Director of Engineering – Backend & Agentic AI 

Location: Portland, ME

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

WEX is a global leader in financial technology solutions, based in Portland, Maine, United States, with over 7,000 WEXers across 40+ countries. We simplify the complexities of payment systems across industries such as Fleet, Corporate Payments, and Benefits. Whether managing employee benefits, streamlining B2B payments, reducing fuel costs, or modernizing fleet operations, WEX solutions help reduce administrative burdens and drive efficiency.

Scope of Role

We are seeking a seasoned Director of Engineering in the WEX OTR organization. This role will lead engineering efforts for core services supporting OTR experiences products.

OTR is a global team based in the USA, India, and Brazil. OTR systems provide fleet management and payments-centric SaaS solutions to a wide range of customers. These solutions enable modernization of web applications, credit issuance for fleet companies, and intelligent spend controls for fleet operations.

This role will play a key part in leading initiatives that involve building AI-driven agents from the ground up, while also driving the development of scalable backend systems and APIs that power OTR products.

As a Director of Engineering, you will:

• Analyze OTR products to identify cross-cutting capabilities and define a long-term engineering vision

• Lead initiatives focused on building and scaling AI-driven agents, alongside robust backend services

• Define and implement a comprehensive architectural roadmap, including backend systems and API strategy

• Drive development of scalable, reliable backend APIs and services that support OTR experiences

• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within engineering teams

• Continuously improve engineering efficiency and reduce time-to-market through strong development practices

• Collaborate across OTR engineering teams to reuse components and standardize development practices

• Build, lead, and grow high-performing engineering teams

• Partner closely with product and business stakeholders to deliver customer-focused solutions

• Drive planning, execution, and operational excellence through structured engineering mechanisms

• Establish clear roadmaps, career growth plans, and provide ongoing feedback to team members

• Define and track metrics-driven engineering productivity and system performance

• Communicate effectively with senior leadership on progress, risks, and opportunities

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related discipline

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with 5+ years in engineering leadership roles

• Experience leading complex engineering initiatives, including backend systems and distributed architectures

• Exposure to building or working with AI-driven or agent-based systems

• Strong expertise in backend development, microservices, REST APIs, and cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure

• Solid understanding of security and compliance in cloud and data environments

• Strong leadership, team-building, and decision-making skills

• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-paced environments

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience integrating AI-driven capabilities into production systems

• Experience with fleet management systems

• Experience working with globally distributed teams and building high-performing teams

The base pay range represents the anticipated low and high end of the pay range for this position. Actual pay rates will vary and will be based on various factors, such as your qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role. Base pay is one component of WEX's total compensation package. Most sales positions are eligible for commission under the terms of an applicable plan. Non-sales roles are typically eligible for a quarterly or annual bonus based on their role and applicable plan. WEX's comprehensive and market competitive benefits are designed to support your personal and professional well-being. Benefits include health, dental and vision insurances, retirement savings plan, paid time off, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, and more. For more information, check out the "About Us" section.

Pay Range: $199,300.00 - $246,900.00