Lead Software Engineer

About the Company At Trade Me, we are dedicated to connecting Kiwis and helping them create the lives they envision. Whether it involves significant milestones such as finding a home, securing a job, purchasing a car, or growing a business, we aim to be the first choice for our users. We also assist with everyday needs, like locating the perfect bedside table or selling unused items. Our vision is to be the go-to platform for Kiwis. About the Role We are currently looking for two motivated Lead Software Engineers to join our dynamic Platforms team. These permanent positions will be instrumental in shaping our technical direction while also mentoring our talented team. We offer a supportive and inclusive environment where you can thrive. Our flexibility allows for various work arrangements, including part-time work, job sharing, and adjustable hours to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance. We provide a home office setup and utilities allowance to support your remote working needs. In addition, we invest in our employees and their families through comprehensive parental leave policies. We encourage continuous growth with 10% dedicated Learning and Development time for skill enhancement. Our commitment to employee wellness includes access to various resources for physical and mental wellbeing, complemented by a strong social culture featuring company-paid shared lunches, regular social events, annual awards, employee networking groups, and social sports clubs. In this role, you can expect to: - Provide direct support to the Platforms team while collaborating on key projects. - Actively contribute to our engaging engineering community and guild. - Develop a long-term vision for the Koru team that aligns with our organizational strategies. - Advocate for and implement engineering best practices, including coding standards, design principles, testing methodologies, and development workflows. - Collaborate with Principal Software Engineers and Technical Product Owners to create and implement technical roadmaps. - Communicate effectively with product development teams about technical innovations. - Contribute to Trade Me’s lightweight governance process by drafting and implementing Guardrails, Guidelines, Architectural Decision Records (ADRs), and Tech Radar. - Mentor engineers by providing guidance and constructive feedback to support their career growth. - Work within software delivery teams to plan, develop, test, and release complex solutions. - Manage and reduce technical debt effectively, collaborating with the Technical Product Owner to prioritize solutions. - Implement, maintain, and drive remediation plans for your platform's Service Level Objectives (SLOs). Requirements To be successful in this role, you should have: - A minimum of 5 years of experience in similar development roles. - Experience with Agile software development methodologies is preferred, though not required. - A deep understanding of software development principles, architecture, design patterns, and modern technologies. - Strong technical knowledge for designing scalable, reliable, and maintainable applications. - Proven experience in mentoring and supporting junior engineers, promoting their professional development. - The ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. - Strong critical thinking and decision-making skills, particularly under tight deadlines. - An openness to adopting new tools and methodologies to enhance our platform's capabilities. - Practical working knowledge of technologies and practices that are central to Trade Me's technical strategy. Our Commitment to Diversity At Trade Me, we believe that diversity drives progress. To address the existing inequality for women in technical leadership, we will be applying a preference for women when filling this role. While candidates must meet the core criteria for the position, we also take a broader view that considers skills, experience, future potential, diversity, and the unique contributions candidates can bring to our team. We understand that some candidates may hesitate to apply if they feel they do not meet every requirement. If you are excited about this opportunity, we encourage you to apply by sending your resume along with a brief cover note outlining your interest. Trade Me is an INZ accredited employer. We truly value diversity and are committed to fostering a flexible workplace where individuals are encouraged to reach their full potential.