VP of Engineering

The VP of Engineering at UpGuard is responsible for setting the strategic direction and ensuring the execution of engineering practices. This involves creating a scalable engineering strategy, enhancing organizational efficiency, and fostering collaboration across departments like Product, Design, Sales, and Marketing. Ultimately, they ensure reliable and secure technology delivery while aligning with the company's ambitious growth goals.

Candidates for the VP of Engineering position at UpGuard should have prior leadership experience in scale-up tech companies as well as strong foundational software engineering capabilities. Experience in product-forward organizations, exceptional communication skills, and a background in cybersecurity or enterprise B2B environments are highly desirable. It's also beneficial to have prior involvement with AI or machine learning.

The VP of Engineering plays a critical role in aligning the engineering strategy with UpGuard’s product vision. By collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, the VP ensures that engineering initiatives support product priorities and deliver measurable business value. Their leadership helps in transforming product ideas into reliable technology solutions that enhance user experience and security.

At UpGuard, the culture within the engineering team is built around innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. The VP of Engineering is expected to cultivate a high-performing team environment that encourages collaboration and productivity while aligning with the overall values of UpGuard. This supportive atmosphere also emphasizes the importance of personal development and team engagement.

The VP of Engineering at UpGuard enjoys a comprehensive benefits package that includes stock options, a monthly lifestyle subsidy, a work-from-home allowance, an annual learning and development budget of $1500, generous annual leave, and paid parental leave. Additionally, team members receive top-spec hardware and access to generative AI tools to enhance their work efficiency.

When building engineering teams, I focus on identifying diverse talent that aligns with our core values and possesses the necessary technical skills. I believe in fostering a culture of trust, transparency, and continuous learning, where team members feel empowered to innovate and contribute. My leadership style revolves around coaching and mentoring, ensuring that everyone is aligned with the company's vision.

Certainly! At my previous company, I led a project to implement a new microservices architecture for our application. I ensured its success by aligning cross-departmental teams early on, setting clear, measurable objectives, and facilitating open communication throughout the project's lifecycle. Regular team check-ins helped us address issues quickly, leading to a successful rollout that aligned with our product roadmap.

To optimize engineering processes, I rely on continuous feedback loops and agile methodologies. I focus on establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure team productivity and output quality. Regular retrospectives allow us to reflect on our successes and challenges, and I implement changes based on team insights to streamline workflows while maintaining high standards of quality.

I ensure alignment by actively collaborating with product management, sales, and marketing teams to understand the overarching business objectives. Regular strategy meetings help to keep all teams aligned. It's crucial to translate business goals into technical roadmaps so that engineers are aware of how their work contributes to larger outcomes, fostering a shared sense of purpose.

I use a multi-faceted approach for talent acquisition, focusing on building a strong employer brand, leveraging diverse recruitment channels, and establishing relationships with universities and coding boot camps. During the hiring process, I prioritize cultural fit and problem-solving abilities, ensuring candidates have not just the technical skills but also the collaborative spirit we value at UpGuard.

Fostering a culture of innovation starts with encouraging open dialogue and brainstorming sessions. I advocate for a safe space where team members can experiment with new ideas without fear of failure. Providing time for innovation projects and recognizing individual and team contributions to creative solutions help stimulate ingenuity and motivate engineers to think outside the box.

I assess engineering team performance through a combination of quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback. Regular one-on-one meetings allow me to understand individual challenges and achievements, while team performance metrics provide insights into project delivery speeds, code quality, and overall team cohesion. This balanced approach helps me to make informed decisions regarding performance improvements and recognition.

Managing project risks involves proactive identification, evaluation, and mitigation strategies. I conduct regular risk assessments at each project stage to identify potential issues early. Involving the team in these discussions encourages collaborative problem-solving, ensuring that we have contingency plans in place to address concerns as they arise and maintain project momentum.

Feedback is central to my leadership approach, both in terms of giving and receiving. I encourage a culture of open feedback, where team members are comfortable sharing their thoughts on processes and decisions. I also solicit feedback about my leadership style to foster improvement and adapt my methods to better support the team. This two-way street enhances trust and communication within the team.

Balancing technical and managerial responsibilities requires clear prioritization and time management. I dedicate specific blocks of time to strategic planning and team development, while also ensuring I remain engaged with technical discussions and project statuses. I find that staying informed about technical challenges helps me make better managerial decisions that align with our engineering goals.