Sr Manager - Software Engineering

Nelnet•Remote - Nebraska, NE

7d•$150,000 - $165,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Sr. Manager, Software Engineering leads multiple software engineering teams and the managers or senior engineers who run them, setting technical direction and delivery priorities for a defined business area. The role builds high-performing teams and drives the quality, reliability, and timely delivery of software that powers Nelnet products and operations. It partners with internal stakeholders to translate business strategy into scalable, secure solutions. The position includes leading the integration of the team into Nelnet Campus Commerce's broader engineering organization and aligning its structure, practices, and standards. It offers a hybrid work option for associates living within 30 miles of an office location: remote work for part of the week and in-office presence three days per week. Visa sponsorship is not available; candidates must already be authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship.

Requirements

At least 8 years of software development or engineering experience, including delivery of enterprise applications.
At least 4 years of people leadership experience, including leading managers or multiple teams.
Demonstrated success partnering with product and business stakeholders on roadmaps and delivery.
Strategic thinking that connects technical decisions to business outcomes and long-term architecture.
Ability to build, coach, and hold managers accountable for results.
Influence and collaboration skills to align cross-functional partners and senior stakeholders.
Sound judgment in solving complex, ambiguous problems and managing risk.
Agility and bias toward action, delivering outcomes and adapting to change.
Must already be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience introducing AI-assisted tools or practices into a software engineering team's workflow.
Experience with cloud platforms, CI/CD, and modern engineering practices.
Experience in financial services, education technology, or other regulated environments.

Responsibilities

Lead multiple software engineering teams, including managers and senior engineers, to deliver committed outcomes on schedule and within quality standards.
Lead integration of the team into Nelnet Campus Commerce's broader engineering organization, aligning structure, practices, and standards.
Set team objectives, measures, and priorities aligned to business and technology strategy, adjusting as needs change.
Shape technical direction and engineering standards with architecture partners, driving consistent practices in design, code quality, testing, security, and release management.
Drive hands-on adoption of AI-assisted development, identifying where AI tooling can change how the team builds, tests, and ships software and establishing responsible practices.
Champion continuous improvement, including automation, DevOps practices, and responsible adoption of new technologies such as AI-assisted development.
Build and develop talent through hiring, coaching, performance evaluations, compensation recommendations, and development of a leadership bench.
Partner with internal stakeholders to define roadmaps, estimate effort, and manage trade-offs, risks, and dependencies across teams.
Oversee team staffing plans, capacity, and budget, and make resource and vendor decisions.
Drive operational excellence by monitoring application performance, resolving escalations, and removing organizational impediments.
Foster an inclusive, learning-oriented culture reflecting company core values and building shared purpose across teams.