Senior Development Manager, Software Engineering

Blackboard

40d•$140,022 - $210,034•Remote

About The Position

This role focuses on Blackboard, our LMS product, where we pride ourselves on creating well-designed web and mobile solutions to support learners, instructors, and administrators. Blackboard allows learners and instructors to access online educational experiences wherever and whenever they want through web and mobile devices. Our technology helps instructors breathe life into educational content, brings efficiency to day-to-day tasks, and empowers instructors with tools to engage and assess every learner. We help motivate learners by promoting collaboration, communication, and connections with their peers and instructors.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science (or equivalent experience)
5+ years of software development experience
4+ years in a technical leadership or engineering management role, including managing senior engineers
Deep hands-on expertise with multiple modern programming languages and frameworks (e.g., Java, JavaScript/React, Python)
Demonstrated experience designing and delivering large-scale, distributed, or high-availability systems
Strong working knowledge of system architecture, scalability, and performance optimization
Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, or GCP) and modern CI/CD pipelines
Proven experience leading Agile teams delivering complex software systems
Track record of setting technical direction and driving engineering standards across teams
Ability to guide teams through ambiguity in fast-paced, evolving environments
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts clearly
Thorough understanding of software development life cycles
Ability to manage conflicts and assist with finding resolutions
Strong decision-making/problem-solving skills
Strong organizational skills
Strong team player with excellent interpersonal skills
Fluency in written and spoken English

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Computer Science or a related field
Experience managing managers or leading multiple teams
Track record of delivering high-quality software on time at scale
Experience influencing cross-functional teams (product, design, operations)
Experience owning technical roadmaps and long-term architectural strategy
Passion for building both functional and exceptional user experiences
Experience with cloud-native architectures and modern web/mobile platforms
Interest in EdTech or mission-driven products
Experience with or a demonstrated curiosity for applying AI and machine learning–driven tools (e.g., coding assistants, intelligent testing, or workflow automation) to improve developer productivity and product quality

Responsibilities

Lead & Grow High-Performing Teams: Manage, mentor, and develop a team of software engineers and QA professionals, including developing other leads and senior engineers.
Foster a culture of quality, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Support career growth through coaching, feedback, and development planning.
Define hiring strategy and build out team capacity to meet long-term organizational goals.
Drive Delivery & Technical Excellence: Own delivery of high-quality, scalable, and reliable software features and enhancements across multiple teams or workstreams.
Contribute as a hands-on technical leader, providing deep guidance on design, code, and architecture when needed.
Ensure strong engineering fundamentals across design, development, and operations.
Champion Agile and test-driven development practices.
Establish and enforce engineering standards, best practices, and technical quality bars across the team.
Explore and advocate for the adoption of modern development tools, including AI-assisted technologies, to improve team productivity and software quality.
Partner Across the Organization: Collaborate with Product Management, Design, and Operations to define and deliver roadmap priorities.
Identify risks, propose trade-offs, and help balance speed, scope, and quality.
Maintain transparent, proactive communication on progress, challenges, and outcomes.
Influence technical and product direction with senior stakeholders and leadership.
Shape the Future of Our Platform: Drive architectural decisions and long-term technical strategy.
Advocate for modern engineering practices and tools.
Help evolve our platform to deliver a seamless, next-generation learning experience.
Lead technical evaluations and make build-vs-buy and major technology adoption decisions.