# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** M90
**Company:** [Atlassian](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/atlassian)
**Difficulty:** High
**Salary:** US$180000 - US$250000
**Experience:** 8 - 15
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process is designed to assess candidates for the Software Engineering Manager (M90) role at Atlassian. It evaluates technical leadership, people management skills, strategic thinking, and cultural fit.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/atlassian/m90-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Acumen
- People Leadership
- Strategic & Business Impact
- Cultural Fit & Communication

## Questions asked

- Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team. What was the outcome?
- How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your team?
- Describe your approach to managing underperforming engineers.
- How do you balance technical debt with delivering new features?
- Walk me through a complex system you designed or significantly contributed to.
- How do you ensure your team is aligned with the company's strategic goals?
- Tell me about a time you had to manage a conflict within your team or with another team.
- How do you mentor and develop the careers of your engineers?
- What is your experience with Agile methodologies and DevOps practices?
- How do you prioritize work when faced with competing demands?
- Describe a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
- How do you stay current with technology trends?
- What are your thoughts on building a diverse and inclusive team?
- How do you handle stakeholder management and communication?
- What are your expectations for this role and Atlassian?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Deeply understand Atlassian's mission, values, and products.
- Review common software engineering management frameworks and best practices.
- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
- Brush up on system design principles and scalability concepts.
- Think about your leadership philosophy and how you develop talent.
- Research current trends in software development and management.
- Understand the challenges and opportunities of managing distributed or hybrid teams.
- Be ready to discuss your experience with Agile methodologies and DevOps practices.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company & Self-Assessment","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on Atlassian's culture, values, and products. Understand their business model and competitive landscape. Review your resume and identify key achievements and leadership experiences. Begin preparing STAR method examples for common management scenarios (e.g., conflict resolution, performance issues, project delivery).","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Atlassian culture, values, products. Resume review. STAR method prep."}
- {"title":"People Leadership","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Deep dive into people management principles. Study topics like performance management, coaching, mentoring, hiring, team dynamics, and conflict resolution. Read articles and books on effective leadership. Prepare examples related to these areas.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: People management principles (performance, coaching, hiring, conflict)."}
- {"title":"Technical & System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Refresh your knowledge of software architecture, system design, and scalability. Practice designing complex systems and discussing trade-offs. Consider common challenges in distributed systems and cloud-native architectures. Prepare to discuss technical strategy and roadmap planning.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: System design, architecture, scalability. Technical strategy."}
- {"title":"Strategy & Business Acumen","longDescription":"Weeks 7-8: Focus on strategic thinking, product management basics, and business acumen. Understand how engineering contributes to business goals. Prepare to discuss project prioritization, roadmap development, and stakeholder management. Practice articulating your vision and strategy.","shortDescription":"Weeks 7-8: Strategic thinking, product sense, business acumen. Prioritization."}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews & Final Prep","longDescription":"Week 9: Mock interviews focusing on all aspects covered. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Refine your STAR stories and ensure they highlight leadership impact. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.","shortDescription":"Week 9: Mock interviews. Refine STAR stories. Prepare questions."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Remote/Distributed Teams","differences":{"tips":["Highlight experience with distributed teams and asynchronous communication.","Be prepared to discuss tools and techniques for remote team engagement.","Emphasize your ability to build trust and psychological safety remotely."],"interviewFocus":["Remote team management strategies","Cross-time zone collaboration","Building culture in a distributed workforce"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle underperforming team members in a remote setting?","Describe a time you had to manage a conflict between team members across different time zones.","What are your strategies for fostering team cohesion and collaboration in a hybrid work environment?"]}}
- {"location":"Startup/Growth-focused Environments","differences":{"tips":["Showcase experience in high-growth environments.","Provide examples of successful team and process scaling.","Discuss your approach to managing technical debt during rapid expansion."],"interviewFocus":["Scaling engineering organizations","Balancing innovation and execution","Navigating rapid growth"],"commonQuestions":["How do you balance the needs of a fast-growing startup with established processes?","Describe your experience in scaling engineering teams and infrastructure.","How do you foster innovation while maintaining operational excellence?"]}}

## Round 1: Recruiter Screen
**Type:** HR/Recruiter Screen · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Initial screening to assess basic qualifications, motivation, and cultural fit.
This initial screening call with a recruiter aims to understand your background, career aspirations, and motivation for applying to Atlassian. They will assess your general fit for the role and the company culture, covering your experience, leadership style, and why you're interested in this specific opportunity. Be prepared to discuss your resume highlights and your understanding of the Software Engineering Manager role.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for Atlassian; Clear and concise communication; Basic understanding of management principles; Alignment with company values
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Cultural alignment; Motivation for the role and Atlassian; Basic understanding of the role's requirements
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear communication; Inability to provide specific examples; Poor alignment with Atlassian values; Defensiveness when discussing failures or challenges
## Questions

- Tell me about yourself and your career journey.
- Why are you interested in Atlassian and this specific role?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager?
- Describe your leadership style.
- What are your salary expectations?

## Preparation tips

- Research Atlassian's mission, values, and products.
- Be ready to articulate why you are interested in this role and company.
- Prepare a concise summary of your relevant experience.
- Think about your career goals and how this role aligns with them.

## Round 2: Technical & System Design Interview
**Type:** Technical Interview / System Design · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical depth, system design skills, and architectural thinking.
This round focuses on your technical expertise and system design capabilities. You'll be asked to discuss your experience with designing scalable, reliable, and maintainable systems. Expect questions about architectural patterns, trade-offs, performance considerations, and distributed systems. You might also be asked to whiteboard a system design problem.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong understanding of software architecture and design patterns; Ability to think critically and solve complex technical problems; Experience with scaling systems and handling high-throughput applications; Clear communication of technical ideas and trade-offs
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical depth and breadth; System design and architecture skills; Problem-solving methodology; Ability to lead technical discussions
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical decisions or trade-offs; Lack of depth in system design or architectural thinking; Poor problem-solving approach; Difficulty explaining complex technical concepts clearly
## Questions

- Design a system like Twitter's news feed.
- How would you design a rate limiter?
- Discuss the trade-offs between microservices and monolithic architectures.
- How do you approach performance optimization in a large-scale application?
- Explain the CAP theorem and its implications.

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles (e.g., scalability, availability, consistency).
- Practice designing common systems (e.g., URL shortener, social media feed, chat application).
- Understand different database types and their use cases.
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs in design decisions.
- Refresh knowledge on cloud computing concepts and services.

## Round 3: People Management Interview
**Type:** People Management Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Evaluates people management, leadership, team building, and conflict resolution skills.
This interview focuses on your people management and leadership capabilities. You'll be asked behavioral questions designed to elicit specific examples of how you've managed teams, developed individuals, handled conflicts, and driven performance. The interviewer will assess your ability to build and lead high-performing engineering teams.
**Interviewers look for:** Proven ability to hire, mentor, and retain talent; Experience in fostering a positive and productive team culture; Skills in managing performance and addressing underachievement; Capacity to set a clear vision and strategy for a team
**Evaluation criteria:** People management skills; Leadership effectiveness; Team building and development; Conflict resolution abilities; Strategic thinking regarding team growth
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear examples demonstrating people leadership; Inability to handle difficult conversations or manage performance issues; Poor conflict resolution skills; Failure to articulate a vision or strategy for a team
## Questions

- Describe a time you had to manage a conflict between team members. How did you resolve it?
- How do you motivate your team during challenging projects?
- Tell me about a time you had to let go of an underperforming employee. What was your process?
- How do you delegate tasks effectively?
- What is your philosophy on career development for your team members?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common management scenarios.
- Think about how you coach and mentor engineers at different levels.
- Consider how you foster collaboration and psychological safety.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to performance reviews and feedback.
- Reflect on your experience in hiring and building teams.

## Round 4: Strategic & Product Thinking Interview
**Type:** Strategic & Product Thinking · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Evaluates strategic thinking, product sense, business acumen, and cross-functional collaboration.
This round assesses your strategic thinking, product sense, and ability to align engineering efforts with business objectives. You'll discuss how you prioritize initiatives, manage roadmaps, collaborate with product management and other stakeholders, and contribute to the overall business strategy. Expect questions about your experience in driving product success through engineering leadership.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to connect technical strategy with business goals; Experience in product development and roadmap planning; Strong communication and stakeholder management skills; Sound judgment and decision-making
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking and planning; Product sense and business acumen; Cross-functional collaboration; Communication and influence; Decision-making ability
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic vision; Poor alignment with business objectives; Inability to influence stakeholders; Weak communication or presentation skills
## Questions

- How do you prioritize features when there are competing demands from product, sales, and engineering?
- Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders to adopt a particular technical direction.
- How do you ensure your team understands the 'why' behind the work they are doing?
- What is your approach to managing technical debt?
- How do you collaborate with Product Management?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Atlassian's product strategy and market position.
- Think about how engineering enables business goals.
- Prepare examples of successful product delivery and cross-functional collaboration.
- Practice articulating your vision for a product or team.
- Consider how you handle ambiguity and changing priorities.

## Round 5: Executive Interview
**Type:** Executive/Final Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Final discussion with a senior leader to assess overall fit, vision, and executive presence.
This final interview is typically with a senior leader at Atlassian. It's a chance to discuss your broader leadership philosophy, strategic vision, and how you see yourself contributing to the company at a higher level. They will assess your overall fit, executive presence, and potential for growth within the organization. Be prepared to discuss your long-term career aspirations and your vision for engineering leadership.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong leadership presence and executive communication; Clear vision for managing engineering organizations; Alignment with Atlassian's long-term strategy; Ability to inspire and lead at scale
**Evaluation criteria:** Overall leadership capability; Strategic vision and alignment; Cultural fit with senior leadership; Executive presence; Long-term potential
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with senior leadership; Poor cultural fit at a higher level; Inability to articulate a compelling vision; Concerns about overall leadership capability
## Questions

- What is your long-term vision for an engineering organization?
- How do you foster a culture of accountability?
- What are the biggest challenges facing engineering leaders today?
- How would you contribute to Atlassian's strategic goals?
- What questions do you have for me?

## Preparation tips

- Reiterate your understanding of Atlassian's mission and strategy.
- Articulate your leadership philosophy and vision clearly.
- Be prepared to discuss your career aspirations.
- Show enthusiasm and a forward-looking perspective.
- Have thoughtful questions ready for the senior leader.