Director, Software Engineering - Fandango

Versant•Orlando, FL

2h•Remote

About The Position

As the Director of Backend Engineering for the Fandango ticketing platform, you will lead and manage the backend teams that power our mobile app, website, and back-office tools. You will also help shape the next chapter of the Fandango platform—building partner-focused and white-label products through an API-first approach. You’ll set the technical foundation for scalable, secure, and future-ready systems, including integration points for AI (LLMs and intelligent agents), while delivering seamless ticketing experiences for millions of customers and partners.

Requirements

BA/BS in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
10+ years of professional software engineering experience, including 5+ years in engineering leadership roles.
Proven success managing multiple backend teams delivering consumer-facing platforms at scale.
Strong background in API-first development, third-party integrations, distributed systems, and secure service design.
Hands-on experience with modern cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and cloud-native architectures.
Proficiency in Python, C#, Java, and TypeScript/Node.js, with a focus on scalable and maintainable backend development.
Expertise in RESTful APIs, microservices, event-driven patterns, and data stores (SQL/NoSQL).
Operational excellence in monitoring, alerting, incident management, and post-incident reviews.
Experience partnering with Cybersecurity, Data Governance, Legal, and Privacy to ensure compliant product delivery.
Demonstrated ability to build diverse, inclusive teams and foster a strong engineering culture.
Experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies in fast-paced environments.

Nice To Haves

Experience in e-commerce or ticketing platforms operating at high transaction volumes.
SaaS productization experience—turning internal platforms into external, revenue-driving products.
MCP servers and highly available, globally distributed API platforms.
Change management leadership across architecture and infrastructure transformations.
Cloud-native, global scaling experience with AWS services and tooling.
Track record of building and scaling engineering organizations; test-driven development and CI/CD automation.
Strategic thinker with a passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences and measurable business outcomes.
Collaborative leader who inspires teams, navigates ambiguity, and balances short-term delivery with long-term vision.
Strong communicator who can influence across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Embraces a ‘Fail Fast, Learn Fast’ mindset and drives continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Drive innovation across Fandango platforms, delivering experiences that reach millions of users.
Partner with Product and business stakeholders to align technology execution with company strategy and shape a clear, outcomes-focused roadmap.
Create execution plans that align the technical agenda with current and anticipated business needs, balancing near-term priorities with long-term platform health and flexibility.
Champion continuous improvement practices that streamline workflows and align efforts across team boundaries.
Own mission-critical APIs and integrations with studios, global partners, competitors, and top SaaS providers—ensuring seamless connectivity across the ecosystem.
Architect next-generation, cloud-native solutions (AWS/Azure/GCP) using microservices and event-driven patterns; evaluate trade-offs to deliver scalable, resilient systems.
Build market-ready, API and AI-driven platforms and services, including opportunities to productize internal capabilities for external clients.
Advance intelligence capabilities by leveraging AI/ML for predictive forecasting and actionable insights across lines of business.
Partner with Cybersecurity, Data Governance, Legal, and Privacy to uphold the highest standards of security, trust, and compliance.
Ensure availability, performance, and reliability through robust monitoring, alerting, incident response, and post-incident learning.
Lead major change initiatives (e.g., monolith to microservices; on-prem to cloud; manual to automated; VMs to containers) while minimizing risk and maintaining service quality.
Establish and enforce engineering best practices for coding standards, testing, CI/CD, and secure deployments.
Collaborate across departments to promote consistent working patterns, healthy communication, and high-quality outcomes in joint efforts.
Manage budgets, headcount, resource allocation, and vendor relationships; negotiate contracts for licensed software, third-party platforms, staff augmentation, and technology vendors.
Lead and inspire engineering managers and senior engineers across multiple backend teams, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and growth.
Continuously evaluate and improve recruiting processes to attract and retain diverse top technical talent.
Mentor and develop the next generation of leaders; encourage ongoing professional development for improved team performance.
Maintain clear, proactive communication patterns across all business relationships; model collaborative behaviors and shared success.