Softlink Education is seeking an experienced and forward‐thinking Software Engineering Manager to lead our product development team through its next chapter. Based in Brisbane with flexible hybrid working, this role combines people leadership and delivery management with hands‐on technical direction, architecture, and clear communication with senior stakeholders and customers.
For more than 40 years, Softlink Education has partnered with schools and education departments worldwide, delivering trusted software solutions — including our flagship Oliver library management platform — that support teaching, learning, and school library services in over 6,000 schools globally. Working alongside our AI Transformation Lead, this role is critical to evolving our R&D function, embedding new ways of working across the team, and shaping the future of education technology at Softlink.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead, mentor, and grow a team of 13 — developers, QA engineers, and business analysts
* Set clear expectations, delivery goals, and engineering standards across the team
* Partner with the AI Transformation Lead to roll out new tooling, practices, and ways of working into the team
* Foster a high‐performance, collaborative engineering culture aligned with Softlink Education's values
* Own recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and career development for your team
Technical Direction
* Act as the technical lead and architecture compass for the team, guiding key design decisions
* Partner with product management to shape the technical roadmap for Oliver and the wider Softlink Education portfolio
* Champion engineering best practices: code quality, automated testing, CI/CD, security, and observability
* Stay close enough to the code to review, troubleshoot, and unblock when it matters
* Meet regularly with senior internal stakeholders — product, sales, support, and the executive team — to align on direction and trade‐offs
* Represent R&D in conversations with important customers, including school decision‐makers and education department contacts
* Translate complex technical topics into clear, confident language for non‐technical audiences
* Provide input to pre‐sales conversations, customer escalations, and roadmap discussions where deep technical credibility is needed
Delivery, Cloud & Operational Excellence
* Maintain strong delivery discipline — planning, estimation, sprint cadence, and roadmap visibility
* Work closely with implementation, support, and customer success teams to ensure quality outcomes for schools
* Manage technical risk, technical debt, and platform reliability across the product
* Partner with security and compliance to maintain standards expected of K-12 software (e.g. ST4S)
What You Bring
* Proven experience leading a software development team of ~10 in a SaaS or product environment
* Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical topics clearly to senior stakeholders and customers
* A genuine player‐coach mindset: equally comfortable in a 1:1, an architecture whiteboard, a code review, or a customer meeting
* Track record of delivering reliable, high‐quality releases on a regular cadence
* Experience working alongside business analysts, QA, and product to deliver well‐scoped work
* A genuine interest in education and the role technology plays in students' learning
* Tertiary qualifications in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience)
What We Offer
* A leadership role in a market‐leading, purpose‐driven product used by thousands of schools worldwide
* Clear pathway for career progression within the Softlink group
* Competitive base salary plus super and annual bonus.
* Hybrid working environment based in our Eight Mile Plains, Brisbane office
* Supportive, collaborative, and purpose‐driven culture
* A team and product going through an exciting period of transformation — supported by a dedicated AI Transformation Lead
* Be part of a global network within the Volaris Group, providing opportunities for growth and personal development.
Interview Questions
* How many years' experience do you have as a Software Engineering Manager?
* Which of the following statements best describes your right to work in Australia?
* Do you have experience leading agile teams?
* How many years of web app development experience do you have?
* How many years of people management experience do you have?
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