Founding Engineering Manager , EMEA Remote

We are looking for a Founding Engineering Manager to lead and grow our high‑performing, remote‑first engineering team of 5 engineers, which is comprised of Core Backend, Frontend, and Forward Deployed Engineers.
This is a “player‑coach” role for a deeply technical, hands‑on leader
.

This is not a “process‑only” management role. We expect you to have a senior‑level engineering background and lead by example.
This role provides the opportunity to get hands‑on with some of the technical work to unblock the team, automate processes, and earn their technical respect
.

Your primary mission is to be a force multiplier for the entire team. You will be responsible for their health, delivery, and career growth.
You will be the “glue” that connects our Core, Frontend, and Forward Deployed functions, ensuring we operate as one cohesive unit
. Given our global team and customer base, this role requires occasional flexibility with your schedule.

You will report directly to the CTO, taking full ownership of the day‑to‑day execution of the engineering roadmap.
You will be a key partner in helping to define and refine that roadmap, as well as forecasting and planning future resource needs to meet our goals
.

• Senior‑level Engineering Background: You must have a strong technical background and a proven track record of shipping complex systems.
• Management
  
  Experience:
  
  You have 5+ years of experience managing a team of engineers, with a focus on 1:1s, career development, and performance management.
• Hands‑On Technical Expertise: A strong technical background in Go, Kubernetes, CI/CD, and cloud‑native concepts is essential. You must be able to lead by example by getting hands‑on with technical work to unblock the team and maintain credibility.
• Talent Acquisition Leadership: You take ownership of building exceptional teams, sourcing talent through your network and partnering with our recruiting and HR teams.
• High‑Level Organization & Pragmatism: You are highly organized, systematic, and pragmatic. You know how to build a process that serves the team, not the other way around.
• Async‑First Leader: You are a world‑class written communicator and have experience managing a remote, async‑first team.
• Startup
  
  Experience:
  
  You have thrived in a fast‑paced, ambiguous, early‑stage startup environment.

• DO be a Player‑Coach. Earn technical respect. Lead by example, getting hands‑on with technical work to unblock your team and guide high‑level discussions.
• DO own the team’s health and delivery. Run a lightweight, organized, and pragmatic async‑first process to ensure we ship high‑quality code at a rapid, predictable pace while managing career growth.
• DO be a Forward‑Planner & Hiring Manager. Partner with the CTO to define the roadmap and resource needs, serving as the primary owner for attracting and closing exceptional talent.
• DO be a “Distraction Shield.” Protect your team’s focus. Absorb external chaos and translate it into clear, calm, actionable priorities.
• DO be the “Glue.” You are responsible for ensuring the FDE’s feedback, the Frontend’s needs, and the Core team’s work are all perfectly aligned.
• DO champion productivity. Drive the team’s adoption of AI and automation to multiply their throughput.

To succeed in this role, you should embody the following traits:

• Technical Player‑Coach: You lead by example with technical credibility, getting hands‑on to unblock the team while empowering them to own the solution.
• Extreme Ownership & Force Multiplier: You take full ownership of the team’s outcomes, measuring your success by their growth and delivery. You proactively solve problems and unblock the team.
• Systematic & Pragmatic Leader: You build clear, lightweight systems that help the team deliver, prioritizing pragmatism over rigid process.
• Bar‑Raiser & Talent Magnet: You are obsessed with excellence, owning the hiring pipeline to raise talent density. You set high performance standards, coach engineers to meet them, and when necessary, make tough decisions about fit.
• Disciplined, Async‑First Leader: You are a master of remote communication, running a high‑performing team without…