At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic engineering team to enhance the Pokémon eCommerce platform.
- Company: Join The Pokémon Company International, a global leader in children's entertainment since 1996.
- Benefits: Enjoy remote work options, competitive salary, and comprehensive health benefits.
- Why this job: Be part of a passionate team creating memorable experiences for Pokémon fans worldwide.
- Qualifications: 8-10 years in software development with leadership experience; strong cloud-native architecture knowledge required.
- Other info: Hybrid work environment with opportunities for professional growth and mentorship.
The predicted salary is between 83500 - 125000 £ per year.
Get to know The Pokémon Company International
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children\’s entertainment properties in the world.
Learn more online at corporate.pokemon.com and pokemon.com .
Get to know the role
- Job Title: Manager, Software Development
- Job Summary: Manager, Software Development will lead the engineering team behind the headless eCommerce platform powering PokemonCenter.com. This role is ideal for a technically adept leader with a strong understanding of modern cloud-native architectures, agile delivery, and platform engineering. You’ll be responsible for ensuring the platform is scalable, resilient, and delivers a world-class shopping experience to Pokémon fans globally.
- People Manager: Yes
What you’ll do
- Lead and mentor a cross-functional team of engineers working on a headless, event-driven eCommerce platform.
- Oversee the development and integration of APIs, microservices, and front-end components using a composable architecture.
- Collaborate with Product, UX, Marketing, and Operations to deliver seamless customer experiences.
- Champion agile delivery practices and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
- Ensure high availability, observability, and performance of the platform through proactive monitoring and incident response.
- Drive platform engineering initiatives and contribute to architectural decisions.
- Manage third-party integrations and vendor relationships (e.g., CMS, PIM, payment gateways).
- Drive development project prioritization and resource allocation. Lead sizing estimations and maintain delivery schedules.
What you’ll bring
- 8-10 years in software development, with 5+ years in a leadership or management role.
- Bachelor\’s degree in a related field or a demonstrated equivalent level of applicable experience.
- Proven experience with headless or composable commerce platforms (e.g., Elastic Path, commercetools).
- Strong understanding of agile methodologies and experience leading Cross Functional SAFe or Scrum Agile teams.
- Have experience scaling platforms across regions, including localisation, compliance, and performance tuning for international markets.
- Driving sprint planning, retrospectives, and backlog grooming.
- Experience with cloud platforms (preferably AWS; GCP or Azure also acceptable).
- Demonstrated ability to lead incident response and cross-team collaboration during outages.
- History of successfully delivering projects on schedule and budget.
- Hands-on experience implementing observability frameworks and Software Reliability Engineering practices.
- Experience managing vendor contracts, SLAs, and performance metrics.
- Project prioritisation, resource allocation, and delivery schedule management.
What We Value Most
- Strong stakeholder communication and influence skills,
- A strong grasp of cloud-native architecture, platform engineering, and application monitoring.
- Experience navigating incident response and collaborating across teams to resolve outages.
- A passion for building resilient, scalable systems that support high-traffic eCommerce environments.
- A collaborative mindset and a desire to mentor and grow engineering talent operating in a distributed / global development framework (North America, Europe, UK, India).
Technical Stack & Tools
- Frontend: React, Next.js
- Backend: ElasticPath, Java, Spring Framework (not Spring Boot), GraphQL, Python
- Database: PostgreSQL
- Messaging & Integration: ActiveMQ or general Enterprise Integration Patterns (EIP)
- Monitoring & Observability: DataDog, New Relic (highly valued)
- Cloud & DevOps: AWS (preferred), lambdas, Google Cloud Platform, or Azure; CI/CD pipelines, Mulesoft
- Other: Experience with event-driven systems and platform engineering
- Bonus: Familiarity with Python (used for scripting)
Base Salary Range: For this role, new hires generally start between £83,500.00 – £ 99,000.00 per year. The full range is £83,500.00 – £125,000.00 per year. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. The final base salary is directly related to the candidate’s qualifications and professional experience uniquely.
#LI-MW1 #LI-Hybrid
How you’ll be successful
- Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.
- Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.
- Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.
- Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve.
- Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a “team first” mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.
- Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.
What to expect
- An innovative culture driven by impact, delivering meaningful outcomes.
- Company events that celebrate the spirit of Pokémon.
- Competitive cash-based compensation programs.
- 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for you.
- Generous paid family leave.
- Employer-paid life insurance.
- Employer-paid long and short-term income protection insurance.
- US Employees: 401k Employer Matching.
- UK/IRE/MX Employees: Pension Employer Contributions.
- Fitness reimbursement.
- Commuter benefit.
- LinkedIn learning.
- Comprehensive relocation package for certain roles.
- Hybrid work environment.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this role. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. For roles in the United Kingdom, candidates will need the right to work. In some cases, and for some roles, the Company may be able to arrange a visa. For roles in Ireland, this role requires candidates to have the right to live and work in the Republic of Ireland. However, we welcome applications from all nationalities and may consider supporting an employment permit application, in appropriate and suitable cases.
The Pokémon Company International is committed to the inclusion of all qualified applicants for consideration in our job application process. If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, or a job interview, or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at .
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Manager, Software Development employer: 2K
Contact Detail:
2K Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Manager, Software Development
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Pokémon brand and its values. Understanding the culture and mission of The Pokémon Company International will help you align your leadership style and technical expertise with their expectations, making you a more appealing candidate.
✨Tip Number 2
Highlight your experience with cloud-native architectures and agile methodologies during networking opportunities. Engaging with professionals in the industry can provide insights into the company’s specific needs and may lead to referrals or recommendations.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your hands-on experience with headless eCommerce platforms and incident response strategies. Being able to articulate your past successes in these areas will demonstrate your capability to lead the engineering team effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Connect with current or former employees on LinkedIn to gain insider knowledge about the company culture and the role. This can also help you tailor your approach and show that you are genuinely interested in being part of their team.
We think you need these skills to ace Manager, Software Development
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure to thoroughly read the job description for the Manager, Software Development position. Understand the key responsibilities and required skills, especially those related to cloud-native architectures and agile methodologies.
Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV to highlight relevant experience in software development and leadership roles. Emphasise your familiarity with headless or composable commerce platforms, as well as your experience with cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, or Azure.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for Pokémon and how your background aligns with the company's values. Mention specific projects where you led teams or implemented innovative solutions in eCommerce environments.
Highlight Soft Skills: In your application, don't forget to mention your strong stakeholder communication skills and your ability to foster a collaborative team environment. These soft skills are crucial for the role and should be evident in your application materials.
How to prepare for a job interview at 2K
✨Show Your Passion for Pokémon
Make sure to express your enthusiasm for the Pokémon brand during the interview. Understanding its impact on culture and fans will demonstrate that you align with the company's values and mission.
✨Highlight Your Technical Expertise
Be prepared to discuss your experience with cloud-native architectures, agile methodologies, and composable commerce platforms. Provide specific examples of how you've successfully led teams in these areas.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a managerial role, it's crucial to showcase your ability to mentor and lead cross-functional teams. Share instances where you've fostered collaboration and driven project success through effective leadership.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills, especially in high-pressure situations like incident response. Think of examples where you've navigated challenges and how you can apply those experiences to this role.