Director, Software Engineering

Please note: The successful candidate must reside in the Edmonton area, as this is a work-from-office position.

Position Summary Our client is seeking a Director, Software Engineering to lead the design, development, and delivery of software across a portfolio of business-critical systems and digital platforms.

This role is responsible for improving engineering practices, delivery consistency, and overall software quality across the organization. It brings structure, accountability, and modern development approaches to both new and existing systems, while ensuring reliable ongoing operations.

The Director will lead engineering teams across application development, platform capabilities, and quality practices, working closely with stakeholders across business and technology functions. This role also plays a key part in balancing modernization efforts with the stability and continuity of existing systems.

Key Responsibilities Engineering Leadership Lead and evolve software engineering practices, standards, and delivery processes Improve delivery reliability, code quality, and overall engineering effectiveness Establish clear operating rhythms, metrics, and reporting across engineering teams Ensure alignment with organizational priorities, security expectations, and architectural guidelines

Application & Platform Delivery Oversee development across web applications, APIs, integrations, and internal systems Improve application lifecycle management and delivery consistency Support modernization of customer-facing and internal platforms Promote practical adoption of modern development approaches, including automation and cloud-based patterns

Core Systems & Modernization Provide leadership across both legacy and modern application environments Balance system reliability with ongoing modernization efforts Improve maintainability, scalability, and operational visibility across systems Support integration and enhancement of existing platforms without disrupting core operations

DevOps & Quality Practices Strengthen DevOps capabilities including CI/CD, automation, and release management Improve testing practices through increased automation and quality standards Enhance monitoring, incident response, and system reliability practices Promote efficient, sustainable engineering workflows

Vendor & Delivery Oversight Manage relationships with external development partners and vendors Ensure consistent delivery standards, quality expectations, and governance across vendors Support vendor selection, performance management, and delivery alignment

Leadership Build and lead a high-performing engineering team Develop engineering leaders and support team growth and capability building Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement Collaborate across business and technology teams to support successful delivery Provide leadership with visibility into engineering performance, risks, and priorities

Core Competencies Strong communication and stakeholder management skills Ability to lead through complexity and change Sound decision-making and problem-solving capability Collaborative and pragmatic leadership style Strong organizational and execution skills Ability to build and lead high-performing teams Focus on continuous improvement and delivery excellence

Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field 10+ years of experience in software engineering or application delivery 5+ years of leadership experience managing engineering teams Experience leading development across a mix of modern and legacy environments Strong understanding of software development practices, DevOps, and delivery models Experience improving engineering maturity, delivery processes, and team performance Experience working with external vendors or delivery partners Strong stakeholder management and communication skills Experience in a regulated or complex environment is considered an asset