Manager, Core Technology
GALE is a creative media consultancy that brings business insights to brand storytelling and activates it across every channel. With expertise in business strategy, media, CRM, addressable and integrated brand communications, performance marketing, and technology, GALE creates marketing systems and communications that grow businesses. GALE delivers strong outcomes for its partners in automotive, QSR, retail, gaming, entertainment, telecom and more. The agency currently has offices in New York, Detroit, Singapore, Toronto, Austin, Los Angeles, London, and Bengaluru.
Our teams are connected by a set of core values that inform everything we do, from how we hire to how we work together: values like Everyone Matters, No Silos, and Masters of Our Craft. If you're driven by a passion to build something great, a desire to innovate, and a commitment to achieve excellence in your craft, GALE is a great place for you.
As a Manager, Core Technology at GALE, you will step into a senior engineering leadership role where your full-stack roots become a superpower. You will lead cross-functional squads building modern, scalable web platforms - owning everything from React-powered frontends to robust Python backends - while mentoring engineers, shaping architecture, and driving delivery across multiple product streams.
We primarily build using Python on the backend with frameworks like Django, FastAPI, and Flask, and React / Next.js on the frontend. We also leverage cloud services such as AWS (Lambda, S3, RDS, API Gateway) and containerization tooling including Docker. In this role, you are expected to be hands-on with this stack - comfortable diving into code, leading code reviews, debugging complex integration issues, and guiding the team through practical, implementation-level decisions.
Who You Are
Experience
8+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 2-3 years in a tech lead or senior lead capacity
Proven track record leading full-stack squads in fast-paced, delivery-driven environments
Demonstrated ability to balance hands-on engineering contributions with team leadership and mentorship
Experience collaborating with distributed or global teams is a plus
Ability to get hands-on is a must for this role
Backend Engineering
Strong expertise in Python and backend frameworks such as Django, FastAPI, or Flask
Experience designing and building reliable, extensible RESTful APIs and microservices
Solid understanding of software engineering best practices: TDD, CI/CD, automated testing, code reviews, and observability
Familiarity with relational databases such as PostgreSQL or MySQL and working knowledge of cloud-native deployment patterns
Frontend Engineering
Hands-on proficiency with React.js and modern frontend ecosystems (hooks, state management, component libraries)
Experience with Next.js or similar SSR/SSG frameworks is a strong plus
Comfortable reviewing frontend code, defining component architecture, and guiding UI/UX implementation
Understanding of frontend performance, accessibility, and cross-browser standards
Cloud & Infrastructure
Working knowledge of AWS services (Lambda, S3, RDS, EC2, API Gateway, or similar)
Familiarity with containerization tools such as Docker and orchestration basics (Kubernetes or ECS)
Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices
Leadership & Ways of Working
Driving execution in an Agile/Scrum development model
Strong work breakdown, sprint planning, and estimation skills with the ability to juggle multiple initiatives and shift priorities as needed
Experience setting a high bar for code quality, system design, and engineering discipline
Ability to navigate ambiguity and unblock delivery challenges across concurrent workstreams
AI & Emerging Technology
Exposure to AI application development, LLM integrations, or agent-based workflows
Familiarity with tools such as LangChain, OpenAI APIs, or RAG-based retrieval patterns is a plus
Soft Skills
Exceptional communication skills (verbal and written), with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
People-first leadership style: you enjoy mentoring engineers and helping teams succeed together
Thrives in collaborative, fast-moving environments and takes pride in building both great products and great teams
A clear communicator who can bridge business goals and technical solutions without losing either audience
What You'll Be Doing
Own Architecture & Technical Direction
Lead the design and delivery of scalable full-stack applications, APIs, and platform services
Own high-level and low-level system design decisions, defining technical approaches that prioritize scalability, reliability, and long-term maintainability
Establish and uphold architecture principles, coding standards, and engineering best practices across teams
Provide hands-on guidance across Python backend services and React frontend applications - stepping into code reviews, debugging, and implementation when needed
Lead Full-Stack Product Delivery
Drive end-to-end delivery of web products spanning React/Next.js frontends and Python (Django/FastAPI/Flask) backends
Own API design, integration patterns, and data contracts between frontend and backend layers
Collaborate closely with design, product, and QA teams to deliver high-quality, performant, and accessible user experiences
Ensure frontend and backend teams work cohesively, with shared understanding of system boundaries and delivery goals
Guide AI & Intelligent System Integration
Contribute to solutioning and delivery of AI-powered features and agent-based workflows integrated within full-stack products
Guide teams in adopting modern AI application patterns including RAG workflows, LLM integrations, and structured output pipelines
Work with technologies such as LangChain, Pydantic, vector stores, and modern LLM application frameworks where applicable
AI assisted coding practices and agentic coding practices is something we do at GALE and would like to hear about how you have incorporated this way of working.
Lead and Develop the Team
Lead, mentor, and coach engineers - helping them grow in technical depth, ownership, and decision-making capability
Foster a culture of mentorship, accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning
Support sprint planning, estimation, work breakdown, and execution across multiple delivery streams
Promote knowledge sharing, reusable patterns, and engineering consistency across squads
Create opportunities for growth, learning, and increased responsibility within the team
Drive Agile Delivery
Execute in an Agile/Scrum environment with a focus on frequent, incremental delivery and continuous improvement
Plan and manage team deliverables and capacity across multiple concurrent projects, proactively managing risks and dependencies
Help teams navigate ambiguity and unblock delivery challenges with sound, pragmatic implementation decisions
Stakeholder & Client Collaboration
Translate business and client requirements into clear technical plans, roadmaps, and execution strategies
Partner with product managers, designers, analytics, and client stakeholders to shape solutions and align priorities
Communicate technical decisions, trade-offs, risks, and progress clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
Manage competing priorities across projects while maintaining focus on outcomes, quality, and team health
Foster a "No Silos" Culture
Work in a "no silos" environment, frequently collaborating with cross-functional roles including strategy, media, CRM, analytics, creative, and technology
Promote knowledge sharing, documentation, and cross-team collaboration to build reusable patterns and shared engineering accelerators
Build trust across engineering and cross-functional teams through clarity, responsiveness, and consistent follow-through
Create a team environment that reflects GALE's values: Everyone Matters, No Silos, and Masters of Our Craft
