# Software Engineering Manager
**Role:** Software Engineering Manager · **Level:** Manager 2
**Company:** [Revolut](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/revolut)
**Difficulty:** High
**Salary:** US$140000 - US$180000
**Experience:** 5 - 10
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineering Manager (Manager 2) position at Revolut. It evaluates technical leadership, people management skills, strategic thinking, and cultural fit.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/revolut/manager-2-software-engineering-manager
---
## Overall evaluation

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

## Questions asked

- Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult stakeholder.
- How do you motivate a team that is facing a challenging project?
- Describe your process for hiring engineers.
- How do you handle underperformance within your team?
- Walk me through a complex system you designed or managed.
- What is your approach to technical debt?
- How do you foster innovation within your team?
- Describe a time you failed and what you learned from it.
- How do you balance the needs of your team with the goals of the business?
- What are your thoughts on code reviews and their importance?
- How do you ensure the quality of the software produced by your team?
- Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team.

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Understand Revolut's mission, values, and product.
- Review common software engineering management interview questions.
- 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 foster a positive team environment.
- Be ready to discuss your experience with agile methodologies and project management.
- Research current trends in FinTech and the challenges faced by engineering managers in this space.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Company & Foundational Knowledge","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into Revolut's business, products, and engineering culture. Understand their tech stack and recent news. Review core software engineering principles and best practices. Familiarize yourself with agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban).","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Revolut research, core SE principles, Agile."}
- {"title":"People Management Skills","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on people management. Study leadership theories, team dynamics, conflict resolution, performance management, and hiring best practices. Prepare behavioral examples using the STAR method for common management scenarios.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: People management, leadership, STAR method."}
- {"title":"Technical Leadership & System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 5-6: Concentrate on technical leadership and system design. Review distributed systems, scalability, microservices architecture, and common design patterns. Practice explaining complex technical concepts clearly.","shortDescription":"Weeks 5-6: System design, scalability, technical communication."}
- {"title":"Interview Practice & Refinement","longDescription":"Week 7: Practice mock interviews, focusing on both behavioral and technical questions. Refine your answers and ensure they align with Revolut's values. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews, question preparation."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Remote/Hybrid","differences":{"tips":["Highlight experience with distributed teams and asynchronous communication.","Be prepared to discuss tools and techniques for remote collaboration.","Emphasize your ability to build a strong team culture regardless of location."],"interviewFocus":["Remote team management strategies","Cross-cultural communication","Building trust in distributed teams"],"commonQuestions":["How do you handle underperforming engineers 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":"London","differences":{"tips":["Showcase your ability to drive results in a high-pressure, on-site environment.","Provide examples of successful collaboration with other departments.","Emphasize your understanding of Revolut's fast-paced culture."],"interviewFocus":["On-site team dynamics","Agile methodologies and rapid iteration","Stakeholder management in a co-located setting"],"commonQuestions":["How do you manage stakeholder expectations in a fast-paced, on-site environment?","Describe a situation where you had to quickly adapt your team's priorities based on immediate business needs.","How do you ensure efficient communication and knowledge sharing within an on-site team?"]}}

## Round 1: HR Screening Call
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Initial call with HR to assess motivation and cultural fit.
This initial screening call with an HR Recruiter aims to understand your background, career aspirations, and motivation for applying to Revolut. They will assess your cultural fit and provide an overview of the company and the role. Be prepared to discuss your resume and why you are interested in this specific opportunity.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for Revolut; Clear communication; Alignment with company values; Basic understanding of the role
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Cultural alignment; Motivation and enthusiasm; Understanding of Revolut's values
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clarity in communication; Inability to provide specific examples; Poor cultural fit; Lack of enthusiasm or engagement
## Questions

- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you interested in Revolut?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What are your salary expectations?
- What are you looking for in your next role?

## Preparation tips

- Research Revolut's mission, vision, and values.
- Prepare a concise summary of your career journey.
- Be ready to articulate why you want to work at Revolut.
- Have questions prepared about the company culture and the role.

## Round 2: Technical & System Design Interview
**Type:** Technical Interview / System Design · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Assesses technical depth and system design capabilities.
This round focuses on your technical expertise and system design capabilities. You will be asked to discuss your experience with designing, building, and scaling complex systems. Expect questions related to architecture, trade-offs, performance, and reliability. You might also be asked to whiteboard a solution to a technical problem.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong understanding of software architecture and design patterns; Ability to design scalable and reliable systems; Logical thinking and problem-solving skills; Experience with cloud technologies and distributed systems
**Evaluation criteria:** Technical depth; System design skills; Problem-solving methodology; Ability to communicate technical ideas
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate technical concepts clearly; Lack of depth in system design knowledge; Poor problem-solving approach; Difficulty in explaining past technical decisions
## Questions

- Design a system like Twitter's news feed.
- How would you design a rate limiter?
- Discuss the trade-offs between microservices and a monolith architecture.
- How do you ensure high availability in a distributed system?
- Explain the CAP theorem and its implications.

## Preparation tips

- Review system design principles (scalability, availability, consistency).
- Practice designing common systems (e.g., URL shortener, social media feed).
- Understand trade-offs in different architectural choices.
- Be prepared to discuss your past projects in detail.
- Brush up on distributed systems concepts.

## Round 3: People Management Interview
**Type:** People Management & Leadership Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 60 min
Evaluates leadership, team management, and behavioral competencies.
This interview focuses on your people management and leadership skills. You'll be asked behavioral questions about how you've managed teams, handled conflicts, motivated individuals, and driven results. The interviewer will want to understand your leadership philosophy and how you foster a productive and positive team environment.
**Interviewers look for:** Proven ability to lead and mentor engineering teams; Experience in performance management and career development; Strategic vision and ability to align team goals with business objectives; Effective conflict resolution and communication skills
**Evaluation criteria:** Leadership effectiveness; People management skills; Strategic thinking; Problem-solving in management scenarios; Communication and influence
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to provide concrete examples of leadership; Poor conflict resolution skills; Lack of strategic thinking; Difficulty in managing team performance
## Questions

- Describe a time you had to manage a conflict within your team.
- How do you handle an underperforming engineer?
- Tell me about a time you successfully mentored an engineer.
- How do you prioritize tasks for your team?
- What is your approach to fostering a positive team culture?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common management situations (e.g., conflict, underperformance, motivation).
- Think about your leadership style and how you adapt it.
- Be ready to discuss your approach to hiring, onboarding, and retaining talent.
- Consider how you set goals and measure success for your team.

## Round 4: Strategic Thinking Interview
**Type:** Strategic & Business Acumen Interview · **Difficulty:** High · **Duration:** 45 min
Focuses on strategic thinking, business alignment, and decision-making.
This interview assesses your strategic thinking, business acumen, and ability to align engineering with broader company objectives. You'll discuss how you approach product strategy, resource allocation, and cross-functional collaboration. The interviewer wants to see if you can operate at a higher level and contribute to the company's overall success.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to think strategically and align engineering efforts with business goals; Understanding of product development lifecycle; Experience in managing budgets and resources; Strong communication and influencing skills
**Evaluation criteria:** Strategic thinking; Business acumen; Decision-making; Communication and influence; Alignment with company strategy
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of strategic vision; Inability to connect technical decisions to business outcomes; Poor communication with senior stakeholders; Misalignment on strategic priorities
## Questions

- How would you align your team's roadmap with the company's strategic goals?
- Describe a time you had to make a difficult trade-off between technical debt and new feature development.
- How do you measure the success of your engineering team?
- What are the biggest challenges facing engineering managers in the FinTech industry today?
- How do you foster a culture of innovation within your team?

## Preparation tips

- Understand Revolut's business model and competitive landscape.
- Think about how technology can drive business value.
- Prepare examples of strategic initiatives you've led.
- Be ready to discuss your experience with roadmapping and planning.

## Round 5: Executive Interview
**Type:** Final / Executive Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Final discussion with senior leadership to assess cultural fit and long-term potential.
This final interview is with a senior leader to assess your overall fit with Revolut's culture and your long-term potential within the company. It's an opportunity for you to ask high-level questions and for them to gauge your leadership vision and alignment with the company's direction.
**Interviewers look for:** Alignment with Revolut's core values; A clear and compelling leadership vision; Enthusiasm for the role and the company's mission; Ability to articulate how they would contribute to Revolut's success
**Evaluation criteria:** Cultural fit; Leadership vision; Motivation and passion; Overall impression
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with company values; Poor cultural fit; Inability to articulate a clear leadership vision; Lack of enthusiasm for the role or company
## Questions

- What is your leadership philosophy?
- How do you see yourself contributing to Revolut's long-term success?
- What are your career aspirations for the next 5 years?
- Do you have any questions for me?

## Preparation tips

- Reiterate your understanding of Revolut's values and how you embody them.
- Prepare a concise summary of your leadership philosophy.
- Have thoughtful questions ready for the senior leader.
- Express your enthusiasm and long-term commitment.