Sr Manager Device Software, Connected Products

Sr Manager Device Software, Connected Products Full-time | Department: Information Technology Location: This position is eligible for a hybrid work environment out of our Deerfield, IL HQ or San Francisco, CA offices. Key Responsibilities Directly manage, mentor, and develop a team of embedded software engineers; conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and career development planning. Maintain honest, timely feedback with each direct report; invest most heavily in developing top performers and hold clear accountability across the team. Know each engineer’s motivations, strengths, and career aspirations; build an environment where people can grow toward what they’re naturally excellent at. Build knowledge redundancy across the team; eliminate single points of failure through deliberate documentation and cross‑training. Define and own embedded software architecture across both Linux-based and RTOS-based firmware disciplines ; guide technical direction and ensure critical decisions are well documented. Lead new hardware bring-up efforts and platform convergence initiatives; maintain the firmware‑cloud interface contract in collaboration with backend and platform teams. Own CI/CD pipeline health, release processes, and OTA fleet management for production device populations. Drive adoption of development best practices, code review standards, and AI‑assisted development tooling. Own the firmware technical roadmap and delivery commitments; balance new feature development against platform stability and intentional technical debt reduction. Partner with Product Management to assess and prioritize firmware feature requests across multiple product lines. Coordinate with Hardware Engineering on new product bring‑up and establish clear HWFW interface processes . Coordinate with Data Science on algorithm and model integration into embedded firmware. Collaborate with QA on firmware testing strategies, manufacturing test plans, and production readiness criteria. Work with compliance teams to support radio, safety, and cybersecurity certification processes for connected devices. Qualifications BS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent relevant experience. 7+ years of industry experience in a technical role. 2+ years People management experience: performance management, career development, and building a high‑functioning team. Proven track record leading and developing embedded software or firmware engineering teams. Deep understanding of embedded Linux (Yocto/buildroot or equivalent); able to guide architecture, evaluate trade‑offs, and support engineers across the full development lifecycle. Strong working knowledge of RTOS concepts and architectures (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or equivalent): task scheduling, memory management, inter‑task communication, synchronization primitives. Experience with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) as used in IoT embedded software. Experience with OTA update systems and production device fleet management. Understanding of firmware document control and configuration management in hardware product organizations. Strong system design and architecture skills ; comfort making and communicating technical decisions under uncertainty. Excellent cross‑functional communication skills; able to represent the firmware team clearly to product, hardware, data science, compliance, and manufacturing stakeholders. Preferred Qualifications Experience with IoT connected consumer electronics at scale. Hands‑on experience with OTA and fleet observability platforms (Mender, Memfault, or equivalent). Proficiency in embedded debugging tools and techniques. Understanding of communication protocols: BLE, Wi‑Fi, SPI, I2C, UART, Zigbee, Z‑Wave. Experience with ARM Cortex‑M, RISC‑V, or similar microcontroller architectures. Knowledge of power management techniques for battery‑operated devices. Track record managing compliance processes for radio, safety, and cybersecurity certifications (FCC, CE‑RED, IC, UKCA, ANATEL). Experience managing mixed teams of FTEs and contractors. Background working across both embedded Linux and RTOS‑based firmware disciplines simultaneously. Track record of successful product launches in consumer electronics or IoT hardware. Compensation & Benefits Fortune Brands believes in fair and equitable pay. The hiring pay range for this role is $140,000 USD – $220,000 USD. Salary may vary based on education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location. In addition to base salary, employees may participate in an annual bonus plan or a role‑based sales incentive plan. Employees enjoy comprehensive benefits, including robust health plans, a market‑leading 401(k) program with company contribution, product discounts, flexible time‑off benefits, adoption benefits, and more. We offer numerous ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) to foster a sense of belonging for all associates. Equal Opportunity Employer Fortune Brands is an equal opportunity employer. Fortune Brands evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability/handicap status, marital status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic history or information, or any other legally protected characteristic. Reasonable Accommodations Fortune Brands is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io with the nature of your request and your contact information. #J-18808-Ljbffr Fortune Brands