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- Tasks: Lead engineering teams to create innovative travel solutions and mentor future leaders.
- Company: Join Navan, a forward-thinking company revolutionising the travel experience.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborate globally with diverse teams and partners to redefine travel.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the travel industry with cutting-edge technology and AI integration.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in software development and experience managing cross-functional teams.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 150000 ÂŁ per year.
We believe “It’s all about the user. All of them.” We’re passionate about providing a seamless one-stop experience for business travelers, no matter how they travel, where they stay, or where they’re going. Navan is hiring a Director of Engineering to oversee our Specialty Travel and Events division. You will lead the teams building our core Events Platform and architecting new products for customers with complex, specialized requirements. As a pivotal technical leader, you will be responsible for setting the engineering roadmap, mentoring future leaders and hiring top talent, and ensuring our solutions remain reliable, scalable, and relentlessly user-focused.
What You’ll Do
- Technical Leadership: Guide the technical direction and roadmap for critical systems within the travel domain. Must have 10+ years of Software Development Experience with 5+ years of experience leading/managing cross-functional development teams and 3+ years of managing managers.
- Team Development: Hire, develop, and mentor a high-performing organization of engineers and engineering managers.
- Industry Partnership: Work closely with vendors and suppliers to implement modern, API-driven technical approaches and integrate new standards.
- System Architecture: Drive the scalability, reliability, and extensibility of backend systems that handle complex real-world constraints and high-volume transactions.
- AI Integration: Guide the implementation of AI-driven workflows, leveraging Navan’s proprietary travel data to provide context-rich outcomes that go beyond generic models.
- Cross-Functional Execution: Partner closely with Product, Design, and Operations to deliver ambitious, cross-team initiatives that redefine the traveler experience.
- Operational Excellence: Modernize long-standing technical assumptions into flexible models, ensuring rapid progress is balanced with the quality and trust required by enterprise customers.
What We’re Looking For
- Experience: Strong background in building and operating large-scale backend systems, with a proven track record of managing engineering teams and scaling team capabilities.
- Technical Depth: Deep expertise in complex distributed systems and the ability to engage deeply with engineers on architectural details.
- Execution Focus: A record of delivering complex, cross-functional outcomes in ambiguous environments where you help shape the direction. Successful leaders at Navan know when to roll up their sleeves and work alongside their teams.
- Domain Curiosity: While travel experience is a strong plus, you must have a relentless desire to go "under the hood" to understand how the industry actually works rather than treating it as a black box.
- Global Collaboration: Ability to communicate clearly and work effectively across diverse cultures and time zones (SF, London, Berlin, Tel Aviv, and beyond).
- Partner Engagement: The ability to engage effectively with external industry partners and providers, building credibility through your technical depth.
- Strong Ownership: A "builder" mindset with the follow-through necessary to guide your teams through a rare industry transformation.
Engineering Director, Specialty Travel employer: Navan
Contact Detail:
Navan Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Engineering Director, Specialty Travel
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand their products, culture, and recent news. We want you to walk in feeling confident and ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals, especially in tech leadership and team development.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your technical chops! Be ready to discuss your past projects and how you’ve led teams through complex challenges. We’re all about that hands-on experience, so share specific examples that highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to drive results.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our mission to redefine the travel experience.
We think you need these skills to ace Engineering Director, Specialty Travel
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for User Experience: When writing your application, make sure to highlight your commitment to user-focused solutions. We want to see how you've put users at the heart of your projects and how that aligns with our mission at Navan.
Demonstrate Your Technical Leadership: Share specific examples of how you've led engineering teams and shaped technical roadmaps. We’re looking for someone who can guide us through complex challenges, so don’t hold back on showcasing your experience!
Highlight Cross-Functional Collaboration: We love team players! Make sure to mention any experiences where you’ve partnered with product, design, or operations teams. Show us how you’ve worked across different functions to achieve ambitious goals.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Navan
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your technical knowledge, especially around large-scale backend systems and distributed architectures. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you've led teams through complex challenges, as this will showcase your expertise and leadership skills.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in mentoring and developing engineering teams. Talk about how you've fostered a high-performing culture and the strategies you've used to hire top talent. This will demonstrate your capability to lead and inspire others.
✨Understand the Travel Industry
Dive deep into the travel sector and understand its nuances. Familiarise yourself with current trends, challenges, and technologies in the industry. This will not only show your domain curiosity but also help you engage in meaningful conversations about how to improve user experiences.
✨Be Ready for Cross-Functional Collaboration
Think of examples where you've successfully partnered with product, design, and operations teams. Highlight your ability to navigate ambiguous environments and deliver results. This will illustrate your collaborative spirit and execution focus, which are crucial for the role.