VP of Engineering (Chicago)

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are.

In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready‑to‑heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better‑for‑you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein‑packed, fiber‑rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto‑friendly, and dietitian‑approved.

Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We're eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next‑level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef's offerings.

The VP of Engineering oversees Home Chef's Engineering & Business Analytics Teams, which are responsible for developing thoughtful technology solutions that help achieve our company goals and also provide a great user experience. This team supports technology that spans the entire business – from our customer‑facing website and mobile app, to internal tools that support our supply chain and operations teams, as well as data pipelines and products that enable better decision‑making for the organization. At Home Chef, we pride ourselves on being great thought‑partners and problem‑solvers, and are always driving towards making an impact.

Detailed Responsibilities

Strategy & Planning

• Oversee the Engineering & Business Analytics team strategy and roadmap supporting Home Chef's company goals and business objectives
• Continually assess current technology systems, identify areas for improvement, and set goals for future growth and development
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, fostering innovation and experimentation
• Oversee $1M+ software budget

Technical Leadership

• Provide strategic direction and hands‑on leadership in software & data architecture, development methodologies, and technology stack selection
• Drive process best practices including code quality, testing, scalability, and security
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies, evaluating their potential impact on the business and recommending adoption where appropriate

Project Management

• Partner with product leadership & stakeholders to align team efforts with overall business strategy and objectives
• Provide technical & architectural leadership on large projects, establishing clear team ownership lanes and reasonable deadlinesCommunicate technical vision, progress, and challenges to stakeholders across the organization
• Implement and refine development processes to streamline workflows and increase productivity
• Build strong relationships with internal partners as well as external vendors to drive collaboration and innovation

Team Management

• Recruit, hire, and retain top engineering talent, building a high‑performing team capable of delivering on ambitious goals
• Set clear goals and performance standards for team members
• Provide training, coaching, and professional development opportunities
• Regularly assess team structure to ensure it effectively supports company goals and strategyFoster a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation

Key Traits and Behaviors

Taking Ownership: We do whatever is necessary to get the job done — no job is too big or too small. We are willing to do any task at any level — and get our hands dirty (at a meal solutions company, sometimes we all have to do the dishes!). We work with speed, setting realistic but aggressive timelines. We do not allow lack of perfection to get in the way of progress.

Pragmatic, Next‑level Thinker: We explore new methodologies and strategies and are not constrained by conventional thinking or “the way we have always done it.” We take calculated risks in order to learn and innovate with speed, or “test and learn.” We pride ourselves on using data and insights to drive practical decisions in our fast‑paced environment.

Humble Team Player: We work collaboratively and effectively with colleagues, always putting company and team needs ahead of personal achievement. We are open to different points of view when weighing a decision, pulling in different people to provide fresh and unique perspectives.

This position requires flexibility to travel <5% of time.

Qualifications

• 5+ years experience in a senior technical role
• Experience leading a large team (10+ team members; manufacturing/operations/food environment a plus)
• Familiarity with the tools and software our applications are built with, namely Ruby on Rails, React, JavaScript, etc.
• Experience overseeing $1M+ software budgets
• Availability to respond to work‑related on‑call inquiries, including some scheduled nights and weekends

Perks and Benefits

• Candidates can experience Home Chef as a customer — enter promo code PEOPLE30 for $30 off your first order!
• Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance available
• Paid holidays, sick time and vacation time
• 401k program
• Flexible spending accounts for qualified medical, dependent care, parking, or transit expenses

Illinois Pay Range
$250,000—$290,000 USD

To view the California Applicant Notice click here

We welcome people of all races, colors, religions, national origin or ancestry, sex (including sexual identity), age, physical or mental disabilities, pregnancy, veteran or military status, unfavorable discharge from military service, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, order of protection status, citizenship status, arrest record or expunged/sealed convictions, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state, or local law.

Home Chef is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Home Chef will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact our People team at View email address on apply.placed-app.com.