Director, Software Engineering

Visa • Austin, TX

5h • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Director of Software Engineering who combines strategic leadership with strong technical depth. This role leads multiple engineering teams while maintaining hands-on involvement in architecture decisions, technical reviews, and proof-of-concepts. You will drive engineering excellence, influence technology strategy, and ensure delivery of scalable, secure solutions that impact millions globally.

Requirements

• Strategic leadership with a proven ability to manage multiple teams and large-scale programs
• Deep technical expertise in modern architectures (microservices, cloud-native), security engineering, and API platforms
• Strong understanding of agile methodologies and software development lifecycle principles
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive organizational change
• Experience balancing hands-on technical involvement with leadership responsibilities
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills
• 10+ years of relevant work experience and a Bachelors degree, OR 13+ years of relevant work experience
• Proven ability to balance strategic leadership with technical depth.
• Expertise in modern architectures (microservices, cloud-native), security engineering, and API platforms.
• Strong understanding of agile methodologies and software development lifecycle principles.
• Strong background in commercial software development within Unix/Linux environments
• Deep knowledge of security engineering, IAM, authentication frameworks, and API Gateway development
• Proficiency in modern architectures and technologies: Java/J2EE, Containers, Kubernetes, database technologies
• Understanding of highly available, scalable transactional systems
• Minimum 3 years leading product development and delivery across multiple technologies (Java/J2EE, Spring Boot, React, JavaScript, SQL, REST, test automation frameworks)
• Proven ability to hire, develop, and retain high-caliber engineering talent
• Demonstrated success driving measurable improvements in engineering efficiency, delivery, and performance metrics
• Strong experience partnering with Product leaders and technical product managers to define joint roadmaps and drive prioritization
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills; capable of forming and advocating independent viewpoints
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills with a focus on win-win outcomes
• Deep understanding of agile methodologies and software development lifecycle principles

Nice To Haves

• Payments industry experience is a plus
• 12 or more years of work experience with a Bachelor’s Degree or 8-10 years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or 6+ years of work experience with a PhD
• Experienced in leveraging GenAI tools and strong understanding of agentic solutions
• Ability to champion adoption of emerging technologies to accelerate delivery and improve developer productivity
• Payments industry experience is a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation and accountability
• Guide architecture decisions, review critical components, and contribute to proof-of-concepts
• Collaborate with Product and Architecture leaders to define technology roadmaps
• Establish processes for code quality, automation, and operational excellence
• Hire, mentor, and retain top engineering talent
• Champion adoption of emerging technologies (AI/ML, GenAI, cloud-native architectures)
• Drive measurable improvements in engineering efficiency and system performance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees