Director - Software Engineering (Palo Alto)

Job Category: Software Engineering

Overview of the Role

As a Director of Software Engineering, you will lead a mission‑critical segment of Salesforce's Engineering organization. You will be responsible for the architectural integrity, scalability, and reliability of distributed services that power millions of customer interactions every second.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Technical Leadership: Define and execute a long‑term roadmap for backend services, focusing on high availability, low latency, and massive scalability.
• Navigate the Salesforce Matrix: Drive alignment across cross‑functional Clouds (Sales, Service, Marketing, etc.). You will collaborate with dotted‑line stakeholders and Architecture Councils to ensure your team's output integrates seamlessly into the broader ecosystem.
• Team Scaling & Mentorship: Hire, develop, and retain a world‑class org of 15‑40+ engineers (including Managers and ICs). You will foster a culture of Ownership where engineers feel empowered to innovate.
• Architectural Diplomacy: Act as a bridge between executive leadership and deep‑tech engineering. You must be able to translate complex backend constraints into strategic business risks and opportunities.
• Operational Excellence: Own the full software development lifecycle (SDLC). You will champion CI/CD, automated testing, and Security‑by‑Design to ensure our B2C‑scale services are rock‑solid.
• Hands‑on Technical Acumen: While you aren't coding daily, you are expected to participate in high‑level design reviews and troubleshoot architectural bottlenecks in Java, Golang, or Python environments.

Required Qualifications

• Engineering Pedigree: 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in a significant leadership role (Manager of Managers preferred for Sr. Director).
• Distributed Systems Mastery: Proven track record of building and operating large‑scale distributed systems (Microservices, Service Mesh, Event‑driven architectures).
• Backend Tech Stack: Deep familiarity with modern backend languages (Java, Go, or Python) and data persistence layers (SQL, NoSQL, or distributed caches like Redis/Memcached).

Preferred Qualifications

• The Matrix Skillset: Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority and navigate complex organizational structures to get Buy‑in for large technical migrations.
• Active, hands‑on proficiency with AI development tools; full utilization is the baseline expectation, along with deep technical expertise sufficient to evaluate architectural integrity and make informed decisions about AI‑generated output.
• Experience assessing candidates on their ability to formulate effective prompts, evaluate AI outputs, and orchestrate multi‑agent workflows in addition to foundational technical skills.
• Degree in Computer Science or a related technical field.

Posting Statement

Salesforce is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a policy of non‑discrimination with all employees and applicants for employment. What does that mean exactly? It means that at Salesforce, we believe in equality for all. And we believe we can lead the path to equality in part by creating a workplace that is inclusive, and free from discrimination. Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal. Any employee or potential employee will be assessed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications - without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, transgender status, age, disability, veteran or marital status, political viewpoint, or other classifications protected by law. This policy applies to current and prospective employees, no matter where they are in their Salesforce employment journey. It also applies to recruiting, hiring, job assignment, compensation, promotion, benefits, training, assessment of job performance, discipline, termination, and everything in between. Recruiting, hiring, and promotion decisions at Salesforce are fair and based on merit. The same goes for compensation, benefits, promotions, transfers, reduction in workforce, recall, training, and education.

Compensation and Benefits

In the United States, compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, job level, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, and benefits. Salesforce offers a variety of benefits to help you live well including: time off programs, medical, dental, vision, mental health support, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and an employee stock purchasing program. The typical base salary range for this position is $197,300 - $313,700 annually. In select cities within the San Francisco and New York City metropolitan area, the base salary range for this role is $237,700 - $344,700 annually.