Senior Engineering Manager

The Senior Engineering Manager at Beam Benefits is responsible for managing and mentoring a diverse team of engineers. This role involves overseeing the design, development, and delivery of projects, while collaborating with other departments to ensure solutions are effective and comply with business needs. Additionally, the manager will help refine technical direction, balance existing product maintenance with new developments, and communicate project statuses to stakeholders.

To qualify for the Senior Engineering Manager role at Beam Benefits, candidates should have 8-10 years of software engineering experience, including at least 3 years managing senior engineers or engineering managers. A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field is required. Proven experience in leading teams, delivering complex applications, and strong communication skills are key components of a successful applicant.

Beam Benefits places significant emphasis on the career growth of its employees, including Senior Engineering Managers. The role includes regular one-on-one sessions, performance reviews, and opportunities for mentorship, enabling managers to nurture their teams and develop their leadership skills. Additionally, the collaborative culture at Beam encourages continuous learning and innovation, further supporting professional growth.

The company culture at Beam Benefits is one of collaboration, trust, and inclusivity. Senior Engineering Managers are encouraged to foster a team environment that values innovation and excellence. Beam promotes a culture where employees can express their ideas, build strong relationships across departments, and actively contribute to the company’s mission of modernizing employee benefits.

Essential technical skills for the Senior Engineering Manager role at Beam Benefits include proficiency in modern programming languages and frameworks such as Ruby on Rails and React, experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, and a solid understanding of microservices architecture. Familiarity with agile methodologies and the ability to report on engineering delivery metrics are also important for success in this role.

Highlight your leadership skills, adaptability, and successful strategies for maintaining team cohesion and productivity while managing a remote engineering team. Share specific examples of how you foster communication and collaboration virtually, ensuring your team remains motivated and aligned.

Discuss your philosophy towards mentorship, emphasizing empathy and trust. Provide examples of how you've supported engineers' career growth through regular feedback, coaching, and professional development opportunities, and discuss the positive outcomes that resulted from your mentorship.

Explain your framework for prioritizing projects, such as assessing business impact, stakeholder urgency, and resource availability. Use an example from your past experience to illustrate how you effectively balanced competing demands while still meeting project deadlines and maintaining quality.

Outline specific initiatives you've implemented or would propose to foster inclusivity, such as team-building activities, open forums for feedback, and encouraging diverse perspectives during project discussions. Highlight the importance of creating an environment where all team members feel valued and heard.

Discuss your conflict resolution style and share a relevant scenario where you successfully navigated a disagreement. Explain how you facilitated open communication, encouraged different viewpoints, and ultimately led the team toward a constructive resolution.

Talk about your commitment to continuous learning through resources such as industry publications, online courses, conferences, or networking with peers. Mention specific technologies you've explored and how you've incorporated new knowledge into your teams.

Provide examples of successful collaborations with teams such as Product, Design, and Operations, discussing the importance of understanding diverse perspectives and working together to achieve shared goals. Highlight any tools or strategies you use to facilitate clear communication and project alignment.

Explain your background with Agile practices, including how you've implemented Scrum or Kanban methodologies in your teams. Share specific instances where Agile practices improved team performance and project delivery, emphasizing your adaptability in different project environments.

Discuss your quality assurance practices, such as implementing code reviews, automated testing, and regular performance metrics evaluations. Share how you cultivate a culture of quality and continuous improvement within your team while still meeting deadlines.

Detail your strategies for conveying complex technical concepts in understandable terms, such as using analogies, visual aids, or breaking down the information into simpler components. Provide examples of how this approach has resulted in successful outcomes when engaging with non-technical team members.