The Engineering Manager will lead a high-performing team in AI and platform engineering, focusing on technical strategy, people management, and product delivery while engaging with enterprise customers and cross-functional teams.
At Connectly, we’re building the future of conversational commerce in Latin America, starting with WhatsApp. Our 360° AI engagement platform empowers retailers to sell, support, and scale directly inside the app their customers already use every day.
We’re a VC-backed Series B startup with a world-class team from Meta, Google, Uber, and other leading Silicon Valley companies. We operate as a hybrid organization, with offices in Bogotá and San Francisco, and distributed teams across Latin America, including Brazil, where many of our AI initiatives are based.
Job summary
- We’re looking for an Engineering Manager to lead one of Connectly’s core AI and platform engineering teams. This is a hybrid leadership role that combines people management, technical strategy, and hands-on execution in a fast-paced startup environment.
- Reporting directly to the CTO, you will oversee a high-performing organization of 10–20 engineers, guiding both technical direction and team development. You’ll play a key role in driving Connectly’s engineering culture, balancing product delivery, architectural excellence, and talent growth, while partnering with product, sales, and customer teams to deliver solutions that power the future of AI commerce in Latin America.
Responsibilities include:
- Lead, grow, and retain a high-performing engineering organization (10–20 people) across multiple locations.
- Provide technical leadership and define strategy in partnership with the CTO, from system architecture and infrastructure design to AI scalability and reliability.
- Stay hands-on with the technology to guide design, code reviews, and architectural decisions that impact system quality and stability.
- Own the quality, reliability, and performance of the product, ensuring stable releases, strong testing practices, and operational excellence.
- Drive engineering processes that balance speed and rigor: sprint planning, technical reviews, postmortems, and iterative improvement.
- Partner closely with Product Management and Sales to deliver launches, achieve business metrics, and ensure successful enterprise deployments.
- Engage directly with enterprise customers when needed, helping design complex integrations with third-party systems such as Meta APIs, CRMs, and eCommerce platforms (Shopify, VTEX, SAP).
- Take full ownership of hiring, developing, and evaluating engineers, providing continuous feedback, performance reviews, and growth plans.
- Identify and cultivate emerging leaders within your team, fostering a culture of ownership, accountability, and innovation.
- Act as a force multiplier, building systems, processes, and talent that scale beyond your direct scope.
What will make you excel at this job:
- Strong track record leading high-performance teams of 10–20 engineers in a fast-paced technology company.
- Deep technical expertise and ability to be hands-on in guiding system design, architecture, and best practices.
- Passion for building and scaling AI-driven systems and applying LLM technology to real-world business use cases.
- Proven experience in establishing engineering processes that balance speed, quality, and reliability.
- Excellent people management and mentorship skills, with a focus on growing individuals and teams.
- Ability to communicate effectively across disciplines, engineering, product, and sales, and operate in ambiguity with strong execution focus.
- A pragmatic problem-solver with a bias for impact, not just activity.
Requirements
- MS or BS in Computer Science.
- 8+ years of software engineering experience, including 3+ years in management or tech lead roles within a technology company.
- Proven experience leading teams of 10–20 engineers, ideally across distributed locations.
- Demonstrated ability to set technical strategy and drive architectural decisions at scale.
- Strong understanding of backend and AI systems, including Python, AWS, Kafka, Postgres, DynamoDB, and modern CI/CD practices.
- Experience partnering with cross-functional stakeholders, including PM, Sales, and Customer Success, to deliver major launches.
- Experience engaging directly with enterprise clients and integrating with third-party ecosystems such as Meta APIs, CRMs, and commerce platforms.
- Strong leadership, empathy, and communication skills; capable of delivering both technical and performance feedback constructively.
Benefits
- Work directly with the CTO and executive team to shape Connectly’s technology and culture.
- Competitive compensation and equity participation.
- Unlimited time off and flexible working hours.
- Hybrid work culture with teams in Brazil, Bogotá, and San Francisco.
We are a strong believer in passion, curiosity and willingness to learn on the job. If you are in doubt, we encourage you to apply!
Connectly is an equal opportunity employer. We’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace that is distributed around the world.
Top Skills
AWS
Ci/Cd
DynamoDB
Kafka
Postgres
Python
Similar Jobs
Artificial Intelligence • Cloud • Computer Vision • Hardware • Internet of Things • Software
The role involves building pipeline strategy programs, analyzing sales data, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring effective sales operations.
Top Skills:
Data AnalysisPipeline ManagementProgram ManagementRevenue StrategiesSales Tools
Cloud • Security • Software • Cybersecurity • Automation
The Strategic Account Executive will manage enterprise prospects and customers, driving adoption of GitLab's DevSecOps platform through the full sales cycle and ensuring customer satisfaction and growth.
Top Skills:
AIApplication Lifecycle ManagementCi/Cd AutomationDevsecopsSoftware Development Tools
Cloud • Security • Software • Cybersecurity • Automation
Drive growth by helping financial services organizations adopt GitLab's AI-powered DevSecOps platform, manage the full sales cycle, and build trusted relationships with enterprise accounts.
Top Skills:
Ci/CdDevsecopsSaaS
What you need to know about the Los Angeles Tech Scene
Los Angeles is a global leader in entertainment, so it’s no surprise that many of the biggest players in streaming, digital media and game development call the city home. But the city boasts plenty of non-entertainment innovation as well, with tech companies spanning verticals like AI, fintech, e-commerce and biotech. With major universities like Caltech, UCLA, USC and the nearby UC Irvine, the city has a steady supply of top-flight tech and engineering talent — not counting the graduates flocking to Los Angeles from across the world to enjoy its beaches, culture and year-round temperate climate.
Key Facts About Los Angeles Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 375,800; 5.5% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Snap, Netflix, SpaceX, Disney, Google
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, adtech, media, software, game development
- Funding Landscape: $11.6 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Strong Ventures, Fifth Wall, Upfront Ventures, Mucker Capital, Kittyhawk Ventures
- Research Centers and Universities: California Institute of Technology, UCLA, University of Southern California, UC Irvine, Pepperdine, California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Quantum Science and Engineering
