Head of Engineering

Aktivate, a Series A startup revolutionizing sports management and team fundraising for 1MM kids / 3,000 public schools / 7 of the top 10 largest school districts in the country, is seeking an experienced Head of Engineering to lead our technology function as a solo leader. This role reports directly to the CEO and will oversee all technology operations, providing critical data-driven insights to support our product & sales-driven strategy.

As a key member of the leadership team, you will facilitate strategic direction and implementation of cutting-edge software solutions, analytics, and AI expansion. You will be involved in every aspect of the product development process, from brainstorming, ideation to production launch and on-going expansion of our products. You will play a pivotal role in shaping our data-driven decision-making processes and advancing our technology capabilities across mobile, web and data.

If you are a strategic thinker, innovative problem solver, and a leader passionate about leveraging data to drive business success, we invite you to apply for this challenging and rewarding role.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing team of software and data engineers, quality assurance analysts and delivery managers.
• Accountable for execution of roadmaps across multiple product groups and agile teams.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Oversee the design and implementation of scalable and robust architectures aligned to deliver business outcomes and objectives.
• Ensure effective data governance, quality, and security standards are maintained.
• Drive the development and deployment of algorithms, design patterns, performance monitoring and devops.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in AI.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product, program, and business units, to understand requirements that meet business needs.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and meet quality standards.
• Provide direction for prioritization and resource allocation.
• Build and model a culture of excellence, inclusivity, and innovation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field; or equivalent practical experience.
• 7 years of experience in software development across web, mobile applications, APIs, and back-end systems, with hands-on use of modern technologies and AI.
• 5 years working in startup or small team environments, demonstrating ability to operate effectively with limited resources.
• 4 years of experience managing and scaling offshore engineering teams.
• 5 years of experience delivering B2B, B2C, and SaaS solutions, with a focus on customer service and highly transactional systems.
• 3 years leading agile teams with a strong customer-first mindset.
• Proficient in PHP, React, React Native, RESTful APIs, MySQL or PostgreSQL, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Strong business acumen with the ability to align technical solutions with strategic objectives.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Track record of building and leading high-performing engineering teams.
• Sports fan is a PLUS.

Compensation

• Cash Compensation: Competitive base salary dependent on experience.
• Equity: Equity participation commensurate with experience, allowing for upside in the company’s success.
• Benefits: A competitive benefits package including health insurance, paid time off, and other perks typical of a venture-backed startup (to be discussed in the interview process).