Scale Engineer

Engineering Manager

Manager · Full Time

UK: London (7 Devonshire Square)GBP 120k – 180k4mo ago
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Role

What you'll do.

Xero is seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to lead a high-performing team focused on modernizing architectures, embedding AI-native workflows, and driving technical excellence in a cloud-based accounting software platform. The ideal candidate will balance product delivery with team growth, technical innovation, and system health across distributed, high-scale systems.

Responsibilities

  • Team Leadership: Lead and coach a high-performing engineering team, focusing on team growth, performance management, and capability development
  • Technical Strategy: Drive technical roadmap delivery, balancing short-term product goals with long-term system sustainability and operational excellence
  • AI and Workflow Optimization: Champion AI-native engineering workflows and implement strategies to improve developer productivity and system quality
  • System Architecture: Modernize architectures, improve CI/CD maturity, and refine system design for high-scale, high-availability distributed systems
  • Technical Debt Management: Drive visibility into system health, proactively manage technical debt, and ensure continuous improvement of engineering processes

Qualifications

What we look for.

Technical

  • Distributed Systems

    Extensive experience building and supporting high-scale, high-availability distributed systems

  • Production Code

    Hands-on experience writing, reviewing, and debugging production code with strong technical credibility

  • AI Engineering Workflows

    Experience leading AI-native engineering workflow adoption to enhance developer productivity

Education

  • Computer Science

    Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field preferred

Experience

  • Engineering Leadership

    Proven track record of leading, coaching, and performance-managing engineering teams

  • Strategic Planning

    Demonstrated ability to translate business goals into executable engineering plans

Skills

Required

  • Team Management

    Strong leadership skills with ability to build high-performing, inclusive teams

  • Technical Strategy

    Ability to balance short-term delivery with long-term technical sustainability

Preferred

  • Cloud Technologies

    Nice to have

    Experience with cloud-based software platforms and distributed computing

  • AI Integration

    Nice to have

    Knowledge of AI-native engineering workflows and productivity tools

Tech stack

Languages

Multiple Languages

Frameworks

CI/CD Tools

Databases

Cloud Databases

Tools

AI Engineering Tools

Other

Distributed Systems

Compensation

Pay and benefits.

Base·GBP 120,000 – 180,000

Equity·Stock options

Benefits

  • Flexible Work

    Remote, hybrid, and office-based work options with global collaboration opportunities

  • Professional Development

    Opportunities for team growth, technical excellence, and continuous learning

  • Global Team Exposure

    Collaboration with international teams and potential travel opportunities

Process

Interview steps.

  1. 01

    Initial Screening

    HR review of application and initial qualifications match

  2. 02

    Technical Leadership Interview

    In-depth discussion of engineering management experience and leadership approach

  3. 03

    Technical Challenge

    Assessment of technical problem-solving and system design skills

  4. 04

    Team and Culture Fit

    Interviews with potential team members to evaluate collaborative potential

  5. 05

    Final Executive Interview

    Meeting with senior leadership to align on strategic vision and role expectations

Full posting

Original listing.

The role & impact

As an Engineering Manager, you will drive the delivery of high-quality software by leading a high-performing inclusive team. You will act as the technical anchor, balancing predictable roadmap delivery with a relentless focus on team growth, technical excellence, and system health.

Your work requires a delicate balance between short-term product delivery velocity and long-term operational excellence. You will guide your team to hone their craft, champion AI-native workflows, and resolve complex technical challenges to deliver impactful outcomes that align with business and customer goals.

The team & how they connect

You will lead a results-driven team that operates with clear goals and ownership, fostering a high-trust environment where "blameless" problem-solving is the norm. The team works closely with Product and Design partners to shape solutions that truly matter to our customers.

The team is currently working on

  • Modernising architectures and improving CI/CD maturity to reduce operational risk.

  • Embedding AI-native engineering workflows across the SDLC to boost velocity and reduce toil.

  • Refining system design and architecture for high-scale, high-availability distributed systems.

  • Driving visibility into system health and technical debt to enable proactive improvements.

Where and how you can work

Xero is a Great Place to Work UK accredited company. We offer remote, hybrid or office based roles (hybrid and in-office in London, Milton Keynes or Manchester). Our offices offer boost days for connection and collaboration. As this role involves partnering with global teams, you can expect opportunities for travel as we collaborate with colleagues around the world.

Here are some of the things we are looking for

  • Extensive professional software engineering experience, with a proven track record of technical maturity and delivering complex systems.

  • Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and performance-managing engineers, including building and improving team capability over time.

  • Proven track record of translating business goals into executable engineering plans, balancing short-term delivery with long-term sustainability.

  • Hands-on experience writing, reviewing, and debugging production code, with the technical credibility to guide engineering decisions.

  • Experience building and supporting high-scale, high-availability distributed systems, including leading or overseeing incident response.

  • Experience leading teams in the adoption of AI-native engineering workflows to improve developer productivity and quality.

Apply even if your experience isn't a perfect match! At Xero, we hire based on your skills, passion, and the unique perspective you can bring to enhance our culture and team.

Join a Great Place to Work-Certified™ company where your voice matters.

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