Director, Software Engineering Jobs

Explore Director, Software Engineering opportunities on Ladders, where professionals can find vetted jobs paying $100,000 or more. Directors of Software Engineering guide teams that design, build, and maintain software products and platforms. They connect business goals with technical execution, helping organizations deliver reliable, secure, and scalable technology.

What Does a Director of Software Engineering Do?

Responsibilities vary by company and industry, but commonly include setting engineering direction, leading managers and technical teams, shaping architecture decisions, and overseeing software delivery. Directors partner with product, security, operations, and executive stakeholders to prioritize work, manage resources, improve development practices, and address risks. They may also support hiring, coaching, performance management, and long-term talent development.

Skills and Experience Employers Value

Employers often seek a strong foundation in software development and engineering leadership, along with the ability to communicate clearly across technical and business teams. Relevant strengths can include organizational planning, software architecture, cloud platforms, agile delivery, security awareness, budgeting, and managing multiple teams. The right background depends on the employer’s products, technology stack, and organizational structure.

Explore Director, Software Engineering Careers

Director roles can be found across industries, from technology and financial services to healthcare, retail, and enterprise software. Compare opportunities by scope, company, location, work arrangement, and compensation. Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs with salaries of $100,000 or more, making it easier to discover senior engineering leadership roles aligned with your experience and career goals.

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$150K - $180K *

Transform the build infrastructure by leading the Bazel migration, designing remote execution, and enhancing CI/CD systems. Collaborate with engineering teams to optimize build times and establish bes...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Join a team that's driving automation in CI/CD pipelines to enhance reliability and efficiency. As a Staff-level contributor, you'll blend AI techniques with software automation to support rapid devel...

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$220K - $250K *

Innovate the future of engineering operations by leading a dynamic team to build impactful products. Drive technical excellence, enhance system performance, and elevate AI integration while ensuring r...

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$160K - $190K *

Join a team that's dedicated to tackling complex security challenges across infrastructure and services. You'll design innovative solutions that protect systems while enabling rapid development, foste...

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$180K - $230K *

Transform your career by leading the development of advanced software systems. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver scalable, secure applications that meet complex customer needs and dr...

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$110K - $130K *

Join a team that's building a robust operational data backbone. This role requires deep expertise in streaming data, security, and relational modeling to ensure timely and secure delivery of critical...

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Staffing

$100K - $120K *

Join a team that's driving engineering excellence in manufacturing. Lead and support production processes, manage budgets, and ensure safety compliance while developing a skilled engineering team to e...

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$190K - $240K *

Innovate with us to build secure, customer-centric platform products. Leverage your extensive software engineering experience to create robust solutions, collaborate across domains, and document your...

6 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$160K - $200K *

Champion the Forward Deployed team, driving technical outcomes on critical programs. Lead from scoping to execution, ensuring high standards while collaborating with government and industry partners t...

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$162K - $211K *

Join a dynamic engineering team to build and maintain production platforms, driving architectural decisions and mentoring junior engineers while ensuring system reliability and integration with IT Sec...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $145K *

Pioneer innovative software solutions for aerospace safety by leading the development of the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive design decisions...

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$180K - $220K *

Transform the engineering landscape by shaping strategy, fostering collaboration, and leading a high-performing team through rapid change. Drive innovation in AI observability while ensuring alignment...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$227K - $338K *

Take ownership of the architecture and engineering direction for an enterprise AI agent platform, driving hands-on development and mentoring engineers to deliver scalable, cloud-native solutions for F...

3 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $180K *

Drive the product narrative for a comprehensive identity security platform. Lead marketing initiatives across business units while ensuring cohesive messaging and competitive positioning to enhance ma...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Join a dynamic team dedicated to empowering buyers through innovative AI-driven software solutions. As a senior software engineer, you'll take ownership of critical projects, transforming business cha...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$100K - $120K *

Transform data delivery by leading cross-functional teams in Agile environments. Oversee project lifecycles from intake to production, ensuring alignment between stakeholders and technical teams while...

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$150K - $180K *

Transform healthcare by tackling complex technical challenges with a dynamic team. Design cloud-native infrastructures, modern privacy systems, and innovative integrations to enhance hospital efficien...

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $145K *

Unlock your potential by leading innovative software development for resilient timing and synchronization, enhancing distributed systems' performance even in challenging conditions through expert coll...

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$150K - $180K *

Empower the future of intelligent vehicles by leading firmware development. Drive architecture and integration of embedded systems crucial to advanced automotive software, enabling next-gen user exper...

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$148K - $217K *

Unlock your potential by leading global technology strategies that enhance distribution and logistics operations. Drive innovation, improve service quality, and foster operational excellence through A...

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$125K - $150K *

Champion digital transformation by leading delivery teams in Salesforce projects, ensuring excellence in project management, client relationships, and issue resolution while mentoring consultants and...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Explore a pivotal leadership role driving project delivery and portfolio management for mission-critical space defense initiatives, ensuring successful execution and collaboration across multidiscipli...

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$250K - $300K *

Champion engineering excellence by leading the Developer Experience team, enhancing tools and infrastructure to accelerate development and eliminate friction, while shaping the strategic vision for a...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$250K - $300K *

Unlock potential by leading our Developer Experience team to enhance engineering productivity. Drive the development of AI platforms and tools, fostering a culture of quality and efficiency across the...

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$210K - $280K *

Lead the charge in tackling complex, high-impact software challenges across multiple domains. Shape architecture, drive technical direction, and ensure delivery while empowering other engineers in a c...

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Director of Software Engineering do?question toggle

    A Director of Software Engineering leads software development organizations and helps set technical direction. The role commonly includes managing engineering teams, guiding architecture and delivery, partnering with business stakeholders, and supporting hiring and team development.

  • What qualifications are typically required for Director of Software Engineering jobs?question toggle

    Requirements vary, but employers often look for substantial software engineering experience, a record of leading teams or managers, strong communication and planning skills, and familiarity with relevant architectures and development practices. Some positions may prefer a bachelor’s or advanced degree, but expectations differ by employer.

  • How much do Director of Software Engineering jobs pay?question toggle

    Compensation depends on factors such as location, industry, company size, role scope, and experience. Ladders features vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more; review each listing for its specific compensation details.

  • Where can Director of Software Engineering professionals work?question toggle

    These leaders work in many sectors, including technology, financial services, healthcare, retail, and enterprise software. Opportunities may be available in office-based, hybrid, or remote arrangements, depending on the employer.

  • How can I find Director of Software Engineering jobs on Ladders?question toggle

    Browse the category and review listings for responsibilities, required experience, location, work arrangement, and salary information. Use those details to identify roles that match your leadership background and career priorities.