# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** L1
**Company:** [Groupon](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/groupon)
**Difficulty:** Medium
**Salary:** US$120000 - US$150000
**Experience:** 3 - 5
**Timeline:** ~10 days
This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineering Manager (L1) position at Groupon. It evaluates technical leadership, people management skills, strategic thinking, and cultural fit.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/groupon/l1-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Acumen
- People Management
- Strategic & Business Acumen
- Communication & Cultural Fit

## Questions asked

- Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult team member. How did you handle it?
- How do you prioritize tasks when faced with competing demands?
- Describe your approach to performance reviews and providing feedback.
- How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your team?
- What are your strategies for mentoring and developing junior engineers?
- How do you ensure your team stays aligned with business objectives?
- Tell me about a time you made a significant technical decision. What was the process and outcome?
- How do you handle disagreements within your team or with stakeholders?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
- Why are you interested in this role at Groupon?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review Groupon's mission, values, and recent news.
- Understand the responsibilities and expectations of an L1 Software Engineering Manager.
- Prepare STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) examples for behavioral questions.
- Brush up on core software engineering principles and best practices.
- Think about your leadership philosophy and how you motivate teams.
- Consider common challenges faced by engineering managers and how you would address them.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company & Role Understanding","longDescription":"Week 1: Deep dive into Groupon's business, products, and engineering culture. Understand the company's strategic goals and how engineering contributes. Review L1 SEM role expectations and responsibilities. Start preparing STAR method examples for common behavioral questions related to leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving.","shortDescription":"Week 1: Groupon's business, L1 SEM role, STAR method prep."}
- {"title":"People Management Skills","longDescription":"Week 2: Focus on people management skills. Review concepts like performance management, coaching, conflict resolution, and team building. Prepare examples demonstrating your ability to develop and motivate engineers. Study common interview questions for engineering managers related to these topics.","shortDescription":"Week 2: People management skills, performance, coaching, conflict resolution."}
- {"title":"Technical Acumen & Strategy","longDescription":"Week 3: Refresh technical fundamentals. Review system design principles, common architectural patterns, and software development lifecycle best practices. Prepare to discuss technical challenges you've faced and how you've guided your teams through them. Consider how you would approach technical decision-making and strategy.","shortDescription":"Week 3: Technical fundamentals, system design, technical decision-making."}
- {"title":"Interview Practice & Refinement","longDescription":"Week 4: Practice mock interviews, focusing on both behavioral and technical scenarios. Refine your answers and ensure they are concise and impactful. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company.","shortDescription":"Week 4: Mock interviews, refining answers, preparing questions."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Remote","differences":{"tips":["Highlight experience with remote work tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Miro).","Emphasize your ability to build trust and rapport virtually.","Be prepared to discuss strategies for maintaining team morale and productivity remotely."],"interviewFocus":["Remote team management strategies","Virtual collaboration tools and techniques","Building team culture in a distributed environment"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle underperforming engineers in a remote setting?","Describe a time you had to manage a distributed team. What were the challenges and how did you overcome them?","What tools and strategies do you use to foster collaboration and communication within a remote team?"]}}
- {"location":"On-site (Chicago)","differences":{"tips":["Provide specific examples of successful cross-departmental projects.","Demonstrate an understanding of business goals and how engineering contributes to them.","Showcase your ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences."],"interviewFocus":["Cross-functional collaboration","Stakeholder management","Business acumen and strategic alignment"],"commonQuestions":["How do you manage stakeholder expectations across different departments?","Describe a time you had to resolve a conflict between engineering and product teams.","How do you ensure alignment between engineering roadmaps and business objectives?"]}}

## Round 1: HR Screening Call
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Easy · **Duration:** 30 min
Initial screening 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 the company. They will ask about your background, motivations for applying, and salary expectations. It's also an opportunity for you to learn more about the role and the interview process.
**Interviewers look for:** Clear and concise communication; Genuine interest in Groupon and the role; Positive attitude; Basic alignment with company values
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Enthusiasm and interest; Basic understanding of the role; Cultural alignment
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear communication; Inability to provide specific examples; Poor cultural fit; Lack of enthusiasm for the role or company
## Questions

- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you interested in this role at Groupon?
- What are your salary expectations?
- What do you know about Groupon?

## Preparation tips

- Research Groupon's mission, values, and recent news.
- Be prepared to discuss your resume and career goals.
- Have your salary expectations ready.
- Prepare questions to ask the recruiter.

## Round 2: Hiring Manager Interview
**Type:** People Management Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses people management, leadership, and team development skills.
This interview focuses on your people management and leadership skills. The hiring manager will delve into your experience managing engineering teams, including how you handle performance issues, motivate individuals, resolve conflicts, and foster a collaborative environment. Expect behavioral questions requiring specific examples.
**Interviewers look for:** Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate teams; Experience in developing engineers; Effective conflict resolution skills; Understanding of performance management; Ability to foster a positive team environment
**Evaluation criteria:** People management skills; Leadership style; Coaching and mentoring abilities; Conflict resolution strategies; Team building capabilities
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate leadership philosophy; Lack of concrete examples for people management scenarios; Poor conflict resolution skills; Difficulty in explaining technical decisions
## Questions

- Describe your leadership style.
- Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult team member. How did you handle it?
- How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your team?
- What are your strategies for mentoring and developing junior engineers?
- How do you handle disagreements within your team?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare STAR method examples for managing teams, resolving conflicts, and developing engineers.
- Think about your leadership philosophy and how you empower your team.
- Be ready to discuss how you handle underperformance and provide constructive feedback.
- Consider how you build and maintain team morale.

## Round 3: Technical & Strategic Interview
**Type:** Technical & Strategic Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical leadership, system design, and strategic thinking.
This round evaluates your technical leadership and strategic thinking. You'll be asked to discuss system design, architectural choices, and how you guide your team through technical challenges. The interviewer will assess your ability to make sound technical decisions that align with business goals and ensure scalability and maintainability.
**Interviewers look for:** Sound technical judgment; Ability to design scalable and robust systems; Understanding of software development best practices; Strategic alignment with business objectives; Effective problem-solving methodologies
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical leadership; System design and architecture; Strategic thinking; Problem-solving approach; Prioritization skills
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic thinking; Inability to connect technical decisions to business goals; Poor system design or architectural understanding; Difficulty in prioritizing effectively
## Questions

- How do you prioritize tasks when faced with competing demands?
- Describe your approach to performance reviews and providing feedback.
- Tell me about a time you made a significant technical decision. What was the process and outcome?
- How would you design a system for [specific Groupon product/feature]?
- How do you ensure your team stays aligned with business objectives?

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles and common architectural patterns.
- Prepare to discuss past technical challenges and how you led your team to solutions.
- Think about how you prioritize technical initiatives and balance short-term needs with long-term vision.
- Be ready to articulate your understanding of software development lifecycles and best practices.

## Round 4: Peer/Leadership Interview
**Type:** Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assesses cultural fit, collaboration, and alignment with company values.
This interview focuses on your cultural fit and how you collaborate with peers and other stakeholders. You'll discuss your approach to teamwork, problem-solving, and how you align with Groupon's values. The interviewer will assess your ability to contribute positively to the engineering organization.
**Interviewers look for:** Alignment with Groupon's core values; Ability to collaborate effectively; A clear vision for team growth and success; Proactive problem-solving; A willingness to learn and adapt
**Evaluation criteria:** Cultural fit; Collaboration skills; Vision and alignment; Problem-solving approach; Growth mindset
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with company values; Poor collaboration skills; Inability to articulate a clear vision; Not demonstrating a growth mindset
## Questions

- How do you handle disagreements with peers?
- What are your thoughts on agile methodologies?
- How do you ensure your team stays motivated during challenging projects?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
- What questions do you have for me?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Groupon's core values and how you embody them.
- Prepare examples of successful collaboration with other teams.
- Think about how you contribute to a positive and productive work environment.
- Be ready to discuss your vision for a high-performing engineering team.