# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** M70
**Company:** [Atlassian](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/atlassian)
**Difficulty:** High
**Salary:** US$180000 - US$250000
**Experience:** 8 - 15
**Timeline:** ~14 days
The Software Engineering Manager (M70) interview at Atlassian is a comprehensive process designed to assess a candidate's leadership capabilities, technical acumen, people management skills, and strategic thinking. It evaluates their ability to lead teams, drive technical excellence, foster a positive engineering culture, and contribute to Atlassian's overall product vision and business goals.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/atlassian/m70-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

- Leadership & People Management
- Technical Acumen & Execution
- Collaboration & Influence
- Cultural Alignment & Adaptability

## Questions asked

- Tell me about a time you had to lead a team through a significant change or challenge.
- How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your team?
- Describe your approach to hiring and retaining top engineering talent.
- How do you handle underperforming team members?
- Walk me through a complex technical problem you solved as a leader.
- How do you balance competing priorities and ensure timely delivery of projects?
- Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders or senior leadership to adopt your technical vision.
- How do you measure the success of your team and your own effectiveness as a manager?
- What is your philosophy on mentorship and career development for engineers?
- How do you ensure your team adheres to best practices in software development and quality assurance?
- Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
- How do you manage technical debt and ensure the long-term health of a codebase?
- Describe your experience with agile methodologies and how you adapt them to your team's needs.
- How do you foster collaboration between your team and other departments (e.g., Product, Design, QA)?
- What are your strategies for building psychological safety within a team?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Deeply understand Atlassian's mission, values, and products.
- Review common leadership frameworks (e.g., Situational Leadership, servant leadership).
- Prepare STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) examples for behavioral questions.
- Brush up on software development lifecycle, agile methodologies, and modern engineering practices.
- Think about your career journey and key leadership experiences.
- Understand the challenges and opportunities of managing engineering teams at scale.
- Research common interview questions for engineering managers.
- Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and management style.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to hiring, performance management, and career development.
- Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company & Self-Assessment","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on understanding Atlassian's culture, values, and business. Review your own leadership experiences and identify key achievements and challenges. Prepare STAR stories related to team building, conflict resolution, and strategic decision-making. Familiarize yourself with Atlassian's product suite and target markets.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Atlassian culture, values, business. Personal leadership experiences (STAR stories)."}
- {"title":"People Management & Team Dynamics","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Deep dive into people management. Study topics like performance management, career development, coaching, conflict resolution, and fostering psychological safety. Prepare examples of how you've handled difficult conversations and supported team growth. Review agile methodologies and best practices for managing software development teams.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: People management (performance, career dev, conflict). Agile practices."}
- {"title":"Technical Leadership & Strategy","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Focus on technical leadership and strategy. Refresh your understanding of system design, architecture, scalability, and operational excellence. Prepare to discuss how you set technical direction, manage technical debt, and drive innovation. Consider how you would align technical strategy with business objectives.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Technical strategy, system design, architecture, scalability, operational excellence."}
- {"title":"Interview Practice & Final Preparation","longDescription":"Week 7: Practice mock interviews, focusing on behavioral and situational questions. Refine your STAR stories and ensure clear, concise communication. Prepare questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company. Finalize your understanding of Atlassian's strategic priorities.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews, refine STAR stories, prepare questions. Final review."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Remote/Distributed Teams","differences":{"tips":["Highlight experience with remote or hybrid team leadership.","Be prepared to discuss tools and techniques for effective remote collaboration.","Emphasize your ability to build strong relationships without physical proximity."],"interviewFocus":["Remote team management strategies","Cross-cultural communication","Building trust and psychological safety in a distributed environment"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle underperforming team members in a remote setting?","Describe a time you had to adapt your leadership style for a distributed team.","What are your strategies for fostering collaboration and team cohesion across different time zones?"]}}
- {"location":"Growth Stage Companies","differences":{"tips":["Showcase experience in high-growth environments.","Be ready to discuss how you've scaled teams, processes, and technology.","Articulate your approach to driving change and innovation."],"interviewFocus":["Scaling engineering practices","Managing growth and change","Balancing innovation with operational efficiency"],"commonQuestions":["How do you balance the needs of a fast-paced startup environment with established processes?","Describe your experience with scaling engineering teams and infrastructure in a high-growth setting.","How do you foster innovation and agility within a larger organization?"]}}
- {"location":"Large Enterprise Companies","differences":{"tips":["Demonstrate an understanding of business strategy and how engineering contributes.","Provide examples of successful collaboration with product, design, and other departments.","Discuss your ability to think and plan for the long term."],"interviewFocus":["Strategic alignment","Cross-functional collaboration","Long-term technical planning"],"commonQuestions":["How do you ensure alignment with broader organizational goals and strategies?","Describe your experience in managing cross-functional dependencies and stakeholder relationships.","How do you contribute to setting and achieving long-term technical vision?"]}}

## Round 1: HR/Recruiter Screen
**Type:** HR/Recruiter Screen · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Initial screening by HR to assess basic qualifications, motivation, and cultural fit.
This initial round is conducted by a recruiter or HR representative to assess your overall fit for the role and Atlassian. They will explore your background, motivations, and high-level management philosophy. Expect questions about your career aspirations, why you're interested in Atlassian, and your general approach to leading teams. This is also an opportunity for you to learn more about the role and the company.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for the role and Atlassian; Basic understanding of management principles; Clear communication; Alignment with core Atlassian values
**Evaluation criteria:** Leadership potential; Communication skills; Initial cultural fit assessment
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear leadership vision; Inability to articulate people management strategies; Poor communication or influencing skills; Failure to demonstrate strategic thinking; Lack of alignment with Atlassian values
## Questions

- Tell me about your background and why you're interested in this Software Engineering Manager role at Atlassian.
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
- How do you stay updated with the latest trends in software engineering and management?
- Describe your experience managing engineering teams.
- What do you know about Atlassian's culture and values?

## Preparation tips

- Research Atlassian's mission, values, and products.
- Be prepared to talk about your career journey and motivations.
- Practice articulating your leadership style.
- Have questions ready for the interviewer.

## Round 2: Technical Deep Dive & System Design
**Type:** Technical Deep Dive / System Design · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical depth, system design skills, and ability to guide technical strategy.
This round focuses on your technical expertise and ability to guide technical direction. You'll likely be asked to discuss system design, architecture, scalability, and performance. Expect to dive deep into technical challenges you've faced and how you approached them. The interviewer will assess your ability to make sound technical judgments and guide your team towards robust solutions.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong understanding of software architecture and design patterns; Ability to think critically and solve complex technical problems; Experience with scaling systems; Pragmatic approach to technical trade-offs; Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical depth and breadth; System design and architecture skills; Problem-solving abilities; Ability to guide technical decisions
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of structured problem-solving approach; Inability to articulate technical decisions clearly; Weak understanding of system design principles; Poor performance under pressure; Difficulty collaborating with technical peers
## Questions

- Design a system for [e.g., a real-time collaboration tool, a notification service, a distributed cache]. Discuss scalability, reliability, and trade-offs.
- Describe a challenging technical problem you encountered and how you led your team to solve it.
- How do you approach managing technical debt?
- What are your thoughts on microservices vs. monolithic architectures?
- How would you ensure the quality and performance of a large-scale system?

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles, common architectural patterns, and scalability concepts.
- Prepare to discuss complex technical projects you've led.
- Think about trade-offs in design decisions.
- Be ready to whiteboard solutions.
- Understand distributed systems concepts.

## Round 3: People Management Interview
**Type:** People Management Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Focuses on people management skills, coaching, conflict resolution, and team development.
This round focuses entirely on your people management capabilities. You'll be asked behavioral questions designed to elicit specific examples of how you've managed teams, coached individuals, handled performance issues, and fostered a positive team culture. The interviewer wants to understand your philosophy and practical application of people leadership.
**Interviewers look for:** Proven ability to grow and develop engineers; Effective strategies for managing performance and providing feedback; Skills in conflict resolution and fostering a positive team environment; Understanding of career pathing and mentorship; Ability to build and lead high-performing teams
**Evaluation criteria:** People management skills; Coaching and mentorship abilities; Conflict resolution; Team building and development strategies; Performance management
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of people management; Lack of empathy or understanding of team dynamics; Poor conflict resolution skills; Failure to demonstrate strategic people development; Difficulty in articulating a clear management philosophy
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had to manage an underperforming engineer. What steps did you take?
- How do you motivate your team, especially during challenging times?
- Describe a situation where you had to resolve a conflict within your team. What was your approach?
- How do you approach career development and mentorship for your team members?
- Walk me through your process for hiring new engineers.
- How do you foster a culture of psychological safety and inclusivity on your team?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common people management scenarios (hiring, firing, performance reviews, conflict resolution, coaching).
- Think about your leadership philosophy and how you empower your team.
- Be ready to discuss how you foster diversity and inclusion.
- Consider how you handle difficult conversations.
- Reflect on how you develop talent and support career growth.

## Round 4: Hiring Manager / Director Interview
**Type:** Hiring Manager / Director Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Focuses on strategic thinking, business alignment, and cross-functional collaboration with senior leadership.
In this final round, you'll meet with a senior leader to discuss your strategic thinking, business acumen, and ability to align engineering efforts with company objectives. They will assess your understanding of the broader business context, your experience collaborating with other departments, and your potential to contribute at a higher leadership level. This is your chance to demonstrate your strategic vision and leadership impact.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to connect team's work to broader business objectives; Experience working with product management, design, and other stakeholders; Strategic mindset and long-term planning capabilities; Strong communication and influencing skills; Leadership potential to operate at an M70 level
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking; Business acumen; Cross-functional collaboration; Leadership presence; Alignment with company goals
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic vision alignment with the company; Inability to articulate how their team contributes to business goals; Poor cross-functional collaboration examples; Lack of confidence or presence; Not demonstrating leadership potential at the M70 level
## Questions

- How do you ensure your team's work is aligned with the company's strategic goals?
- Describe a time you had to influence senior leadership or other departments to adopt a particular technical strategy or roadmap.
- How do you balance the needs of your team with the broader objectives of the organization?
- What is your vision for a high-performing engineering team at Atlassian?
- How do you measure the success of your team beyond just code delivery?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Atlassian's business strategy, market position, and key challenges.
- Prepare examples of how you've driven business outcomes through engineering initiatives.
- Think about how you collaborate with product management and other non-engineering functions.
- Articulate your vision for an engineering team and its contribution to the company.
- Be prepared to discuss your leadership philosophy at a strategic level.