The Role:We are seeking a passionate individual to lead talented engineering teams in creating exceptional outcomes for Kobo and our customers. As an experienced Engineering Manager, you'll have the exciting opportunity to guide a dynamic team responsible for some of the software underlying our market-leading eReader devices. Your leadership will be pivotal in delivering an exceptional product with an engaging experience for our customers. The ideal candidate will be located near Toronto, Canada.
In the role of Software Engineering Manager, you'll be responsible for:
- Leading ~20 engineers and testers in three Agile teams, focused on improving the software underlying Kobo's eReaders.
- Actively participating in technical delivery activities from system design through to monitoring & incident response, providing technical leadership at every stage
- Providing mentorship and coaching to team members, actively seeking opportunities for their professional development & providing feedback in 1:1s and other settings
- Cultivating a collaborative atmosphere where individuals are encouraged to be their authentic selves and reach their full potential.
- Collaborating with cross-functional peers in Product, Design & Architecture to guide initiatives from conception to production.
- Continuously enhancing and evolving team processes to achieve optimal outcomes.
- Continuously optimizing for a balance between immediate product goals, future technical needs, and current team health.
- Coordinating with other delivery team leaders to ensure seamless cross team collaboration on larger projects.
Desired ExperienceTo be successful in this role, you should have comparable experience or aptitude with the following:
- 5+ years of experience in a leadership role within a Software Engineering team, preferably in a consumer device setting.
- Extensive experience in managing individuals, including providing feedback and conducting performance reviews.
- 5+ years of experience as a Software Engineer, preferably in C++
- Familiar with best practices, common challenges with building and maintaining consumer software products.
- Experience leveraging AI-assisted tools and workflows to improve software development, quality assurance, project execution, and engineering team productivity.
- Demonstrated ability to understand, represent, and advocate for technical approaches and team needs in strategic discussions, effectively bridging the gap between engineering and leadership.
- Strong understanding and practical experience with project management.
- Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across all organizational levels.
Bonus points- Familiarity with eReader or consumer electronics device development.
- Experience working with embedded systems, C++, or Linux environments.
- Prior experience with the Qt framework or GUI development.
The Perks:- Flexible hours and hybrid remote working environment
- Subsidized in-office lunches
- Four extended long weekends in the summer
- Full benefits starting from your first day
- Paid Volunteer days, unlimited sick days, and 3% RRSP matching
- Work From Anywhere Program for up to 3 months (90 days)
- Lifestyle spending account
- Talent and development training budget
- Free Kobo device + free weekly e-book or audiobook
- Weekly Kobo Spark sessions
- Maternity/paternity leave top up
- Dog friendly office
At the time of posting, Rakuten expects the Compensation (base salary + discretionary bonus) for this role to be within the range shown below. Individual compensation will vary based on job-related factors, including the skills, qualifications, and experience of the successful candidate as well as business need and geographic location. The successful applicant for this role will be eligible for stock options, health, vision, dental insurance, RRSP matching, Personal Time Off (PTO), Volunteer Time Off (VTO), and other employee benefits as the company implements.
CAD $144,812.00 - 194,812.00 annually
