Scale Engineer

Software Engineering Manager

Software Engineering ManagerDirectorHigh

This interview process for a Director-level Software Engineering Manager at Chewy is designed to assess leadership capabilities, technical depth, strategic thinking, and cultural fit. Candidates will be evaluated on their ability to lead teams, drive technical excellence, manage complex projects, and contribute to Chewy's overall engineering vision.

Rounds·5

Timeline·~14d

Experience·10 - 15 yrs

Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000

Interview time·270 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Leadership effectiveness and team building
  • Strategic thinking and business acumen
  • Technical vision and architectural judgment
  • Execution and delivery capabilities
  • Communication and stakeholder management
  • Cultural alignment with Chewy's values

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Deeply understand Chewy's mission, values, and business strategy.
  2. Review your past projects and identify key leadership challenges and successes.
  3. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
  4. Familiarize yourself with common software engineering management frameworks and best practices.
  5. Think about your vision for a high-performing engineering team at Chewy.
  6. Research current trends in e-commerce technology and software development.
  7. Be ready to discuss your approach to managing budgets, resources, and timelines.
  8. Prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewers about the role, team, and company.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Company & Self-Assessment

Weeks 1-2: Chewy business & culture, career review, STAR stories.

Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Chewy's business model, recent news, and engineering culture. Review your career history, focusing on leadership accomplishments, team growth, and strategic initiatives. Prepare STAR stories for common leadership competencies like delegation, conflict resolution, and driving change.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Tell me about a time you had to lead a team through a significant organizational change.
  • How do you balance the needs of your direct reports with the strategic goals of the company?
  • Describe your approach to managing underperforming team members.
  • What is your philosophy on building and scaling engineering teams?
  • How do you foster a culture of psychological safety and continuous improvement?
  • Walk me through a complex technical challenge your team faced and how you guided them to a solution.
  • How do you stay current with emerging technologies and assess their potential impact on Chewy?
  • Describe a time you had to influence senior leadership or stakeholders to adopt a new technical direction.
  • What are your key metrics for measuring the success of an engineering team?
  • How do you handle disagreements or conflicts within your team or with other departments?
  • What are your thoughts on the current state of e-commerce technology and where do you see it heading?
  • Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.
  • How do you prioritize competing demands and manage your team's workload effectively?
  • What are your expectations for this role and for Chewy?
  • Why are you interested in Chewy specifically?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Anytown, USA

Interview focus

Understanding of the local tech talent market and competitive landscape.Adaptability to regional work culture and collaboration styles.Experience with specific technologies or platforms prevalent in the region.

Common questions

  • How do you handle a situation where a key project deliverable is at risk due to unforeseen technical challenges?
  • Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders outside of your direct reporting line to adopt a new technology or process.
  • What are your strategies for fostering innovation within an engineering team, especially in a remote or hybrid environment?
  • How do you balance the need for rapid feature delivery with maintaining high code quality and system stability?
  • In a market like [specific local tech hub], what are the key talent acquisition challenges you anticipate, and how would you address them?

Tips

  • Research the local tech ecosystem and Chewy's presence within it.
  • Be prepared to discuss your experience managing distributed or hybrid teams if applicable to the location.
  • Highlight any experience working with or understanding the specific regulatory or business environment of the location.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Chewy.

Frequently reported on Chewy loops

View all at Chewy

Other guides

More at Chewy.