Engineering Manager

As a Software Engineering Manager at CallRail, your key responsibilities will include overseeing project management and team management to ensure projects in the customer accounts and billing domain run smoothly. You'll guide a team of software engineers with mentorship, collaborate with other engineering managers, communicate regularly with stakeholders about project updates, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

To qualify for the Software Engineering Manager position at CallRail, candidates should possess engineering management experience in a SaaS company. Proven leadership skills, especially in managing both Staff+ level engineers and early-career engineers, alongside excellent communication skills and a willingness to provide and receive direct feedback, are crucial for success in this role.

CallRail is committed to supporting the career growth of its engineers by fostering a mentoring environment where experienced managers help guide junior staff. The Software Engineering Manager plays a vital role in advocating for their team's professional development and ensuring engineers are equipped with the resources to achieve their goals.

CallRail offers a comprehensive benefits package for its Software Engineering Manager, which includes 100% healthcare coverage for employees, competitive HSA matching, paid parental leave, flexible vacation policies, a dollar-for-dollar match on 401K contributions, and educational allowances to promote continuous learning.

CallRail actively promotes diversity and inclusion by encouraging applications from all qualified candidates, especially those from underrepresented communities. The company values diverse perspectives and integrates this principle into all hiring processes, making it a welcoming place for Software Engineering Managers from all backgrounds.

When answering this question, be specific about the size of the teams you’ve managed, the challenges you faced, and how you resolved any conflicts. Highlight your leadership style and how you’ve helped team members grow in their careers.

Effective prioritization is key. Share your approach to assessing project value, timelines, and resource availability. Discuss any tools or methodologies you may use, like Agile or Kanban, to help arrange these priorities coherently.

Focus on your ability to adapt your communication style to different audiences. Discuss your methods for updating stakeholders on project progress, handling any pushback or feedback effectively, and ensuring alignment with company goals.

You might discuss implementing regular retrospectives, encouraging a feedback culture, and driving initiatives that examine team processes. Provide examples of how you've previously introduced changes based on team feedback.

Mention KPIs such as lead time, team velocity, code quality, and customer satisfaction. Provide examples of how these metrics have guided your decision-making process in past projects.

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to articulate a clear narrative about a specific challenge, detailing your thought process and the eventual positive outcome.

Discuss your techniques for maintaining morale, whether it’s through recognition of individual contributions, team-building activities, or keeping open avenues for communication. Emphasize your focus on a supportive working environment.

Speak about your understanding of software as a service and its implications for engineering teams. Discuss how this experience shapes your expectations, team development, and product lifecycles.

Emphasize the importance of being a bridge between engineering teams and product owners, and how that experience facilitates product success. Share insights on balancing technical feasibility with business needs.

This is a chance to showcase your conflict resolution skills. Share specific strategies you’ve successfully implemented to mediate disputes and ensure a positive outcome for team dynamics.