Job description
WHY DEPT®?
We are pioneers at heart. What this means, is that we are always leaning forward, thinking of what we can create tomorrow that does not exist today. We were born digital and we are a new model of agency, with a deep skillset in tech and marketing. That’s why we hire curious, self-driven, talented people who never stop innovating.
Our culture is big enough to cope and small enough to care. Meaning, that with people across 20+ countries, we’re big enough to provide you with the best tools, global opportunities, and benefits that help you thrive. While acting small by investing in you, your growth, your team, and giving you the autonomy to solve our clients’ problems, no matter where you are in the world.
Please note that we do not offer relocation at this time.
THE ROLE
We’re looking for an experienced VP Engineering to lead our engineering teams and drive technical excellence at DEPT®. This role focuses on engineering delivery, team leadership, and technical architecture—ensuring high-quality software development while supporting broader business objectives.
As a member of the Technology Leadership Team, you’ll manage engineering operations and development practices while partnering with senior leadership to implement engineering strategies that drive client success and business growth.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Engineering Leadership & Operations
- Represent the engineering team’s capabilities commercially to clients and partners; defining the organization’s key value propositions and technical philosophies.
- Leading the technology team through technical architecture design and build vs. buy decisions for client work, understanding opportunities and gaps in the major CMS and Martech platforms and when to build in order to bridge their limitations.
- Lead day-to-day engineering operations across the Americas region, ensuring consistent code quality, development standards, and delivery excellence.
- Stay current on engineering best practices, development frameworks, and technical trends that enhance DEPT’s development capabilities.
- Oversee engineering resource allocation and sprint planning, balancing client project needs with technical debt and platform improvements.
- Drive engineering process improvements and implement development best practices, including identification and management of investment in client project accelerators, SDLC standards and core technology alignment.
- Support engineering budget planning and execution, ensuring efficient team utilization and strong project delivery.
Technical Delivery & Architecture
- Serve as senior engineering expert for client projects, helping design technical solutions and development approaches.
- Support business development through technical expertise, solution architecture, and engineering feasibility assessments.
- Ensure engineering deliverables meet technical requirements and are delivered on time, within scope, and with high code quality.
- Collaborate with project teams to identify engineering opportunities that improve client solutions and development efficiency.
Engineering Team Development
- Build and lead high-performing engineering teams across front-end, back-end, full-stack, and DevOps functions.
- Foster a culture of technical excellence, continuous learning, and collaborative development practices.
- Support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the engineering organization.
- Recruit, mentor, and develop engineering talent across all levels, from junior developers to senior architects.
Commercial Growth & Delivery Support
- Shape and evolve commercial strategy by helping to define narrative and approach across DEPT®’s technical offerings.
- Support the intake and qualification of net-new client opportunities.
- Lead or contribute to scope and timeline estimation for custom solutions and implementation plans.
- Partner with Growth, Client Partners, and other Crafts to deliver craft proposals and deliver client pitches. This includes supporting pitch creation and leading technical sections in client presentations, tailoring the story to resonate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Define budget, timeline, and staffing logistics in collaboration with Growth, Client Partnerships, and Delivery to ensure competitiveness and profitability, while maintaining the ability to deliver effectively.
- Provide senior technical leadership during technical discovery phases and project execution.
- Act as escalation and strategic advisor for complex accounts or high-risk delivery engagements.
Development & Cross-Functional Partnership
- Oversee the execution and delivery of software development projects, ensuring technical quality and timeline adherence.
- Partner with design, strategy, and product teams to ensure seamless integration between technical and creative solutions.
- Communicate technical architecture and development decisions clearly to clients and internal stakeholders.
- Support implementation of development tools and processes that improve engineering productivity and code quality.
WHAT YOU BRING
- 10+ years of full-stack software engineering leadership experience, preferably in digital agencies, consultancies, or client-services environments
- Strong track record of managing engineering teams and delivering complex web and mobile applications
- Deep experience with modern development frameworks (React, Node.js, Python, etc.), cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), CMS & Martech Platforms (Adobe, Contentful, etc) and DevOps practices
- Experience in client-facing roles with ability to communicate technical architecture and development approaches to business stakeholders
- Strong understanding of software development lifecycle, agile methodologies, and engineering best practices
- Commitment to building diverse, inclusive engineering teams and fostering collaborative development environments
WHAT DO WE OFFER?
We are a collaborative, open-door, best-idea-wins environment that fosters personal and company growth and has fun doing it. Here is a snapshot of our benefits package:
- Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
- 401k plan, plus matching
- PTO
- Paid Company Holidays
- Parental Leave
WE SUPPORT YOU BEING YOU:
DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s lived experience, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information. So tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step.
DEPT® participates in E-Verify, meaning your Form I-9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.
We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work. Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place.
DEPT® is a pioneering technology and marketing services company that creates integrated end-to-end digital experiences for brands such as Google, KFC, Philips, Audi, Twitch, Patagonia, eBay and more. Its team of 2,500+ digital specialists across 30+ locations on 5 continents delivers pioneering work on a global scale with a boutique culture.
Learn more about DEPT®
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION
At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.
Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine.
We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.
Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.
This is a hybrid office location with the expectation that you will need to go into the office 3 days week. You must be located within 50 miles of our Chicago, IL office located at: One South Wacker, 1 S Wacker Dr #2250, Chicago, IL 60606.
Chicago, IL Salary Range
$256,800—$385,200 USD
This is a hybrid office location with the expectation that you will need to go into the office 3 days week. You must be located within 50 miles of our Denver, CO office located at: 3320 Walnut St, Denver, CO 80205
Denver, CO Salary Range
$235,200—$352,800 USD
This is a hybrid office location with the expectation that you will need to go into the office 3 days week. You must be located within 50 miles of our Boston, MA or Newburyport, MA offices located at: 35 India St, Boston, MA 02110; 20 Inn St, Newburyport, MA 01950
Boston, MA; Newburyport, MA Salary Range
$256,800—$385,200 USD
This is remote role, however you must be located within 50 miles of New York, NY (tri-state area is ok) to be considered.
New York, NY Salary Range
$256,800—$385,200 USD
