Developer Lead, Back End

Developer Lead, Back End

San Francisco, CA

At Rothy’s, we know there’s a better way to do business, and it starts by putting the planet and its people first. More than 200 million single-use plastic bottles and 715,000 pounds of ocean-bound marine plastic have been transformed into our signature thread, creating wardrobe staples that look just as good as they feel.

Striving for zero waste, we combine 3D knitting technology and handcrafted assembly to create machine washable styles that don’t compromise on comfort. From classic shoes to carry-everywhere bags, we create essentials for wherever you go.

At Rothy’s, building a sustainable future is at the heart of everything we do. We pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive environment at our HQ, retail stores and wholly-owned factory, and are growing our community every day.

About the Team:

Rothy’s is a well-oiled machine thanks to the expertise of our Digital Experience team. These whizzes keep all things tech-related ticking—both externally on our beautiful site and internally by providing essential IT assistance to all other departments. As a modern, fast-moving company, technology is part of everything we do—and we couldn’t do it without the brains behind the curtain.

About the role:

We are looking for a strategic and experienced Lead Developer (Director level) to build, lead, and scale a team of developers supporting our Product (Merchandising, Allocation & Design), Production, Product Development, Supply Chain, and HR, Legal, and Finance functions. In this role, you’ll define technical direction across these domains, mentor engineers, and partner closely with cross-functional leaders to deliver scalable, high-quality technology solutions. You will play a critical role in shaping architecture, driving engineering excellence, and establishing best practices across both product creation and core business operations. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives in both hands-on and leadership capacities and enjoys building teams, solving complex problems, and delivering meaningful business impact in a fast-paced environment.

What you’ll do:

• Lead, build, and mentor a team of developers aligned to Product, Production, Product Development, Supply Chain, and corporate functions, fostering growth, accountability, and technical excellence

• Define and drive technical strategy, architecture, and best practices across systems supporting product lifecycle management and business operations

• Oversee the design, development, and delivery of high-quality software supporting merchandising, allocation, design workflows, production processes, and supply chain operations

• Partner with Product, Design, Production, Supply Chain, HR, Legal, Finance, QA, and Data stakeholders to align technical solutions with organizational goals

• Guide teams in solving complex problems across product lifecycle, manufacturing, inventory, logistics, and enterprise systems with a focus on scalability and efficiency

• Establish and enforce coding standards, testing strategies, and development best practices across teams

• Provide technical leadership through code reviews, architecture discussions, and hands-on contributions when needed

• Own delivery processes, including sprint planning, prioritization, and execution to ensure timely, high-quality outcomes across multiple business functions

• Drive adoption of Lean/Agile methodologies and continuously improve team processes and ways of working

• Support hiring, onboarding, and team development to build a high-performing, domain-aligned engineering organization

• Oversee deployment, monitoring, and ongoing support of systems that meet evolving business needs across the organization

• Champion a culture of learning, knowledge sharing, and continuous technical improvement

You are:

• A strong technical leader and mentor who enjoys developing people and building high-performing, domain-focused teams

• An excellent communicator who can align technical and non-technical stakeholders across Product, Supply Chain, and corporate functions such as HR, Legal, and Finance

• Strategic and forward-thinking, with the ability to balance long-term architecture with near-term delivery across complex operational systems

• Highly accountable and dependable, with a track record of owning outcomes and driving results

• Detail-oriented, with a commitment to quality, scalability, and maintainability in software development

• Proactive and solutions-oriented, able to navigate ambiguity and make sound technical decisions across diverse systems

• Adaptable and open to new technologies, tools, and evolving business needs

• A collaborative leader who fosters inclusivity, knowledge sharing, and team success

• Passionate about building impactful systems that support both product innovation and operational excellence

You have:

• 8+ years of professional software development experience, including significant time in technical leadership roles

• Proven experience leading and scaling engineering teams, ideally aligned to business domains or functions

• Strong expertise in backend development and building scalable, distributed systems

• Experience supporting systems across product lifecycle management (PLM), supply chain, production, or enterprise business functions

• Familiarity with tools and platforms supporting merchandising, allocation, design, production, and supply chain workflows

• Deep understanding of API design and integration (REST and/or GraphQL), including integrations across internal and third-party enterprise systems

• Proficiency with modern frameworks (e.g., Rails, React, Node.js, Vue) and ability to guide technical decisions across stacks

• Strong understanding of database design, data modeling, and performance optimization (SQL and/or NoSQL)

• Experience establishing architecture patterns and development standards (e.g., MVC and beyond)

• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, or Heroku)

• Strong knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and version control systems (e.g., Git)

• Experience managing third-party integrations and complex system dependencies across multiple business domains

• Experience working with or supporting HR, Legal, or Finance systems (e.g., ERP, HRIS) is a plus

• Interest in retail, fashion, or sustainability is a plus

Our benefits:

• Generous paid time off

• 401k matching

• Comprehensive health plans for you and your family

• Supplemental mental health benefits

• Monthly wellness reimbursement

• Dog friendly offices

• Employee Discount Program!

Pay range:

$236,000 - $287,000 annually

Base pay is one part of the total rewards package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work. This role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, as well as a comprehensive benefits package.

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