Manager, Engineering at Navan

<p><strong>About the Role</strong></p> <p>Navan's Enterprise Team builds the critical "operating system" of our corporate travel platform—handling complex travel policies, dynamic approval workflows, user identity, and enterprise-grade analytics. As an Engineering Manager, you will lead a high-performing team of 5-10 full-stack engineers to build sophisticated configuration tools and scalable backend engines.</p> <p>You will be responsible for translating business requirements into technical strategies, balancing short-term execution with long-term architectural vision. By combining deep technical expertise with strong leadership, you will foster a collaborative environment where engineers can thrive and do the best work of their careers.</p> <p><strong>What You’ll Do:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Lead &amp; Mentor:</strong> Manage, coach, and grow a team of 5-10 talented full-stack engineers. Set performance goals, conduct regular 1:1s, and provide actionable feedback.</li> <li><strong>Drive Execution:</strong> Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Designers, and other stakeholders to define project scopes, deliverables, and roadmaps for our Admin and User portals.</li> <li><strong>Technical Leadership:</strong> Guide architectural decisions and trade-offs for our stack (Java/Spring Boot, React/TypeScript, SQL/NoSQL), ensuring the team delivers scalable, secure, and highly available microservices.</li> <li><strong>Process Optimization:</strong> Maintain and improve agile development processes. Organize schedules, track deliverables, check work for technical accuracy, and ensure robust operational reliability.</li> <li><strong>Cross-Functional Collaboration:</strong> Effectively communicate and coordinate work with other managers and staff to seamlessly integrate complex, cross-domain features.</li> <li><strong>Team Building:</strong> Identify staffing needs, lead hiring efforts, and onboard top-tier engineering talent to scale your team.</li> </ul> <p><strong>What We’re Looking For:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience:</strong> 5+ years of hands-on software engineering experience building scalable systems, plus <strong>at least 2+ years of direct engineering management experience</strong>.</li> <li><strong>Technical Depth:</strong> Strong architectural background with a solid understanding of both backend (Java, Spring Boot, Hibernate) and frontend ecosystems (modern frameworks like React/Angular/Vue, and TypeScript).</li> <li><strong>Leadership &amp; Organization:</strong> Highly organized and detail-oriented. Proven ability to manage project delivery, balance competing priorities, and challenge the status quo to make our products better.</li> <li><strong>Analytical &amp; Problem-Solving Skills:</strong> Ability to evaluate complex technical information, solve intricate system challenges, and validate the engineering methods used by your staff.</li> <li><strong>Excellent Communication:</strong> Strong verbal and written skills for overseeing staff, setting clear expectations, and presenting technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.</li> <li><strong>Modern Workflow Awareness:</strong> An understanding of AI-enabled development tools (like GitHub Copilot or Claude) to help the team accelerate workflows while maintaining high quality.<br><strong>Education:</strong> Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a technical discipline (Computer Science, Engineering, etc.) or equivalent practical experience.</li> </ul>