Engineering Manager, Payroll

As the Engineering Manager, Payroll at Justworks, your responsibilities will involve leading the development of mission-critical payroll and tax computation systems. You will collaborate with your team to design and implement foundational infrastructure that supports our clients' needs. Additionally, you will partner with Product to execute both long-term strategies and quarterly roadmaps, while mentoring team members to foster technical growth and efficiency.

Candidates for the Engineering Manager, Payroll role at Justworks should have at least 8 years of experience in software engineering with a focus on backend and API development. A minimum of 2 years in a managerial position is also required, along with advanced knowledge of server-side languages such as Ruby or Python. Strong communication skills and an understanding of building resilient systems at scale are essential for success in this role.

In the Engineering Manager, Payroll position at Justworks, you will primarily work with Go, Ruby on Rails, Docker, Kubernetes, and relational databases such as MySQL or PostgreSQL. Familiarity with Kafka and gRPC will also be beneficial, as these technologies play a key role in building scalable and maintainable systems within our payroll and tax computation infrastructure.

In the Engineering Manager, Payroll role at Justworks, you will play a crucial part in team growth by fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning. You'll mentor engineers, define and implement best practices, and ensure an environment where the best ideas can thrive. Your leadership will guide your team's progress toward achieving goals while nurturing their skills and ambitions.

The work culture at Justworks for the Engineering Manager, Payroll emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and inclusiveness. We value open communication, camaraderie, and a proactive approach to problem-solving. Our team works hard, supports one another, and celebrates successes together, all while being dedicated to aligning our behaviors with our core values of integrity and simplicity.

When answering this question, provide specific examples of projects you have worked on that relate directly to payroll systems. Highlight your technical skills in relevant programming languages and how your contributions improved system reliability or efficiency.

To effectively answer this question, describe your approach to assessing project urgency and importance, detailing how you balance competing priorities while ensuring that the team remains focused on delivering value to customers.

Discuss specific tools or practices you employ to promote collaboration, such as regular team meetings, code reviews, or collaborative platforms. Emphasize the importance of open communication and how you encourage team members to share ideas and solutions.

Provide examples of your experience in implementing testing frameworks, conducting code reviews, and utilizing performance metrics. Share how these practices lead to high-quality, scalable systems and how you educate your team on best practices.

This is your opportunity to showcase your problem-solving skills. Walk through the details of the situation, the steps you took to analyze the problem, and the solution you implemented, emphasizing the collaborative efforts of your team.

Discuss how you engage with the engineering community, such as attending conferences, participating in online forums, or subscribing to relevant journals. Emphasize how staying informed allows you to lead your team effectively and leverage new technologies.

Detail your mentoring philosophy and provide examples of how you have guided team members in their professional development. Highlight the importance of setting clear goals, offering constructive feedback, and fostering a supportive environment.

Outline your approach to conflict resolution, emphasizing the importance of open communication and empathy. Provide an example of a past experience where you successfully navigated a disagreement and facilitated a positive outcome.

To respond effectively, choose a technical concept you're familiar with and practice explaining it in layman's terms. This demonstration of your ability to communicate complex ideas is crucial for an Engineering Manager who interacts with non-technical stakeholders.

Discuss the key attributes you endorse, such as empathy, critical thinking, and strong communication skills. Provide examples of how these traits have contributed to your success in previous leadership roles.