Scale Engineer

Software Engineering Manager

Software Engineering ManagerP6High

This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineering Manager (P6) role at UKG. It evaluates technical leadership, people management skills, strategic thinking, and cultural fit.

Rounds·5

Timeline·~14d

Experience·8 - 15 yrs

Comp band·US$170000 - US$220000

Interview time·255 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Technical depth and breadth
  • Problem-solving abilities
  • System design and architecture understanding
  • Code quality and best practices awareness

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Deeply understand UKG's mission, values, and products.
  2. Review common Software Engineering Manager interview questions, focusing on behavioral and situational examples.
  3. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to illustrate your experience.
  4. Brush up on system design principles and scalability concepts.
  5. Familiarize yourself with agile methodologies and best practices.
  6. Think about your leadership philosophy and how you foster a positive team culture.
  7. Be ready to discuss your career aspirations and how they align with UKG's growth opportunities.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Leadership & Behavioral Foundations

Weeks 1-2: Leadership fundamentals, behavioral questions, UKG culture. Practice STAR method.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on foundational leadership principles, team dynamics, and performance management. Review common HR and behavioral interview questions. Study UKG's company culture and values. Practice articulating your leadership philosophy.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Describe your experience managing a team of software engineers. What was your team structure and what were your key responsibilities?
  • How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your team?
  • Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your team. What was the situation and outcome?
  • How do you balance technical debt with delivering new features?
  • Describe your approach to performance reviews and career development for your team members.
  • How do you handle conflicts within your team or with other departments?
  • What is your experience with agile methodologies, and how do you ensure your team adheres to them?
  • How do you stay current with technology trends and ensure your team is leveraging appropriate tools and practices?
  • Describe a challenging project you managed. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?
  • How do you prioritize competing demands and manage your team's workload effectively?
  • What are your strategies for recruiting and retaining top engineering talent?
  • How do you measure the success of your team and your own performance as a manager?
  • Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
  • How do you delegate tasks and empower your team members?
  • What are your thoughts on remote vs. in-office work, and how do you manage a hybrid team effectively?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote/Hybrid

Interview focus

Remote team management strategiesCross-time zone collaborationHybrid work environment leadership

Common questions

  • How do you handle underperforming engineers in a remote setting?
  • Describe a time you had to manage a conflict between team members in different time zones.
  • What are your strategies for fostering team cohesion and collaboration in a hybrid work environment?

Tips

  • Highlight experience with distributed teams and remote collaboration tools.
  • Be prepared to discuss strategies for maintaining team morale and productivity in a hybrid setup.
  • Emphasize your ability to foster inclusion and belonging across different work arrangements.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at UKG.

Frequently reported on UKG loops

View all at UKG

Other guides

More at UKG.