# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** Software Development Manager
**Company:** [Chewy](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/chewy)
**Difficulty:** High
**Salary:** US$160000 - US$220000
**Experience:** 7 - 15
**Timeline:** ~14 days
The Software Engineering Manager interview at Chewy is designed to assess a candidate's leadership capabilities, technical expertise, and ability to drive team performance and deliver high-quality software solutions. The process evaluates a candidate's experience in managing engineering teams, fostering a positive team culture, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/chewy/software-development-manager-software-engineering-manager
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## Overall evaluation

- Leadership & People Management
- Technical Acumen
- Cultural Fit & Behavioral

## Questions asked

- Tell me about your experience managing software engineering teams.
- How do you balance technical debt with feature delivery?
- Describe a time you had to deliver difficult feedback to a team member.
- What are your strategies for attracting and retaining top engineering talent?
- How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement?
- Walk me through a complex project you managed from inception to completion.
- How do you ensure the quality and reliability of the software your team produces?
- What are your thoughts on remote vs. in-office work environments for engineering teams?
- How do you handle disagreements within your team or with other departments?
- What are your career aspirations and how does this role align with them?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Thoroughly review your resume and be prepared to discuss specific examples of your accomplishments.
- Understand Chewy's mission, values, and recent business developments.
- Familiarize yourself with common software engineering management challenges and best practices.
- Prepare to discuss your leadership philosophy and how you motivate and develop teams.
- Practice answering behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Research common interview questions for engineering managers.
- Be ready to discuss your experience with agile methodologies, project management, and technical decision-making.
- Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company culture.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company & Self-Assessment","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Chewy's business, products, and engineering culture. Review your past projects and identify key achievements and leadership examples. Focus on understanding Chewy's approach to software development and team management. Prepare STAR method examples for common leadership scenarios.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Chewy's business, personal project review, leadership examples, STAR method."}
- {"title":"Technical Leadership & System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on technical leadership and system design. Refresh your knowledge of scalable architectures, cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP), CI/CD pipelines, and modern software development practices. Prepare to discuss technical challenges you've overcome and your approach to technical decision-making.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Technical leadership, system design, cloud, CI/CD, technical challenges."}
- {"title":"People Management & Behavioral Skills","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Concentrate on people management and behavioral aspects. Study leadership theories, team building strategies, conflict resolution, performance management, and career development. Prepare to discuss your management style and how you foster a positive and productive team environment. Practice behavioral interview questions.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: People management, team building, conflict resolution, performance management, behavioral questions."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Anytown, USA","differences":{"tips":["Research Chewy's presence and initiatives in this specific location.","Be prepared to discuss how you would build and lead a team within the context of this region's talent landscape.","Highlight any experience you have working with distributed or remote teams if applicable to the location."],"interviewFocus":["Understanding of local market talent pool and hiring trends.","Adaptability to regional business priorities and challenges.","Familiarity with local compliance and labor laws."],"commonQuestions":["Describe a time you had to manage a conflict within your team. How did you resolve it?","How do you prioritize competing demands from different stakeholders?","Tell me about a challenging technical problem your team faced and how you guided them to a solution.","What are your strategies for mentoring and developing junior engineers?","How do you ensure your team stays up-to-date with the latest technologies and best practices?"]}}
- {"location":"Tech City, CA","differences":{"tips":["Emphasize your experience in scaling teams and managing complex projects.","Be ready to discuss your technical background and how it informs your management style.","Showcase your ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences."],"interviewFocus":["Understanding of the specific technical challenges and opportunities relevant to this hub.","Ability to collaborate with local engineering leadership and cross-functional teams.","Knowledge of the local tech ecosystem and potential partnerships."],"commonQuestions":["How do you foster innovation and creativity within a team?","Describe your experience with agile methodologies and how you've adapted them.","How do you handle underperforming team members?","What is your approach to performance reviews and career development?","Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team."]}}

## Round 1: HR Phone Screen
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Initial call with HR to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
This initial screening call with HR or a recruiter is to assess your overall fit for the role and Chewy. They will review your resume, discuss your career goals, and ask about your experience in software engineering management. This is also an opportunity for you to learn more about the role and the company.
**Interviewers look for:** Clear and concise communication; Enthusiasm for the role and Chewy; Basic understanding of management responsibilities; Positive attitude
**Evaluation criteria:** Initial assessment of communication skills; Understanding of basic management principles; Cultural alignment with Chewy
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear communication; Inability to provide specific examples of leadership; Poor understanding of team dynamics; Lack of strategic thinking; Negative attitude or poor cultural fit
## Questions

- Can you tell me about your background in software engineering management?
- What interests you about this role at Chewy?
- What are your salary expectations?

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to briefly summarize your experience and career aspirations.
- Research Chewy's mission, values, and recent news.
- Have a few questions ready about the role and the company.

## Round 2: Technical Deep Dive
**Type:** Technical & System Design Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assess technical leadership, system design, and problem-solving skills.
This round focuses on your technical leadership and system design capabilities. You will be asked to discuss your experience with designing scalable and robust systems, making technical trade-offs, and guiding your team through complex technical challenges. Expect questions related to architecture, distributed systems, and best practices in software development.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong understanding of software architecture and design patterns; Ability to think critically and solve complex technical problems; Experience in leading technical initiatives; Clear communication of technical concepts
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical leadership and decision-making; System design and architectural thinking; Problem-solving approach; Ability to guide technical discussions
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of technical depth; Inability to articulate technical decisions; Poor understanding of system design principles; Difficulty in problem-solving; Weak collaboration skills
## Questions

- Design a system for [specific Chewy use case, e.g., a recommendation engine].
- How would you approach migrating a monolithic application to microservices?
- Describe a time you had to make a significant technical decision that had long-term implications.

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles and common architectural patterns.
- Practice designing scalable systems for various use cases.
- Be prepared to discuss your experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
- Think about how you would lead a team to solve a specific technical problem.

## Round 3: Leadership & People Management
**Type:** People Management & Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assess people management, leadership style, and behavioral competencies.
This round focuses on your people management and leadership skills. You'll be asked behavioral questions about how you manage teams, handle conflicts, develop talent, and foster a positive work environment. The interviewer will want to understand your philosophy on leadership and how you empower your team to succeed.
**Interviewers look for:** Demonstrated ability to mentor, coach, and develop engineers; Effective conflict resolution and feedback delivery skills; Experience in building high-performing teams; Understanding of employee motivation and engagement
**Evaluation criteria:** People management and leadership style; Team building and development strategies; Conflict resolution and performance management; Ability to foster a positive team culture; Strategic thinking in talent management
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of people management; Poor conflict resolution skills; Lack of empathy or understanding of team motivation; Difficulty in handling underperformance; Failure to demonstrate strategic thinking in people development
## Questions

- Describe your approach to performance management and career development for your team members.
- Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult team member. What was the situation and outcome?
- How do you foster collaboration and communication within your team and with other departments?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples of how you've managed teams, resolved conflicts, and developed individuals.
- Think about your leadership philosophy and how you motivate engineers.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to performance reviews and career pathing.
- Consider how you build and maintain a healthy team culture.

## Round 4: Strategic Alignment
**Type:** Strategic & Business Acumen Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Evaluate strategic thinking, business alignment, and stakeholder influence.
This round assesses your strategic thinking and business acumen. You'll discuss how you align your team's work with the company's overall strategy, how you prioritize initiatives, and how you collaborate with product management and other stakeholders. The interviewer wants to see that you can think beyond day-to-day tasks and contribute to the broader business goals.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to connect team's work to business objectives; Strategic thinking and long-term planning skills; Effective communication and influencing skills; Understanding of the competitive landscape
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking and planning; Business acumen and understanding of company goals; Ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders; Vision for the team and its contribution to the business
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic vision; Poor alignment with business goals; Inability to influence stakeholders; Weak communication of strategic initiatives; Misunderstanding of the broader business context
## Questions

- How do you ensure your team's roadmap aligns with the company's strategic priorities?
- Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders to adopt a new technical approach or strategy.
- What are your thoughts on the future of e-commerce technology and how would you position your team for success?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Chewy's business strategy, market position, and key objectives.
- Think about how your team's work contributes to these objectives.
- Prepare examples of how you've driven strategic initiatives or influenced business decisions.
- Consider how you partner with product management and other cross-functional teams.

## Round 5: VP/Director of Engineering Interview
**Type:** Executive / Final Round · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Final discussion with senior leadership to assess overall fit and vision.
This final round is typically with a senior leader (Director or VP) to assess your overall leadership capabilities, strategic vision, and cultural fit at a higher level. They will want to understand your long-term aspirations and how you envision leading and growing engineering teams within Chewy. This is your chance to demonstrate your executive presence and strategic thinking.
**Interviewers look for:** A clear and compelling vision for leading engineering teams; Strong alignment with Chewy's leadership principles; Ability to think strategically and at an organizational level; Confidence and executive presence
**Evaluation criteria:** Overall leadership potential; Alignment with executive vision and values; Ability to inspire and lead at a higher level; Executive presence and communication
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with senior leadership vision; Poor cultural fit at the executive level; Inability to articulate a compelling vision for the team; Lack of confidence or executive presence; Misalignment on key leadership principles
## Questions

- What is your vision for a high-performing software engineering team at Chewy?
- How do you stay current with industry trends and drive innovation within your teams?
- What are the most important qualities of an effective engineering leader in today's tech landscape?

## Preparation tips

- Reflect on your overall leadership philosophy and vision.
- Be prepared to discuss your long-term career goals and how they align with Chewy's growth.
- Showcase your ability to think strategically and at an organizational level.
- Prepare insightful questions for the senior leader.