Senior Software Engineering Manager

Pearson

$150K — $220K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of engineering leadership experience; managing teams of 5+ engineers.
  • 8+ years of overall software engineering experience.
  • Proven experience scaling and leading distributed engineering teams globally.
  • Strong technical background in SQL, data analytics, ReactJS, and Java-based systems.
  • Demonstrated success in delivering data-driven platforms or analytics products.
  • Strong experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies at scale.
  • Excellent communication and organizational leadership skills.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage a team of 5+ engineers across geographically distributed locations.
  • Mentor tech leads and emerging managers to build leadership capacity.
  • Drive performance management including goal-setting and development plans.
  • Foster a culture of accountability and continuous learning within the team.
  • Own end-to-end delivery in the Insights & Recommendations domain, ensuring quality and timeliness.
  • Establish predictable execution rhythms for engineering projects and releases.
  • Champion Agile practices and ensure alignment with business goals.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to lead a globally distributed team and influence engineering culture.
  • Exposure to cutting-edge technology and data-driven product development.
  • Focus on people development with mentorship opportunities for tech leads.
  • Engagement in a dynamic and innovative education technology environment.
  • Participation in an annual incentive program and comprehensive benefits.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Pearson Learning Studio (PLS)

We are seeking an AI Engineering Manager to lead and scale our Agentic Workflow engineering organization within the Pearson Learning Studio (PLS) product. This leader will oversee a team of 5+ engineers, driving both technical excellence and strong people leadership in a globally distributed environment (India and Sri Lanka).

This role is ideal for a leader who thrives at the intersection of people development, execution at scale, and data-driven product engineering. You will be responsible not just for delivery, but for building a high-performing, engaged engineering organization.

Key Responsibilities
Organizational & People Leadership (Primary Focus)
  • Lead, manage, and scale a distributed engineering team of 5+ engineers, including senior engineers and team leads.
  • Build a strong leadership bench by mentoring tech leads and emerging managers.
  • Drive performance management, including goal setting, regular feedback, and career development plans.
  • Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, psychological safety, and continuous learning.
  • Manage hiring, onboarding, and team capacity planning to support business growth.
  • Ensure high levels of team engagement, retention, and productivity across geographies.


Execution & Delivery Excellence
  • Own end-to-end delivery for the Insights & Recommendations domain.
  • Establish predictable execution rhythms, ensuring on-time, high-quality releases.
  • Partner with Product, Design, and Analytics to translate strategy into clear engineering roadmaps.
  • Identify risks early and proactively remove organizational, technical, or process bottlenecks.
  • Drive operational excellence, including metrics, KPIs, and continuous improvement initiatives.


Technical Leadership & Strategy
  • Provide architectural oversight for data-driven applications, analytics pipelines, and web platforms.
  • Guide teams on best practices in SQL, data systems, ReactJS, and Java-based services.
  • Ensure scalable system design, performance optimization, and reliability.
  • Lead technical design reviews and promote sound engineering decisions across teams.
  • Balance hands-on involvement (as needed) with effective delegation to senior engineers and tech leads.


Agile & Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Champion Agile best practices across multiple teams (planning, backlog management, retrospectives).
  • Align engineering efforts with business outcomes and customer impact.
  • Collaborate with global stakeholders across time zones with strong communication discipline.
  • Drive transparency through clear reporting, stakeholder updates, and data-driven decision-making.


Required Qualifications
  • 5+ years of engineering leadership experience, including managing teams of 5+ engineers.
  • 8+ years of overall experience in software engineering.
  • Proven experience scaling and leading distributed engineering teams across geographies.
  • Strong technical background in:
    • SQL & data analytics systems
    • ReactJS
    • Java-based backend systems
  • Demonstrated success in delivering data-driven platforms or analytics products.
  • Strong experience with Agile/Scrum at scale
  • Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and organizational leadership skills.
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience building or leading high-performing engineering organizations at scale.
  • Experience in education technology and Learning science.
  • Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
  • Experience with data visualization and analytics frameworks.


Applications will be accepted through August 31. This window may be extended depending on business needs.

Compensation at Pearson is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific location. As required by the California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York State, New York City, Vermont, Washington State, and Washington DC laws, the pay range for this position is as follows:

The full-time salary range for this position is between $150,000 - $220,000 Annually.

This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is here.

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