# Software Engineering Manager **Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** Senior Manager **Company:** [Nordstrom](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/nordstrom) **Difficulty:** High **Salary:** US$170000 - US$220000 **Experience:** 8 - 15 **Timeline:** ~14 days This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Senior Software Engineering Manager position at Nordstrom. It evaluates technical leadership, people management skills, strategic thinking, and cultural fit within Nordstrom's values. Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/nordstrom/senior-manager-software-engineering-manager --- ## Overall evaluation - Technical Acumen - People Management - Strategic & Business Acumen - Cultural Fit & Communication ## Questions asked - Describe your experience leading a team of software engineers. What was your approach to management? - Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult technical decision that impacted your team. What was the outcome? - How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your team? - Describe a situation where you had to manage a conflict within your team. How did you resolve it? - How do you prioritize work for your team when faced with competing demands? - What are your strategies for mentoring and developing engineers at different career stages? - How do you stay current with emerging technologies and ensure your team is leveraging them effectively? - Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it? - How do you measure the success of your team and your own performance as a manager? - Imagine you inherit a team with low morale and performance issues. What are your first steps? - How do you balance the need for speed with the need for quality and stability in software development? - Describe your experience with the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and agile methodologies. - How do you handle underperforming team members? - What are your thoughts on technical debt and how do you manage it? - How do you ensure your team's work aligns with the company's overall business strategy? ## Preparation tips ### lists - Deeply understand Nordstrom's mission, values, and recent business/technology news. - Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions. - Review common software engineering management challenges and best practices. - Brush up on system design principles and scalability concepts. - Think about your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive team environment. - Practice articulating your technical vision and how it aligns with business objectives. - Be ready to discuss your experience with hiring, performance reviews, and career development for engineers. ### studyPlan - {"title":"Company & Foundational Knowledge","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on understanding Nordstrom's business, culture, and recent technology advancements. Review company reports, press releases, and tech blogs. Simultaneously, begin reviewing core software engineering principles and best practices for managing teams. Start outlining key career achievements using the STAR method.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Nordstrom research, STAR method prep, SWE management fundamentals."} - {"title":"Technical & People Management Deep Dive","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive deeper into system design and architecture. Practice designing scalable and resilient systems. Prepare to discuss trade-offs and architectural decisions. Also, focus on people management aspects: conflict resolution, performance management, and career growth strategies for engineers. Practice behavioral questions related to these topics.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: System Design practice, People Management strategies, Behavioral question practice."} - {"title":"Mock Interviews & Final Preparation","longDescription":"Week 5: Conduct mock interviews focusing on leadership scenarios, technical problem-solving, and strategic thinking. Refine your answers and ensure they are concise and impactful. Prepare questions to ask the interviewers that demonstrate your engagement and strategic thinking.","shortDescription":"Week 5: Mock interviews, refining answers, preparing questions for interviewers."} ## Location differences - {"location":"Remote/Hybrid","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to discuss your experience with managing remote or hybrid teams.","Highlight your proficiency with collaboration and communication tools.","Emphasize your ability to build strong relationships and foster a positive team environment virtually."],"interviewFocus":["Remote team management strategies","Virtual collaboration tools and techniques","Maintaining team culture and engagement in a distributed workforce"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle a team member who is consistently underperforming in a remote setting?","Describe a time you had to adapt your leadership style for a hybrid team.","What strategies do you use to foster collaboration and innovation in a distributed team environment?"]}} - {"location":"Seattle","differences":{"tips":["Research Nordstrom's recent technological initiatives and business goals.","Be ready to discuss how your leadership style aligns with Nordstrom's core values.","Prepare examples that demonstrate your ability to drive impact in a large, matrixed organization."],"interviewFocus":["Alignment with Nordstrom's retail and technology strategy","Experience in large-scale enterprise environments","Stakeholder management within a complex organization"],"commonQuestions":["How do you ensure alignment between your team and the broader Seattle tech community?","Describe your experience with fostering innovation within a large, established retail organization.","How do you balance the needs of the business with the technical vision for your team?"]}} ## Round 1: HR Screening Call **Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min Initial screening call with HR to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit. This initial screening call with a recruiter or HR representative is designed to assess your overall fit for the role and Nordstrom. They will review your resume, discuss your career aspirations, and gauge your understanding of the position. This is also an opportunity for you to ask initial questions about the company and the role. **Interviewers look for:** Clear and concise communication; Genuine interest in Nordstrom and the role; Alignment with company values; Basic understanding of management principles **Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Cultural fit; Understanding of the role and Nordstrom; Enthusiasm and motivation **Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clear communication; Inability to provide specific examples; Appearing unenthusiastic or disengaged; Not demonstrating alignment with Nordstrom's values ## Questions - Can you walk me through your resume and highlight your relevant experience for this role? - Why are you interested in Nordstrom and this Software Engineering Manager position? - What are your salary expectations? - What are your strengths and weaknesses as a manager? ## Preparation tips - Be prepared to talk about your resume and career path. - Research Nordstrom's mission, values, and recent news. - Practice articulating why you are interested in this specific role at Nordstrom. - Prepare a few questions to ask the recruiter. ## Round 2: Technical & Strategic Leadership Interview **Type:** Technical & Strategic Leadership Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min Assesses technical leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to align technology with business goals. This interview focuses on your technical leadership and strategic thinking. You'll be asked to discuss your approach to building and scaling engineering teams, your experience with architectural decisions, and how you align technology with business goals. Expect scenario-based questions and discussions about your past technical leadership experiences. **Interviewers look for:** A clear vision for technical teams; Ability to think strategically about technology and business alignment; Sound judgment in technical decision-making; Experience in driving technical initiatives **Evaluation criteria:** Technical leadership capabilities; Strategic thinking and planning; Problem-solving skills; Ability to influence and drive technical direction **Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical vision; Lack of strategic thinking; Poor problem-solving approach; Failure to demonstrate leadership potential ## Questions - Describe your approach to building and scaling a software engineering team. - How do you balance technical debt with the need to deliver new features quickly? - Tell me about a time you had to influence stakeholders to adopt a new technology or architectural approach. - What is your process for setting technical direction and ensuring your team follows it? - How do you foster a culture of innovation and experimentation within your team? ## Preparation tips - Review your experience in leading technical projects and teams. - Prepare to discuss your philosophy on building high-performing engineering teams. - Think about how you translate business requirements into technical solutions. - Be ready to discuss your experience with system design and architecture. - Prepare examples of strategic technical decisions you've made. ## Round 3: People Management Interview **Type:** People Management Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min Focuses on your ability to lead, develop, and manage engineering teams effectively. This interview focuses on your people management skills. You will be asked behavioral questions about how you lead, motivate, develop, and manage your team members. Expect questions about hiring, performance reviews, conflict resolution, and fostering a positive team environment. The interviewer will be looking for concrete examples of your management style and its effectiveness. **Interviewers look for:** Demonstrated ability to mentor and grow engineers; Effective conflict resolution strategies; Experience with performance management and feedback; Understanding of team dynamics and motivation **Evaluation criteria:** People management skills; Team development and coaching; Conflict resolution; Performance management; Delegation **Common rejection reasons:** Poor conflict resolution skills; Inability to provide specific examples of people management; Lack of empathy or understanding of team dynamics; Micromanagement tendencies ## Questions - Describe a time you had to manage an underperforming engineer. What steps did you take? - How do you foster a collaborative and inclusive environment within your team? - Tell me about a challenging conflict you mediated within your team. What was the outcome? - How do you approach career development and mentorship for your engineers? - Describe your process for hiring engineers. What do you look for? ## Preparation tips - Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common people management scenarios (e.g., handling underperformance, resolving conflict, coaching). - Think about your philosophy on career development for engineers. - Be ready to discuss how you build trust and psychological safety within a team. - Consider how you delegate tasks and empower your team members. ## Round 4: Hiring Manager Interview **Type:** Hiring Manager Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min Final interview with the hiring manager to assess leadership vision and cultural alignment. This is typically the final interview with the hiring manager, often a VP or Senior Director. The focus is on your overall leadership philosophy, strategic vision, and how you would fit into the broader leadership team at Nordstrom. They will assess your ability to drive results, manage complex challenges, and embody the company's culture. This is also your chance to ask high-level strategic questions. **Interviewers look for:** A clear and compelling leadership vision; Demonstrated alignment with Nordstrom's core values; Ability to collaborate across different functions; Strategic thinking and decision-making in ambiguous situations **Evaluation criteria:** Leadership vision; Alignment with Nordstrom's culture and values; Collaboration and influence; Problem-solving approach in complex situations **Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with Nordstrom's values; Poor communication or interpersonal skills; Inability to articulate a clear vision; Not demonstrating a collaborative leadership style ## Questions - What is your vision for a high-performing engineering team at Nordstrom? - How would you foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement within your team? - Describe a time you had to lead your team through significant organizational change. - How do you ensure your team's work is aligned with the company's overall business objectives? - What are the biggest challenges facing software engineering leaders today, and how do you address them? ## Preparation tips - Reiterate your understanding of Nordstrom's strategic goals. - Prepare to discuss your long-term vision for an engineering team. - Think about how you would contribute to the broader engineering organization. - Be ready to discuss your leadership style and how it aligns with Nordstrom's values. - Prepare thoughtful questions for the hiring manager about the team, the organization, and future challenges.