VP, Software Centre of Expertise

Vice President, Software Centre of Expertise
Luxembourg - Betzdorf
 

ROLE DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

Senior-level role responsible for overseeing teams of software engineers, architects, code developers, software quality assurance and testing experts and providing leadership, vision, and direction for the Software Centre of Expertise organization. This position is responsible for recruiting, developing, and retaining talent, and ensuring the Software Centre of Expertise staff has the skills and capabilities to meet business needs.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES / KEY RESULT AREAS

• Lead and provide a clear and compelling vision to  the Software Centre of Expertise organization to successfully deliver on agreed goals
• Manage the software engineering budget, with ongoing focus on personnel, vendor, and capital expenditures
• Build strong working relationships with business leaders (Product & Innovation, Customer Support, Operations Teams)
• Coordinate with other leaders in IT (Digital Architecture, Cloud & Infrastructure, Data & Integration Services) and Information & Cyber Security to ensure enabling platforms provide fit-for-purpose, easy to consume services that help accelerate software development activities and reduce the cognitive load in the software development teams
• Collaborate with IT and business leaders to develop short- and long-term strategic plans
• Support and facilitate innovative and experimental software development work to evaluate new ideas, within bounded cost and time frames
• Work closely with product and innovation leadership to design, manage, and/or execute product roadmaps
• Design and implement an agile way of working that optimizes the speed of software delivery
• Develop workforce strategy to meet the organization’s current and future software engineering needs through developing, hiring, and/or sourcing talent making extensive use of low-cost countries to optimize the baseline costs
• Manage resource allocation across teams to maximize business impact of resources and ensure each team has the skills and capabilities needed to achieve its objectives
• Manage software engineering talent, playing a key role in performance management and compensation processes, role and competency definition, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives
• Partner with People & Culture to create learning and development opportunities aligned to the organization’s skill and capability needs, and to provide rewarding career paths for software engineering staff
• Build a culture that supports learning, collaboration, transparency, and inclusiveness
• Champion and establish best practices and modern software development methods and tools, including the use of Generative AI for code generation and automated test case generation
• Enable high levels of autonomy using a platform vision to build upon the success of others, focusing on re-using existing capabilities where possible and limiting the number of hand-offs to other teams.
• Lead software engineering teams and other stakeholders to set goals for improving code quality, maintainability, security, and scalability. Monitor progress against these goals
• Implement and manage software development status reporting, metrics, and benchmarks
• Manage collaboration with Infrastructure and Operational teams to ensure software performs well in production and meets SLAs
• Work with the Cyber Security team to ensure software is effectively secured and that risks are mitigated
• Work with the Digital Architecture team to ensure that developed software fits into the target architecture and that conscious decisions are made on buy vs build questions
• Oversee management of relationships with consultants, vendors, and contractors and support negotiation of statements of work and business terms with suppliers

COMPETENCIES

• Strong talent management skills including talent development, coaching, mentoring, and team motivation.
• Experience leading geographically distributed teams and working in a matrix-managed, results-oriented environment.
• Excellently builds and maintains trust across the organization by consistently acting in the best interest of all stakeholders, prioritizing transparency and reliability
• Demonstrates an exceptional ability to articulate complex technical issues clearly and comprehensively, ensuring that information is accessible to a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Understanding of software development methodologies and best practices; keen interest to stay up-to-date with evolving trends and customer insights
• Understanding of relevant tools and platforms (e.g., cloud platforms, web technologies, client-server technologies, continuous integration and deployment), with an eagerness to learn about new and unfamiliar technologies.
• Adaptability and ability to manage rapid change in business needs, processes, or technologies.
• Champion the adoption and refinement of agile methodologies across all teams, ensuring agile principles are integrated into the day-to-day operations to enhance collaboration, increase efficiency, and accelerate product development cycles
• Ability to focus on achieving outcomes that have a significant, positive impact on business performance, steering the organization towards achieving key results even under pressure
• Hold managers directly accountable for their teams' performance, employing robust management systems to monitor and report on organizational progress against established goals Foster a culture of innovation encouraging the exploration of cutting-edge technologies and solutions
• Fosters a culture of accountability by setting clear expectations and ensuring that organizational commitments are met
• Understand user experience and customer satisfaction across all software products and services, making sure they are reliable, and meet defined customer requirements

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent applied experience.
• 10 years of experience in software development/engineering.
• Proven track record of leadership in software development, with at least 10 years of experience in managerial roles
• Strong understanding of software development methodologies, including Agile, Scrum, and DevOps, with hands-on experience in implementing these methodologies effectively
• Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor technical teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement
• Extensive experience in project management, including planning, execution, and delivery of software projects on time and within budget
• In-depth knowledge of software engineering principles, practices, and technologies, with expertise in related development frameworks
• Experience in client management and stakeholder engagement, with a focus on building long-term relationships and delivering value-driven solutions that meet customer needs
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and inspire confidence in the team's capabilities.
• Experience in recruiting, hiring, and developing top talent, with a focus on building diverse and inclusive teams that thrive in a dynamic environment
• Background in Satellite or General Telecommunications is preferred

OTHER KEY REQUIREMENTS / COMMENTS

• Willingness to travel internationally
• Willingness to undergo clearance procedure

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU

• Flexible working policy (3 days onsite)
• Bonus plan
• Comprehensive and competitive benefits plan
• A range of wellness activities and employee assistance programs 
• An employer that values all aspects of Diversity and respects every individual’s story

GOOD TO KNOW

SES is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to workplace diversity & inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or other characteristics protected by local, state, or federal law.