Software Engineering Manager

Engineering Manager At a Glance
- First-ever Engineering Manager for a fast-moving product re-platform, build the management foundation from scratch
- Ruby on Rails backend, React frontend sports technology at global scale
- Hybrid working from Belfast - £120-130k plus equity and performance bonus
- Permanent About the Company Our client is a global technology business powering more than 7,000 organisations worldwide, Founded in 2006 and now 600 people strong, they have built the leading operational platform in their sector and continue to grow s is a business with genuine product complexity, a strong engineering culture, and a Belfast team that is central to how the platform evolves.

The Role This is a first-of-its-kind hire. The team is in the middle of a full re-platform, rebuilding an acquired system into a modern, native product, and it is picking up speed fast. You will be the first Engineering Manager this team has had, which means you are building the management foundation rather than inheriting one. Day to day you will own roadmap delivery in partnership with Product and Operations, bring structure to planning and execution, and invest heavily in developing a talented early-career team in Belfast.

If you are a strong engineer who has moved into management and wants real ownership over something that matters, this is worth your attention.

Key Responsibilities
- Own the V2 roadmap in close partnership with the Product Manager and General Manager of Operations, spanning legacy support, new customer onboarding, and ongoing migration to V2 - Drive issue assignment, capacity planning, and milestone delivery across the Belfast engineering team
- Build and run individual growth plans for a team weighted toward apprentice and early-career engineers, including tracking apprenticeship learning requirements and supporting progression through their programmes
- Give substantive technical feedback on your team's code, maintaining quality and standards throughout the re-platform
- Partner with other engineering managers across the business to align on apprentice standards and support cross-team integrations
- Provide in-person leadership and support to the Belfast team as the hybrid working model requires What You'll Need Essential:

- 6 years of hands-on software engineering experience, with strong Ruby on Rails depth and enough React familiarity to cover the full product surface - 2 years of people management experience, ideally across a range of skill levels including early-career and apprentice engineers
- Demonstrable experience partnering closely with product owners and engineering peers across a collaborative organisation
- Strong technical judgement, this is not a coding-heavy role, but code review and architectural input are expected
- Based within commutable distance of Belfast, with availability for in-office presence a couple of days per week
- Right to work in the UK (this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship) Nice to have:

- Infrastructure as Code experience
- Hands-on exposure to AI tooling or LLM-integrated features
- Familiarity with NI or UK government programmes such as apprenticeship schemes or grant funding Why Apply? - £120-130k plus equity and performance bonus
- Hybrid working from Belfast with a collaborative in-person team
- First Engineering Manager on this team, real ownership, no inherited system to maintain
- Lead a meaningful re-platform at pace within a genuinely growing global business
- Invest in and develop a high-potential early-career engineering cohort
- Part of a 600 person organisation with strong cross-functional support and clear engineering standards Next Steps To discuss in confidence, connect with Ryan Quinn on Linked In or reach out directly at .

Skills:

Ruby, React, AWS Benefits:
Options, Bonus