Manager, Software Engineer

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Grade: Management Technical 714 Pay Range: $151,800.00 - $250,500.00

Job Description

The Manager of Software Engineering is responsible for leading high-performing software development teams in delivering scalable, secure, and innovative technology solutions that support organizational objectives. This role provides technical leadership, people management, and operational oversight while driving software development initiatives from concept through deployment and ongoing support. The successful candidate will foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, quality, and accountability while ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with business requirements.Essential Functions and ResponsibilitiesLeadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of software engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Build and manage cross-functional software development teams utilizing industry best practices and Agile methodologies.
• Conduct performance reviews, provide ongoing coaching, and support career development for team members.
• Participate in hiring, onboarding, talent development, succession planning, and retention initiatives.

Software Development & Delivery

• Partner with business stakeholders and internal customers to gather requirements, define technical solutions, and prioritize development efforts.
• Drive all phases of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), including requirements analysis, feasibility assessments, solution design, development, testing, implementation, documentation, and support.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality software solutions that meet business objectives, timelines, budget constraints, and technical standards.
• Oversee project planning, resource allocation, sprint planning, and development schedules to ensure successful execution.

Technical Leadership

• Provide architectural guidance and strategic direction for enterprise applications and integrations.
• Lead solution design reviews, code reviews, and technical decision-making to ensure maintainability, scalability, security, and performance.
• Evaluate and recommend technology solutions, including build-versus-buy decisions, application integrations, and platform modernization opportunities.
• Establish and promote software engineering best practices, including test-driven development (TDD), continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD), and DevOps principles.

Operational Excellence

• Manage software release processes, application deployments, patch management, and production change control activities.
• Identify and resolve technical and operational risks early to minimize project delays and reduce costs.
• Monitor development metrics and implement process improvements to enhance team efficiency and software quality.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, security standards, and governance requirements.

Financial & Strategic Management

• Manage departmental budgets, resource forecasts, vendor relationships, and technology investments.
• Contribute to strategic planning and technology roadmaps that support long-term organizational goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proven ability to lead and inspire technical teams in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Strong people leadership, coaching, conflict resolution, and stakeholder management skills.
• Deep understanding of software engineering principles, design patterns, and modern development practices.
• Expertise in Agile methodologies, including Scrum, Kanban, and Test-Driven Development (TDD).
• Experience designing and supporting enterprise-scale applications and integration platforms.
• Strong architectural skills with the ability to evaluate and recommend innovative technology solutions.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into business-focused solutions.
• Deep technical experience developing and supporting Java-based enterprise applications and web services technologies including REST, SOAP, XML, and modern web frameworks.

Organizational Impact

• Leads a team responsible for executing operational and strategic objectives with measurable impact on departmental and organizational outcomes.
• Allocates resources effectively and ensures team priorities align with business goals.
• Contributes to budget planning and operational forecasting activities.

Problem Solving & Decision Making

• Makes informed decisions regarding people, processes, systems, and technology solutions.
• Addresses complex and often ambiguous challenges through analysis, collaboration, and sound judgment.
• Continuously identifies opportunities to improve processes, efficiency, and service delivery.

Communication & Influence

• Builds strong partnerships with stakeholders across technical and non-technical teams.
• Influences decisions and gains alignment through effective communication and collaboration.
• Champions organizational policies, standards, and best practices.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Develops high-performing teams through mentoring, coaching, and accountability.
• Drives employee engagement and fosters an inclusive team culture.
• Supports recruitment, performance management, career growth, and succession planning efforts.

Minimum Qualifications

• buildingBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• 5 plus years of experience in enterprise software development, including hands-on software engineering experience as a software development manager. Requires broad management knowledge to lead the department. Generally, has advanced level knowledge and skills within a specific technical or professional discipline with understanding of the impact of work on other areas of the University.
• Experience leading Agile software development teams and delivering enterprise applications.
• Demonstrated experience with system architecture, software design, and application integration.
• Tech stack: Strong proficiency in a modern backend language (e.g., Java , Kotlin , Python , or similar), Angular, or equivalent frameworks, experience building and operating production systems on AWS

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or related discipline.
• Experience with Oracle or other relational database technologies.
• Experience with identity management and authentication platforms (IDM, SSO, OAuth, etc.).
• Experience with project management and workflow tools such as Jira.
• Experience integrating enterprise applications, CRM platforms, document management systems, and Student Information Systems (SIS).
• Experience modernizing or integrating legacy systems and applications.
• Knowledge of DevOps practices, cloud platforms, CI/CD pipelines, and application modernization strategies.
• Experience builidng or integrating AI-Powered Features using Large Language Models

This position is required to be in our Raleigh, NC office 5 days a week

This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements.#LI-JW1

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at View email address on click.appcast.io.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.