced, how you overcame them, the team's contributions, and the project's impact on the company.

Reflect on the elements you think are vital for a successful engineering culture, such as collaboration, innovation, transparency, and inclusivity. Provide examples of how you have contributed to cultivating these aspects in previous roles.

Talk about the metrics you believe are important for measuring product success, such as user feedback, adoption rates, and performance metrics. Share how you’ve used this data to inform future product iterations.