Director, Software Engineering (Hybrid - Portland, OR)

Energy Solutions - USA • Portland, Oregon, United States • 3w ago

Energy Solutions is currently seeking a seasoned Director of Software Engineering to lead our Information Systems Software Engineering team. While Energy Solutions does not sell software, we develop reusable software solutions to support programs in energy efficiency, distributed energy resources and more. 

You will manage a department of approximately 35 software developers across multiple platforms as well as a technical influencer across Energy Solutions. As a professional services firm, we build high-impact software platforms for a diverse range of clients

This is a strategic leadership role requiring a unique balance as our growth requires more thoughtfulness as we mature as an enterprise. You will bridge the gap between technical execution and business strategy, liaising closely with Product, Business Analysts, and internal Business Units to ensure we deliver scalable, secure, and architecturally sound solutions on time and on budget.

This unique opportunity is perfect for individuals with technical prowess that want to have an impact on energy efficiency markets and greenhouse gas reductions through our work for major North American utilities and other clients around the country.

This is a hybrid work opportunity. At ES, this means working onsite at one of our offices a minimum of 1 day/week (currently Wednesdays) with flexibility for the remainder of the days. ES has offices in Oakland, CA; Orange, CA; Portland, OR; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; and Boston, MA.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Organizational Leadership & Strategy

Team Management: Lead, mentor, and scale multiple teams of 35+ engineers. You will directly manage Engineering Managers and Team Leads, fostering a culture of accountability and psychological safety.
Resource Allocation: Masterfully balance engineering resources between high-priority client consulting projects and long-term internal platform development.
Technical Leadership: Leading as a champion for engineering excellence, building a culture of impact for all of Energy Solutions

Technical Direction

Architecture Authority: Serve as the final authority on software architecture and design patterns. Ensure our diverse software platforms are architected for scalability, focusing on modularity and performance.
Best Practices: Drive the adoption of modern engineering practices, e.g. Small/Frequent commits, CI/CD, and automated testing methodologies.
Data & Downstream Alignment: Partner with data engineering, business data analytics teams, and downstream application owners to ensure software systems produce high-quality, well-structured data and support seamless integration, enabling architectures that meet the needs of reporting and data analytics.
Modernization: Keep a pulse on the entire software ecosystem, guiding the migration of legacy systems and the adoption of new libraries or frameworks where appropriate.

Delivery & Operations

SDLC: Oversee the full SDLC, ensuring rigorous standards for code quality, testing, and documentation.
Compliance: Establish and enforce security controls, compliance standards, and data protection protocols across all client projects.
Establish and track Engineering metrics to drive process improvement initiatives to increase velocity and reduce technical debt.
Monitor delivery timelines, mitigating risks and ensuring alignment with client expectations and contractual obligations
Service Delivery: Collaborate with product owners, project managers, business systems analysts and business partners to ensure client deliverables are shipped on time and within budget while avoiding technical debt.
Manage stakeholder expectations regarding technical feasibility, timelines, and scope.

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience: 10+ years in software engineering, with at least 4+ years in a Director or Senior Management role leading teams of 25+ people.
Technical Stack: Deep roots in the Python ecosystem. You have built complex applications using Django. Exposure or experience with other programming ecosystems including Java and Mendix is a plus.
Dual-Focus Experience: Experience working in a Professional Services/Consultancy environment is highly preferred, alongside experience shipping SaaS/PaaS products.
Database & Infra: Strong understanding of relational databases and cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP).
Leadership Style: Proven ability to influence partners while mentoring and maturing a software engineering team, including supervisors. You know how to delegate effectively and avoid micromanagement while staying informed.
Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and clients

Preferred Qualifications:

Hands-on experience or theoretical knowledge of Generative AI / LLM integration in enterprise software.
Experience managing remote or distributed engineering teams.
Advanced degree in Computer Science or Engineering.
Strong conflict resolution and negotiation skills