Engineering Manager - API

About the role

We're hiring!!! We are looking for an Engineering Manager for our API team - a technically exceptional leader who is as comfortable in a pull request as they are in a 1:1. This role is for someone who leads by doing: you will write production-quality code, drive architectural decisions, and build a high-performing, autonomous team around you. If you believe the best engineering managers make their teams better by rolling up their sleeves alongside them, we want to hear from you. About Us Craver is a leading provider of custom-branded mobile apps for the restaurant industry, specializing in features like loyalty & rewards, subscription services, and single tap reordering. We are dedicated to transforming customer engagement for quick-service restaurants and coffee shops, working with local brands such as Stumptown Coffee, Rook and Go Get Em Tiger, as well as many other restaurants across North America. As we scale rapidly, we need an Engineering Manager who brings both technical depth and people instincts - someone who ships great software and grows great engineers at the same time. What you'll do Hands-On Technical Contribution Contribute daily to the codebase - designing, building, and implementing complex backend features and infrastructure Drive E2E ownership of the team's technical deliverables and epics Make architecture and API design decisions with scalability, maintainability, and long-term business impact in mind Apply advanced patterns including SOLID, DDD, and Hexagonal Architecture to build loosely coupled, low-dependency systems Champion test-driven development and high code quality standards across all team output Own and continuously improve CI/CD pipelines, deployment practices, and release management Technical Leadership Empower senior ICs to own architectural decisions; act as a facilitator and tie-breaker rather than the default technical authority Scope epics from scratch with stakeholders and create epic-level acceptance criteria Contribute meaningfully to roadmapping through technical guidance, estimation, and identifying solutions Keep the team focused on high-priority work - go deeper rather than broader, and actively manage WIP Interface with other teams to manage dependencies and ensure backend services meet their needs Anticipate scalability bottlenecks and advocate for infrastructure investments before they become problems People Leadership & Team Development Lead team ceremonies: standups, sprint planning, retrospectives, and demos Mentor engineers at all levels with tailored coaching on technical excellence, professional growth, and effective work habits Own performance management: goal-setting, performance reviews, growth plans, and difficult conversations Conduct regular 1:1s focused on career development, blockers, and wellbeing Create psychological safety - an environment where team members feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, and speak up Ensure the team delivers reliably with consistent throughput and ambitious but achievable commitments Participate in hiring: define standards, conduct interviews, and contribute to onboarding Operational Excellence Assume responsibility for the health, reliability, and maintainability of backend systems Lead incident response and implement solutions that minimize blast radius Review and improve RCAs, ensuring systematic corrective actions are implemented Drive automation initiatives that reduce manual work and operational burden Who you are Technical Expertise Senior-level backend engineer who maintains deep, hands-on proficiency - you contribute code, review PRs, and lead design discussions as a matter of course Expert in Java/Spring (or equivalent) with the ability to flex into other tools and systems Deep understanding of distributed systems, microservices, API design, and system integration patterns Strong database expertise in both relational and document stores Cloud infrastructure experience with GCP, AWS, or Azure Testing advocate with proven experience in TDD, automated testing frameworks, and building robust test architectures that scale Leadership & People A facilitator and coach, not a bottleneck - you empower your team to own decisions and hold them accountable for outcomes Proactive communicator who surfaces issues early and drives alignment across stakeholders Effective conflict resolver who fosters a positive, high-trust working environment Models pragmatic development - understands what's ideal versus what's achievable and makes high-value decisions accordingly Mindset & Approach Operational mindset: you identify opportunities for reliability and efficiency improvements before they become problems Internalized Agile principles with the ability to deliver value incrementally under ambiguity Strong judgment on prioritization - focuses the team's energy on what matters most, avoids scope creep and low-value work Committed to continuous improvement through retrospectives, mentorship, and a culture of learning Requirements