Sr. Manager, Engineering

The Zebra named the Best Place to Work in Austin four years running, revolutionizes how connected consumers research and shop for insurance. We intentionally strive to build diverse teams that feel inclusive for all. Our motto is "All Stripes Welcome," we put that into practice by valuing traditional and non-conventional backgrounds and perspectives. Our Zeebs are passionate about learning, growing, & working together to tackle exciting problems.

The Zebra is seeking an Engineering Manager II to lead our growing team! You will lead a team of engineers to develop and maintain scalable, high-impact solutions while fostering a culture of collaboration, technical excellence, and continuous improvement. As part of the Engineering Platform Org, this role will be centered on foundational systems, long-term architectural health, and enabling feature delivery. Your team will be responsible for building and evolving the core platform that underpins our products. This role focuses on foundational architectural decisions, system scalability, reliability, and enabling product teams to move faster and safer. This role requires a strong engineering background, experience in people leadership, and the ability to drive technical strategy while balancing business objectives.

Reporting to the Director of Engineering, you will work closely with cross-functional stakeholders, lead engineers, and ensure the team delivers high-quality products that align with the company’s goals.

Location:

While we are open to remote work across the contingent US, we are still establishing our company to support work in all states! We’ve shifted to a hybrid model and love the flexibility it allows our employees. We are set up to support employees who want to be fully remote, in-office only or a mix of the two. Please note - that we will not be supporting work based out of the following states: CA, MA, NY, & NJ.

What You'll Do:

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of engineers, providing technical guidance, career development, and performance coaching.

• Manage architectural strategy for the product platform, balancing immediate product needs with long-term system health

• Champion non-functional requirements such as scalability, reliability, security, and maintainability

• Collaborate with Product, Design, and other engineering teams to help define and execute a roadmap that aligns with company objectives.

• Manage sprint planning, execution, and delivery, ensuring projects are completed on time and meet quality standards.

• Ensure a culture of continuous improvement through code reviews, technical discussions, and retrospectives.

• Promote cross-team collaboration and communication to align engineering efforts with business priorities.

What We're Looking For:

As we evaluate candidates across all roles, we look for folks with a strong sense of ownership, great communication and collaboration skills, and a dedication to continuous improvement.

• 6+ years of software engineering experience with at least 2+ years in an engineering management role.

• Experience defining and evolving platform architecture

• Experience addressing architectural trade-offs (build vs buy, monolith vs services, etc.)

• Experience guiding decisions around tech debt, maintenance, and modernization

• Experience leading engineering teams, managing projects, and driving technical roadmaps.

• Proven ability to develop and mentor engineers, fostering a high-performing team.

• Deep understanding of agile development methodologies and best practices.

• Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills.

• A balance of technical depth and strategic thinking, with a focus on business impact.

• Experience working in fintech/insuretech is a plus.

Benefits & Perks:

Inclusive and healthy environments are crafted intentionally. All of our employees can join and participate in (or create your own!) Employee Resource Groups. Here are some other wonderful perks of working here:

• Competitive Compensation & Stock Option Offering

• Health, Dental, Vision & Disability Coverages

• HSA offering + employer contribution

• 401k plan + employer match

• Unlimited PTO (paid time off)+ the flexibility to enjoy it

• Paid Parental Leave Program

• Learning & Development Opportunities

• Join a team that truly lives their values (outside of the office. Cliche, we know… but we really mean it)

About The Zebra:

The Zebra is the nation’s leading, independent insurance comparison site. With our dynamic, real-time quote comparison tool, consumers can identify insurance companies with the coverage, service level, and pricing to suit their unique needs. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, The Zebra has sought to bring transparency and simplicity to insurance shopping since 2012 -- it's “insurance in black and white.”

We've garnered attention and investment of some of the nation’s top venture capitalists. Check out all of our awards & recognition!

Our core mantra is "All Stripes Welcome." As part of our dedication to maintaining an inclusive and diverse workforce, we provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform core job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.