Lead Software Engineer

Northwestern Mutual is disrupting the financial security industry by setting the new standard for client experience. We deliver distinctive and dynamically interactive innovative capabilities that can only be accessed through our exclusive digital platform which transforms the client-advisor partnership and elevates client engagement. 

As Lead Software Engineer, you'll have a great opportunity to help Northwestern Mutual continue to develop, refine, and implement the strategy for our Sales Enablement tools, which includes policy Illustration Systems and Financial Planning solutions. We are looking for a capable engineer who has a proven track record of solutioning, implementing and delivering on business strategy, being a technical leader with vision and helping to build an extraordinary engineering culture. The ideal person will be someone who can operate in pivotal initiatives and deliver tactically while demonstrating strong analytical and technical skills. This person will have a deep understanding of technology solutions and has demonstrated out of the box problem solving skills and innovative approach.

We are looking for a Lead Software Engineer who is passionate about developing solutions that meet business needs, is a quick learner, enjoys daily interaction with business and technology teams, and is comfortable learning new technologies and platforms while working in a fast-paced environment. This role is part of our Planning Solutions team that supports our Field Sales Enablement Engineering department.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Implements holistic solutions utilizing working relationships across the enterprise.

• Designs, organizes, and executes high impact solutions across teams both within and outside their division.

• Align technical solutions with the strategic business objectives and vision defined by the product lead and progress toward the Planning Platform’s target state as defined by each lead.

• Establishes, aggregates, and shares enterprise standards and best practices.

• Mentors and guides engineering teams and junior engineers within respective division.

• Ensures production stability, monitoring, and root cause analysis is executed for their products.

• Design Solutions:

  • Lead the architecture, design, and technical oversight of the solutions required to deliver the epic.

  • Align technical solutions with the strategic business objectives and vision defined by the Epic Product Lead and progress toward the Planning Platform's target state as defined by Frontend/Backend/Data Lead.

  • Ensure alignment among delivery teams regarding the technical aspects of the epic.

• Technical Roadmap:

  • Develop and maintain the product technology roadmap for the epic, ensuring it complements the product, target state, and other epic roadmaps.

  • Ensure that the technical roadmap addresses scalability, security, maintenance, and performance considerations.

  • Identify and document technical risks and trade-offs early and develop mitigation strategies with the teams.

• Requirements and Implementation:

  • Collaborate with Epic Product Lead and Frontend/Backend/Data Leads to refine high-level epic requirements into succinct definitions of done and acceptance criteria.

  • Oversee the technical implementation of the epic, ensuring software quality is achieved and engineering standards and best practices are followed.

• Technical decision-making:

  • Make key technical decisions, identify risks, and trade-offs and provide strategic technical guidance to the development leads/engineering managers.

  • Collaborate with the Epic Product Lead and Program Manager to ensure technical feasibility and resolve any technical issues or roadblocks.

  • Highlight the need for architecture decision records (ADR) and ensure they are submitted, as required.

• Training and Mentoring:

  • Mentor and provide technical guidance to engineering teams and junior members.

  • Partner with engineering leads and ADs for training and development of technical skills within the teams involved in the epic

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience.

• 6-8 years of professional experience required.

• 5-8+ years of experience leading teams using modern engineering tools, languages, and practices.

• Proven track record of successfully designing and delivering significant and impactful technology solutions.

• Experience developing and leading solution design and delivery using agile methods.

• Successfully handles ambiguity.

• Recognized as the go-to expert within the division or department.

• Ability to effectively communicate to both technical and non-technical audiences in varying forms and levels of detail.

• Solid understanding of design patterns and architecture.

Technologies/Skills:

• Core Programming Skills – Java / Springboot / Spring Batch, React / Redux, Nodejs, Javascript

• DevOps and Build Automation – GitLab CI / Jenkins, Maven, Gradle, Terraform

• Cloud – AWS (S3, Lambda, RDS, EC2, KMS, IAM, MSK)

Benefits:

• Tuition reimbursement, commuter plans, and paid time off

• Highly competitive compensation that include base salary plus bonus

• Medical/Dental/Vision plans, 401(k), pension program

#LI-Hybrid

Northwestern Mutual pays on a geographic-specific salary structure and placement in the salary range for this position will be determined by a number of factors including the skills, education, training, credentials and experience of the candidate; the scope, complexity as well as the cost of labor in the market; and other conditions of employment. At Northwestern Mutual, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. Please note that the salary range listed in the posting is the standard pay structure. Positions in certain locations (such as California) may provide an increase on the standard pay structure based on the location. Please click here for additional information relating to location-based pay structures.

We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you work or would be working in California, Colorado, New York City, Washington or outside of a Corporate location, please click here for information pertaining to compensation and benefits.