VP of Software Engineering
SkyWater has been retained by a private equity backed SaaS company in the Twin Cities Metro to attract and hire a VP of Software Engineering. This is a newly created leadership seat, not a backfill. The company has been around more than 20 years and is looking to shift from a tech-enabled business to a true software and data company.
As the VP, you would own the technology roadmap end to end. That includes leading a team of 15+ engineers, migrating a legacy on-prem environment to the cloud, standing up compliance, and building out new self-serve, BI-driven product tools for customers and their partners. You would work closely with a product leader on the roadmap but own the technology function outright and report into the senior leadership team.
Non-negotiables: hands-on experience taking a company through a real cloud modernization, current and genuine use of AI-assisted development tools and workflows, and the ability to work in office in the Metro (with flexibility).
What makes this worth leaving a current seat for: real ownership of a technology function at a growth-stage company with fresh capital behind it, a builder’s mandate with room to shape the org and the stack from close to scratch, and equity participation tied to the company’s next phase of growth.
Base salary is in the low to mid 200s, with bonus and equity potential. To apply or learn more, reach out confidentially to Zac Kallas at SkyWater Search Partners.
Responsibilities
- Own the multi-year technology roadmap and lead the migration of a legacy, on-prem environment to the cloud Lead a team of 15 to 25 engineers, establishing a culture of accountability, ownership, and speed across a group with a wide range of tenure Own the technical vision for new self-serve, BI-driven portals and dashboards used by retail customers and their manufacturer partners Work closely with a product leader to prioritize and monetize new product capabilities across the mobile app and loyalty platform
- Lead the effort to modularize the product suite so new features roll out consistently across the full customer base
- Oversee the company's SOC 2 compliance initiative alongside an external compliance advisor, aligned to the cloud transition
- Address data quality and integration issues across core business systems and establish clean data governance
- Apply a disciplined buy versus build approach when evaluating new vendors and technology partners
- Partner with marketing, operations, and sales leadership to align technology investment with growth objectives
- Support technical diligence on potential acquisition targets, including assessment of technology footprint and integration risk
- Champion the adoption of modern AI-assisted development tools and workflows across the engineering organization
Desired Skills and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field
- Significant progressive software engineering leadership experience, including direct management of engineering teams and departmental budgets
- Demonstrated experience building and scaling modern, cloud-based software products at a small or mid-size company, including through a period of real growth
- Hands-on, current use of AI-assisted development tools and workflows, not just familiarity with the concept
- Strong experience with vendor evaluation, technology partnerships, and a buy versus build approach to problem solving
- Ability to work in office in the Twin Cities Metro
- Cannot require sponsorship
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ABOUT SKYWATER SEARCH
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Led by a group of seasoned search industry professionals, SkyWater Search Partners brings new focus to a novel concept, “Short List Search.” Our purpose is to leave a lasting impression on the clients we serve by providing individuals who will make a measurable difference in their business. We strive to consistently deliver great results to our clients in a very timely manner.
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Founded on long-standing relationships and hundreds of successful placements throughout the Twin Cities business community, SkyWater Search Partners is a proven resource for clients and candidates looking to quickly and confidently explore their “short list” of best choices. Count on us to find the best people – and the best fit.
