Software Engineering Manager - Ruby on Rails (Player-Coach)
Hands-On Leadership | SaaS Platform | Healthcare, Health IT | Ruby on Rails
Type: Direct Full Time
Location: Remote, USA
The Role
We are seeking a Software Engineering Manager - Ruby on Rails to act as the hands-on leader of a small, high-impact engineering team. This is a true player-coach role—you will lead from the front while staying actively engaged in the code, architecture, and delivery.
You will own execution across engineering, ensuring disciplined delivery, strong technical standards, and alignment with business priorities. This role requires a “trust but verify” leadership mindset—empowering the team while maintaining accountability through visibility, inspection, and follow-through.
Primary Responsibilities:
Engineering Leadership
- Lead, mentor, and hold accountable a team of 5 engineers (onshore and offshore)
- Serve as the primary technical decision-maker across architecture, code quality, and engineering standards
- Act as the bridge between engineering and cross-functional stakeholders (product, operations, implementation)
- Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and consistent execution
Hands-On Technical Leadership - Ruby on Rails
- Actively contribute to the codebase and technical design
- Conduct regular code reviews to ensure quality, consistency, and scalability
- Enforce engineering best practices and maintain high development standards
- Step in as needed to unblock the team and drive technical solutions forward
Delivery & Sprint Execution
- Lead sprint planning, stand-ups, and retrospectives
- Own delivery commitments and ensure deadlines are met
- Implement and maintain a “trust but verify” approach to team output and progress
- Proactively identify risks, gaps, and delays—and address them early
Backlog Discipline & Execution
- Own and manage the development backlog with clear prioritization
- Balance new development with support, defects, and maintenance
- Prevent unstructured or ad hoc work from disrupting planned delivery
- Provide visibility into team capacity, velocity, and progress
Platform Ownership
- Ensure the platform is scalable, maintainable, and secure
- Oversee integration of AI-driven features and enhancements
- Maintain strong standards for system performance, stability, and code quality
Knowledge & Process
- Document system architecture, dependencies, and key technical decisions
- Reduce single points of failure through knowledge sharing and onboarding processes
- Establish repeatable, scalable engineering practices
What We’re Looking For
Required
- 7+ years of software engineering experience, including 2–3+ years in a leadership role
- Proven experience managing onshore and offshore teams
- Hands-on technical leader who actively codes and reviews code
- Strong experience with Ruby on Rails (Rails 5 or higher required)
- Demonstrated ability to lead sprints and own delivery outcomes
- Experience conducting code reviews and enforcing engineering standards
- Strong backlog management and prioritization discipline
- Clear communicator who can set expectations and push back when needed
Strongly Preferred
- Experience in SaaS or regulated environments (healthcare a plus)
- Experience inheriting and stabilizing an existing codebase
- Track record of improving delivery discipline and team accountability
- Experience managing distributed teams across time zones
What Success Looks Like (First 90 Days)
- Established structured sprint execution and predictable delivery cadence
- Implemented consistent code review practices and quality standards
- Organized and prioritized backlog with clear visibility
- Built trust with the team while enforcing accountability (“trust but verify” in action)
- Providing leadership with clear insight into delivery, risks, and capacity
Why This Role
This is a high-ownership role for someone who thrives in execution, accountability, and hands-on leadership. You’ll directly impact team performance, product delivery, and engineering standards—while staying close to the technology.
