Engineering Manager - Operations

The Engineering Manager - Operations at The Farmer's Dog is responsible for leading a team of engineers while mentoring them and fostering their personal development. Key responsibilities include refining operational processes, collaborating closely with Product Managers and Engineers, participating in system design and architecture discussions, and advocating for the team in cross-disciplinary road-mapping conversations to ensure their success.

To qualify for the Engineering Manager - Operations position at The Farmer's Dog, you need at least 5 years of total software engineering experience along with 3 years of relevant management experience. Strong skills in delegation, performance management, and providing clear feedback are essential, along with technical proficiency in technologies like Node.js, JavaScript, and AWS.

The culture at The Farmer's Dog is centered around collaboration, inclusivity, and a shared mission to change pet health for the better. As an Engineering Manager, you would be expected to foster a healthy work environment that encourages open communication, participation in decision-making, and the sharing of diverse ideas, all aimed at improving the customer journey and the lives of pets.

As the Engineering Manager - Operations at The Farmer's Dog, your impact will be seen in the development of a robust engineering team that achieves high quality outcomes. Through effective mentorship, process refinement, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, you will help drive the innovation and efficiency of our subscription service platform, ultimately contributing to customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The Farmer's Dog promotes an in-office culture that emphasizes collaboration and camaraderie among team members. As an Engineering Manager, you will find yourself in a vibrant office environment in Greenwich Village, where face-to-face interactions enhance creativity, teamwork, and connection among colleagues.

In mentoring engineers, I believe in a personalized approach that focuses on understanding individual strengths and areas for growth. I prioritize setting clear expectations and providing constructive feedback while ensuring there are ample opportunities for open discussions and knowledge sharing among team members.

I prioritize projects by aligning team efforts with overall business goals, assessing the potential impact on customers, and validating assumptions through data. I continuously engage with team members to adapt priorities based on new information and emerging challenges.

I handle conflicts by fostering a culture of open communication where differing opinions are welcomed. I encourage team members to discuss their viewpoints candidly and facilitate a resolution that takes into account everyone’s perspective, always aiming for a collaborative outcome that aligns with our collective goals.

My experience with scaling systems comes from leading projects that required building robust architectures capable of handling increased traffic. I ensure that teams are prepared by promoting best practices and enabling the right tools to support growth while continuously monitoring performance for effective scaling.

I measure success through a combination of team performance metrics, project delivery timelines, and individual contributions to our goals. Equally important is team morale and engagement, which I gauge through regular feedback sessions and team check-ins to ensure that we’re meeting both our objectives and maintaining a collaborative culture.

Staying aligned with customer needs involves regular engagement with our users through feedback sessions and analyzing customer data. I emphasize the importance of customer-centric decision-making in team meetings, ensuring that we continually prioritize features and improvements that directly enhance the customer experience.

My performance review process includes setting clear, measurable goals at the beginning of each review period. I provide regular touchpoints for feedback, align expectations with team members, and culminate in a formal review discussion that evaluates their achievements, areas for growth, and strategies for future development.

I have extensive experience working with modern JavaScript frameworks, Node.js, and cloud services, especially AWS. I am familiar with building scalable applications using Docker and Terraform, ensuring high availability and effective management of our infrastructure.

Promoting diversity and inclusion involves implementing fair hiring practices, fostering an open environment where all voices are heard, and actively seeking out diverse perspectives in decision-making. I also support initiatives that encourage team members to connect and collaborate beyond formal roles.

For a project that’s falling behind schedule, I would first assess the root causes of the delays and gather feedback from the team. Based on the insights, I would realign resources, facilitate open discussions to resolve blockers, and re-establish realistic timelines while ensuring team engagement remains positive.