Scale Engineer

Software Engineering Manager

Software Engineering ManagerL5High

Asana is looking for experienced Software Engineering Managers (L5) to lead and mentor high-performing engineering teams. This role involves a blend of technical leadership, people management, and strategic thinking to drive product development and foster a collaborative engineering culture.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~14d

Experience·5 - 10 yrs

Comp band·US$170000 - US$220000

Interview time·210 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Technical depth and breadth
  • Leadership and people management skills
  • Strategic thinking and product sense
  • Communication and collaboration abilities
  • Problem-solving and decision-making capabilities
  • Cultural fit with Asana's values

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Deeply understand Asana's mission, values, and products.
  2. Review common Software Engineering Manager interview questions, focusing on leadership, people management, and technical strategy.
  3. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate your experience.
  4. Familiarize yourself with Asana's engineering blog and recent company news.
  5. Think about your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive team culture.
  6. Be ready to discuss your approach to technical decision-making and architectural guidance.
  7. Practice articulating your career growth and learning experiences.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 03 phases

01 / 03
01

Phase 01 of 03

Company Immersion and Behavioral Foundations

Weeks 1-2: Asana culture, values, product. Behavioral questions (leadership, conflict, team building) with STAR examples.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on Asana's company culture, mission, and product suite. Understand their approach to software development and team management. Review common behavioral interview questions related to leadership, conflict resolution, and team building. Prepare STAR method examples for these scenarios.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult team member. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?
  • How do you foster a culture of innovation and psychological safety within your team?
  • Describe your process for setting team goals and measuring success.
  • How do you balance the need for speed with the importance of code quality and technical excellence?
  • Walk me through a challenging project you managed from inception to delivery. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them?
  • How do you approach performance reviews and career development for your engineers?
  • What is your philosophy on technical debt, and how do you manage it?
  • Describe a time you had to make a difficult technical decision. What was the situation, and how did you arrive at your decision?
  • How do you stay current with technology trends and ensure your team is leveraging appropriate tools and practices?
  • How do you handle conflict within your team or with other stakeholders?
  • What are your strategies for effective cross-functional collaboration?
  • Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote/Hybrid

Interview focus

Adaptability to remote/hybrid management stylesCross-time zone collaborationBuilding inclusive remote team cultures

Common questions

  • How do you handle underperforming engineers in a remote setting?
  • Describe a time you had to manage a conflict between team members working across different time zones.
  • What strategies do you use to foster team cohesion and collaboration in a hybrid work environment?

Tips

  • Highlight experience with distributed teams and asynchronous communication tools.
  • Be prepared to discuss strategies for maintaining team morale and engagement remotely.
  • Showcase your understanding of effective remote performance management.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.

High

Recruiter Screen · 45 min · Recruiter/HR

This initial screening call with a recruiter aims to assess your overall fit for the role and Asana. They will review your resume, discuss your career aspirations, and gauge your understanding of management principles. Be prepared to share high-level examples of your leadership and management experience.

What they look for

Enthusiasm for the role and AsanaClear communication of past experiencesBasic understanding of management principlesAlignment with Asana's core values

Evaluation

  • Leadership potential
  • Communication skills
  • Initial assessment of experience and fit

Sample questions

  • Tell me about your background and why you're interested in this Software Engineering Manager role at Asana.

    BehavioralMotivation

  • What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager?

    BehavioralSelf-awareness

  • Describe your experience managing software engineering teams.

    ExperienceManagement

  • What do you know about Asana and our products?

    Company KnowledgeMotivation

Prep for this round

  1. 01Research Asana's mission, values, and recent news.
  2. 02Prepare a concise summary of your career and management experience.
  3. 03Have specific examples ready to illustrate your leadership style.
  4. 04Be ready to articulate why you are interested in this specific role at Asana.

Common rejection reasons

  • ×Lack of clear examples demonstrating leadership capabilities.
  • ×Inability to articulate a coherent people management philosophy.
  • ×Poor communication or inability to convey ideas effectively.
  • ×Lack of strategic thinking or product sense.
  • ×Failure to demonstrate cultural fit with Asana's values.

DSA

Coding questions at Asana.

Frequently reported on Asana loops

View all at Asana

Other guides

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